If you decide that the UK is the best place to begin or expand your medical career there are a number of avenues which you should investigate to ensure that you end up in the right job at the right time for the right reasons. Due to the large and diverse nature of the medical industry there are a variety of organisations and official bodies which offer advice and recruitment options for new graduates or international medical professionals.
The NHS (National Health Service) has a division referred to as the MMC (Modernising Medical Careers) which now handles all specialty and training placements. The MMC has a series of policies and systems in place to guide new graduates and other applicants through the process of gaining placement within the NHS. In general the MMC structure is made up of two years of foundation teaching. The first year, referred to as F1, is similar to a medical internship in other countries such as the US. The second year – F2 – includes placements in three specialties. Following the Foundation programme, graduates move on to the Specialist Training Programme which can include two or three years of core training (referred to as C1, C2, and C3; and ST1, ST2, and ST3). On completion of these specialty training years the graduate should be awarded a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT). In general these training placements are quite competitive and recent figures showed a ratio of three applicants for every post, making it a likelihood that 2 of every 3 applicants would not get their first choice of placement (or a placement at all).
To improve your chances of getting a placement or job within the UK – particularly if you have already completed your training or do not require any specific specialist experience – it is worth registering your interest with the Department of Health, the British Medical Association (BMA) and the General Medical Council (GMC). All three have areas that specialise in recruitment both for UK and international medical graduates. For areas noted as lacking staff, these organisations may also actively employ from their list of registered medical specialists.
The NHS (National Health Service) has a division referred to as the MMC (Modernising Medical Careers) which now handles all specialty and training placements. The MMC has a series of policies and systems in place to guide new graduates and other applicants through the process of gaining placement within the NHS. In general the MMC structure is made up of two years of foundation teaching. The first year, referred to as F1, is similar to a medical internship in other countries such as the US. The second year – F2 – includes placements in three specialties. Following the Foundation programme, graduates move on to the Specialist Training Programme which can include two or three years of core training (referred to as C1, C2, and C3; and ST1, ST2, and ST3). On completion of these specialty training years the graduate should be awarded a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT). In general these training placements are quite competitive and recent figures showed a ratio of three applicants for every post, making it a likelihood that 2 of every 3 applicants would not get their first choice of placement (or a placement at all).
To improve your chances of getting a placement or job within the UK – particularly if you have already completed your training or do not require any specific specialist experience – it is worth registering your interest with the Department of Health, the British Medical Association (BMA) and the General Medical Council (GMC). All three have areas that specialise in recruitment both for UK and international medical graduates. For areas noted as lacking staff, these organisations may also actively employ from their list of registered medical specialists.