Guideline for IMGs living in the UK who wish to apply for jobs in the NHS

This blog post is for those IMGs who:
1. Are living in the UK on a dependent visa ( ie married to someone who is here on a work visa or is a UK resident)
2. Have graduated from their home countries and have done their one year internship
3. Have not worked/ worked for a small period in their home countries and then came here and have been living here since then.

I have explained this in the form of FAQs:

FOR IMGs WHO HAVE NOT DONE THEIR ONE YEAR INTERNSHIPS
I have not done my one year internship ( house job) from my home country. 

In this case, you will be granted ONLY provisional registration:
https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/join-the-register/provisional-registration

What does this mean?

You will have to apply for the UK foundation programme:
http://www.foundationprogramme.nhs.uk/

But I have heard IMGs do not get into this?

This is not true.
Please join this group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/IMGs.in.the.UK/

And read this:
https://www.facebook.com/notes/international-medical-graduates-imgs-in-the-uk/nazia-salmans-guideline-on-foundation-year-training/2189814987718197/

But this means I will have to give additional exams. 

Yes, this is true.

This will be very difficult. 

No, it is not very difficult. Given that you are already in the UK, take your time and give the following exams:
IELTS ( OET may not be acceptable by the UKPFO - however do confirm this by contacting them if you are in any doubt- http://www.foundationprogramme.nhs.uk/content/contacts)
PLAB 1 and 2
Then get your provisional GMC registration
Situational Judgement Test
Clinical Assessment Exam
Then apply for the foundation programme.

Will I be able to get my full GMC registration?

Yes, once you have completed your foundation programme, you will get your full GMC license.

THOSE IMGs WHO HAVE DONE THEIR ONE YEAR INTERNSHIPS IN THEIR HOME COUNTRIES

I have been living in the UK for a few years now. I have been out of practice since then. What should I do?

You need registered with the GMC first and get a license to practice in the UK

Will I need to give IELTS?

You can also consider OET.
Please read the official GMC guidance here on both:
https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/join-the-register/before-you-apply/evidence-of-your-knowledge-of-english

What will I have to do after this?

Give PLAB 1 and 2. Then get registered with the GMC.

There are a few blogs and guidelines here:
https://naseersjourney.com/useful-links/

What sort of job should I go for?

As mentioned in those blogs, a SHO post - equivalent to FY2/CT1/ST1.


APPLYING FOR JOBS
Due to family commitments , I cannot commute. Is it possible to get a job in the town/city I live in?

Yes.

There is no job on NHS jobs at the moment. 

You can call the hospital in your city and talk to HR.

I called HR. No one answered. 

I am not surprised. Take a copy of your CV and go to the HR office yourself.

I do not know where it is.

Go to the hospitals reception and ask. 

Why should I talk to HR when there are no jobs advertised on NHS jobs?

All hospitals in the UK are understaffed. There is always a vacancy. It is very difficult to interview doctors as the HR needs to arrange a special day on which consultants are available and then do a lot of paper work. They prefer to do it when there are a lot of vacancies in different specialties and thus do this once or twice a year. There is no specific time for this either. However there is definitely at least one vacancy in every trust across the country all the time.

I feel that I am out of touch for so long. I am not sure I will be able to manage. 

You can do an observership in your local hospital.

How should I go about that?

By doing the above- ie talking to HR, if they do not answer their phones, visit them personally.

I have given my CV to the HR. 

They will contact you in a few weeks. Otherwise you can email them followed by a call once a month.

I left my CV at my local hospitals HR office and I have been calling every month for the past 6 months. They say that there are no vacancies. 

You can consider doing an observership. This way you will get a feel of how it is to work in the NHS and can make contacts with the HR and consultants there. There might be an upcoming vacancy for which they can do an informal interview and employ you.

What else can I do?

You can consider giving a post graduate exam in the specialty you are interested in, ie MRCP 1/MRCS, etc.

TRAINING POSTS 

If I apply for a training post, can I request to get it in the same city my family is based. We have a house, I have small kids. I would prefer to stay near them. 

Training posts are in one deanery. You will be rotating in different trusts in the deanery

What is a deanery?

This guideline might help:
https://www.bma.org.uk/advice/career/applying-for-training/find-your-deanery

So summarize, the UK is divided into parts ( known as deaneries). Each year, the doctor rotates into different trusts in that deanery. (S)he will also rotate in specialist centers in that region to ensure that (s)he gets the best training. All these cities where (s)he would rotate into will be within an hour or 2 drive from each other enabling the trainee to settle in one place from where (s)he can commute easily.

How will it work for me?

Once you get into training, you will be rotated in different trusts in a particular region.

What if I do not get a post in the deanery where I am currently residing in?

You can consider facilitated placement if your other half is in a training programme in that deanery.
https://specialtytraining.hee.nhs.uk/Recruitment/Application-guidance

Has anyone done this?

Yes-
https://nhsdoctors.net/2018/05/20/getting-training-where-you-want-an-insight-into-upgrades-and-facilitated-placement/

I do not want to do training. Can I become a consultant by working in the same trust in my home town?

Yes you can. This is known as CESR:
http://omarsguidelines.blogspot.com/2017/07/my-advice-on-cesr-pathway.html