Becoming a UK Doctor

BECOMING A
UK DOCTOR

Are you a passionate doctor who
is keen to develop your medical
expertise in a country renound for its
national health service?
If so, you have come to the right place.
Introduction
Drake Medox are dedicated to excellence in
supporting overseas doctors to find the best
and most suitable jobs in prestigious healthcare
organisations in the UK.
We have successfully placed over 15,000
healthcare professionals from around the world
into rewarding careers in the UK.
We offer free expert recruitment advice to help
you through every step of what can be a daunting
process offer guidance for every step of the way,
including; preparing yourself for job interviews,
GMC (General Medical Council) registration, visa
application as well as providing ongoing support
throughout your employment here in the UK.
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Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
The process of becoming a UK registered Doctor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
PLAB Route to GMC Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Primary Medical Qualification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
English Language Proficiency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Booking a PLAB 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Booking a PLAB 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Other Routes to GMC Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Acceptable Postgraduate Qualification (PGQ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Medical Training Initiative (MTI) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Living and working in the UK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
UK Doctor’s Pay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Tax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
National Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Opening a Bank Account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Accommodation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
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The process of becoming a
UK registered Doctor
As well as a licence to practise, you must register
with the Gneral Medical Council (GMC) in
order to work as a Doctor in the UK.
There are a few different routes you can take to
register with the GMC;
1. PLAB - The PLAB test is for doctors who
have qualified overseas and wish to practise
medicine in the UK under limited registration.
The test assesses your ability, as a doctor, to
work safely as a senior house officer (SHO) in
a UK NHS hospital.
2. PGQ - Some Postgraduate Qualifications are
accepted by the GMC as evidence of your
skills and experience without undergoing the
PLAB tests.
3. MTI - The Medical Training Initiative is a
scheme that allows international doctors to
work for a maximum of 24 months in the UK.
4

PLAB Route to GMC Registration
BECOMING A GMC REGISTERED DOCTOR - PLAB TEST ROUTE
Becoming a UK GMC fully registered doctor
through PLAB test routes
IN
UK
English proficiency
PLAB Test Part 1
Visitor visa to UK
PLAB Test Part 2
ID check with GMC
GMC Application
Reputable Recruiter
Employment – Job Offer
Pre-Employment Checks
Sponsorship
UKVI / Visa
Travel to UK
Full GMC Registration
Revalidation
Primary Medical Qualification
International doctors applying for full registration with a licence to practice need to have their
primary medical qualification independently verified by the Educational Commission for Foreign
Medical Graduates (ECFMG) through their online system Electronic Portfolio of International
Credentials (EPIC).
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6

PLAB Route to GMC Registration (continued)
English Language Proficiency
Before you can take the PLAB 1 exam, you need
to prove that you have the necessary knowledge
of English to practise safely in the UK. You can
use IELTS certificate, OET certificate or Acceptable
Primary Medical Qualification.
• IELTS certificate must have at least 7.0 in
each testing area (speaking, reading, writing
and listening) and an overall score of 7.5.
IELTS fee is £160 - £200.
• OET certificate must show you got at least
a grade ‘B’ in each testing area (speaking,
listening, reading and writing). The fee for the
OET is £332.
• Acceptable Primary Medical Qualification
which is less than 2 years old when you apply
for registration and was taught and examined
solely in English.
Booking a PLAB 1
You will need to create a GMC Online account in
order to book PLAB 1 exam. PLAB 1 is a 3-hour
written exam comprised of 180 multiple choice
questions with the aim to test your ability to apply
your knowledge for the care of patients.
The PLAB 1 test is held 4 times a year in the UK;
March, June, September and November. At a
number of overseas venues, PLAB 1 is run twice a
year in March and November by the British Council.
You can prepare for PLAB 1 by using the blueprint
which covers all the topics and skills needed to
pass the test.
It is also a good idea to check out Good Medical
Practice which sets out the professional values and
behaviours when you take the exam and when you
medically practise in the UK.
The fee for PLAB 1 is £230.
Booking a PLAB 2
PLAB 2 is an objective structured clinical exam
(OSCE) made up of 18 scenarios, each with a
duration of 8 minutes. The exam is to test your ability
to apply knowledge to the care of patients through
real life settings including a mock consultation or
an acute ward.
Similarly to PLAB 1, you can use the blueprint and
Good Medical Practice to prepare for PLAB 2.
Most international doctors choose to take an
independent PLAB 1 and PLAB 2 course which can
set the cost up to £700.
PLAB 2 must be taken in the UK, therefore, you
shall need to apply for a visitor visa to come to the
UK for it.
The fee for PLAB 2 is £840.
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Other Routes to GMC Registration
BECOMING A GMC REGISTERED DOCTOR - OTHER ROUTES
Becoming a UK GMC fully registered doctor
through other routes
Acceptable PostGrad
qualifications, or
GMC sponsored by employers
on approved sponsors list.
Proof of English competency
• IELTS/OET
• Primary Medical qualification in English
• Reference from UK Employers
• UK Job Offer from designated body
GMC Application
Reputable Recruiter
Employment – Job Offer
Pre-Employment Checks
Sponsorship
UKVI / Visa
Travel to UK
ID check with GMC
Full GMC Registration
Revalidation
Acceptable Postgraduate Qualification (PGQ)
The GMC accepts the evidence of your knowledge, skills and experience without PLAB test if you have
acceptable postgraduate qualifications. Click on the button below for a list of acceptable PGQs.
Medical Training Initiative (MTI)
MTI stands for Medical Training Initiative which is a national scheme designed to allow a small number
of doctors from overseas to work and benefit from training and development in NHS services for a
maximum of 24 months before returning to their home countries.
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MEDICAL TRAINING INITIATIVE (MTI) PATHWAY
01
International Medical Graduate (IMG) submits
MTI application to Royal College
02
Application approved
03
Job Offer via reputable recruiter
04
Royal College liaises with Trust on paperwork
for application
05
Paperwork from Trust is approved and IMG
eligibility is confirmed
06
Royal College provides sponsorship for GMC
registration
07
GMC
IMG commences GMC registration process
08
GMC application is approved and IMG makes
appointment for GMC ID check
09
Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC)
provides MTI Tier 5 Visa sponsorship
10
IMG applies for and receives Tier 5 Visa
11
Travel to the UK
12
ID check with GMC
13
Full GMC registration
Revalidation
9

