It is anticipated that following successful completion of the programme students will return to their home countries. Those participants who obtain registration with the GMC by passing the PLAB test during their stay in the UK, or obtaining sponsored registration, may well be eligible to enter further postgraduate training or a service post (staff grade, trust grade, research and teaching fellow) with the possibility of making a long term career in medicine in the UK. This programme may also be advantageous in enabling candidates to access further training in Australia and the United States. Enquiries about those possibilities must of course be made to the appropriate authorities in those countries.
Working in the UK after completing your studies
The post-study workers scheme replaces the previous International Graduates Scheme (IGS) and allows international students to work in the UK following the completion of their studies.
You can apply under the post-study worker category if you are:
- In the United Kingdom with permission to stay under the International Graduates Scheme (IGS)
- In the United Kingdom as a student, which includes students, students re-sitting examinations and students writing up a thesis, and want to switch into the post-study worker category.
At the expiration of this visa, future employers must to apply for a standard work permit on your behalf if you wish to remain in the UK.
For more information, visit the Home Office website.
International Medical Graduates (IMGs) and the NHS
To reduce the reliance on overseas doctors, many UK medical schools increased their undergraduate student numbers. In addition, four new UK medical schools were created, thereby increasing the number of UK-trained physicians requiring training posts in the NHS. In March 2006, the Department of Health introduced a ruling that IMGs already in the UK on highly-skilled migrant programme (HSMP) visas would not be allowed to apply for postgraduate training posts in the NHS, unless no suitable UK or EEA qualified doctor were available. In these cases, non-EEA IMGs may still be appointed to training posts, but only on a work permit. However, for popular specialties, this ruling effectively means that IMGs from outside the EEA find it extremely difficult to obtain training posts in the NHS.
During the period of a Tier 1 Post Study Work visa, our successful graduates are able to apply for training posts in junior doctor training schemes, without the need for a work permit. Please note that the eligibility restrictions in applying for UK junior doctor training grade posts do not apply to our MD graduates even if they are from outside the European Union.
Many of our graduates have successfully obtained fully-paid substantive NHS posts including training junior doctor posts in different medical specialities in UK hospitals.We also organise recruitment fairs with London NHS Trusts with whom we have specific links, and our candidates are eligible to apply for substantive non-training NHS posts in open competition at these hospitals.