Living and working in the UK
UK Doctor’s Pay
LEVELS OF NON-TRAINING DOCTORS AND PAY IN THE UK
Medical School
Minimum 4 years of
PostGrad training
FY1
Foundation Year 1
£23,553 pa - £26,493 pa
SD
Specialty Doctor
£39,060 pa - £72,840 pa
FY2
Foundation Year 2
£29,213 pa - £33,034 pa
ST1-2
Speciality Registrar
£31,217 pa - £41,300 pa
ST3+
Speciality Registrar
£31,217 pa - £49,086 pa
Certificate of Completion
of Training (CCT)
C
Consultant
£77,913 pa - £105,042 pa
PLEASE NOTE: In addition to basic salary, doctors will be paid an additional supplement depending
on their working pattern. For more information, please email info@drakemedox.co.uk
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Tax
How much Income Tax you pay in each tax year depends on:
• How much of your income is above your Personal Allowance
• How much of your income falls within each tax band
Band Taxable Income Tax Rate
Personal Allowance Up to £11,850 0%
Basic Rate £11,851 to £46,350 20%
Higher Rate £46,351 to £150,000 40%
Additional Rate Over £150,000 45%
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National Insurance
Everyone who works in the UK needs to have
National Insurance (NI) Number which is a unique
personal reference number for all your tax/
employment affairs.
The amount of National Insurance you pay
depends on your employment status and how
much you earn.
You can use the online calculator to estimate how
much tax and NI contribution you need to pay.
Your NI number might be available on the back
of your Biometric Residence Permit (2 letters, 6
numbers, 1 letter).
If you do not have an NI number on the Biometric
Residence Permit, you must apply for one when
you are in the UK with the right to work. You will
need to contact the National Insurance Number
Application line on 0800 141 2075 from Monday
to Friday, 8 AM to 6 PM.
Opening a Bank Account
The majority of banks in the UK request the
following information when processing your
application for opening a bank account:
1. Passport
2. Biometric Resident Permit (BRP): You need
to collect your BRP within 10 days of arriving
in the UK or before your vignette expires,
whichever is later.
3. Proof of your address in the UK, such
as signed tenancy agreement from your
landlord or a hospital accommodation letter
from within the last 3 months.
4. A confirmation letter of employment from
your employer which shows your name,
date of birth, job title, contract start date and
end date, type of contract and your current
address in the UK.
Your bank card (debit card) will normally be posted
to you within few days after your bank account is
opened. You can also use their online banking
service or mobile apps to check your account
balance, transfer money and pay bills.
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Accommodation
There are plenty of property agencies in the UK,
inculding a couple of popular property websites
such as rightmove.co.uk and zoopla.co.uk.
Click on the buttons below to visit the sites:
When you choose accommodation, it is a good
idea to take into consideration the distance and
travel time between the place and your work site.
In UK, the average commuting time is normally
between 30 minutes and 1 hour.
In order to support your accommodation
application, you will need a confirmation letter of
employment from your employer to prove that
you have a job and can afford the monthly rent.
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CONTACT US
If you are ready to take your medical career to the next level
and relocate to the UK, please get in touch.
+44 207 484 0820
info@drakemedox.co.uk
facebook.com/DrakeMedoxMedical
linkedin.com/company/drake-medox-uk-medical-division
www.drakemedox.co.uk