The Oxford Deanery welcomes doctors and dentists who have qualified outside the UK, who wish to come to Britain for postgraduate training. There is a long tradition of postgraduate training of overseas-qualified medical professionals, including those who have come to this country as refugees or are seeking asylum. Such doctors and dentists make a very considerable contribution to British medicine and there is great mutual benefit to their presence in Britain.
Approximately one-third of "Junior hospital doctors" - ie those in the training grades of House Officer, Senior House Officer and Specialist Registrar, as well as an increasing number of Trust-grade posts (these do not have Deanery or, usually, Royal College, educational approval) - have qualified overseas, and do not have permanent right of residence m the UK.
Mr John Lourie BM PhD FRCS
Associate Director (Overseas Doctors)
Entry Qualifications
The usual route into postgraduate training for overseas doctors is via the PLAB examination (for which a prerequisite is a pass in the IELTS test).
Support from the Deanery
The Deanery's Associate Director for Overseas Doctors, Mr John Lourie, has responsibility for those aspects of training which are specific to doctors whose nationality/visa status does not permit them permanent residence in the UK (non-EU nationals). The responsibility includes:
- extensions to permit free training
- career guidance in relation to overseas status
- training and non-training posts
- advice regarding UK induction.
All enquiries must be made in writing to the Oxford Deanery and not by telephone, fax or e-mail. Requests for extensions to permit-free training must be set in motion several weeks in advance, through the doctor's local Clinical Tutor.
General Medical Council
Doctors not in the EU who wish to enquire about postgraduate training in the UK should in the first instance contact the General Medical Council, 178 Great Portland Street, London, W1N 6JE, to ensure that their primary medical qualification is registerable in Britain. They should also contact the relevant College or Speciality Association (e.g. Royal College of Surgeons, Royal College of Physicians, etc.), whose address will be available through the local British Embassy or Consulate, or British Council office.
British Medical Association
There is also much useful information available from the International Department of the British Medical Association, and in particular their publication "Career Focus" dated 19 June 2004 (Career Focus for Overseas Doctors), which includes a wealth of detailed advice on coming to train in the UK.
Induction Programmes
The Oxford Deanery (in common with most other Deaneries) provides regular International
Doctors Induction Courses for overseas-qualified doctors (including those from the EU), who are about to start or have just started their first job in the UK. These 2-day courses are held twice a year in Milton Keynes (in the north of the Deanery), and once a year in Slough (in the south east). There is no charge for attendance, and travelling expenses are reimbursed. All bookings must be made through NHS Professionals, on 0845 1203164, or email medical@wymas.nhsprofessionals.nhs.uk While attendance at these courses is not compulsory, most doctors new to the NHS find their content extremely helpful as an introduction to working as a doctor in the UK.
Induction Courses
Induction Courses for International Medical Graduates (IMG) are held in the Oxford Deanery immediately prior to the August and February intakes of junior doctors. These are open only to those doctors and dentists (of all grades, from Foundation year 1 to Consultant) whose primary medical qualification has been obtained outside the UK, and who have been appointed to a post in the Oxford Deanery which is their first job in the UK.
Non-Deanery Jobs
The Oxford Deanery cannot make direct arrangements for training posts in the NHS, as these are advertised nationally and are appointed as a result of competitive interview. Nor can the Deanery offer research posts, for which application must be made directly to an individual department. Clinical Attachments (observerships) can be arranged by making direct contact with individual consultants, or sometimes through the Clinical Tutor in each Trust (hospital). These provide a useful introduction to working in the NHS, and may be helpful to obtain a UK referee when applying for jobs.
Refugee Doctors
The Oxford Deanery also provides help for refugee and asylum-seeking doctors through the Oxford Refugee Health Professionals Support Project. Further details are available from the project coordinator, Catharine Arakelian, on 01865 849768, or at project@arakelian.co.uk
Work permits and permit free training
Who should apply for a work permit?
Doctors who are non-EEA nationalities should apply for a work permit to work in the UK. The exception being non-EEA Doctors who qualified from a UK medical school and who are on the Foundation Programme should apply for permit free training (see below).
Which Application form should be completed?
There are two types of application form: WP1 and PD1. If you have been offered a non-Deanery job, then your Trust will need to complete form WP1. If you have been offered a training job through one of the Deanery's programmes, then your Trust will complete part of PD1 before forwarding on to the Deanery to complete the remainder of the form. How to apply for a Work Permit
Your Trust's Medical Staffing will process a WP1 application form. Please liaise with Medical Staffing regarding this application.
To apply using a PD1 form, contact your Trust's Medical Staffing. Medical Staffing will complete sections 7, 8 and 10 before forwarding it to the Deanery. Please ensure Medical Staffing have all the information they need to complete the form. A copy of the form can be found here: PD1 form. Please note that the Deanery and the medical staffing offices are very busy, so please allow at least four weeks for the form to be processed. Once your form has been validated, the Deanery will forwarded it on to Work Permits UK, where it may take up to two weeks to be processed. You should allow for six weeks for the form to be processed by all parties.
Further information
Further information about applying for Work Permits, please contact the Trust's medical Staffing or Vicky Beal (tel. 01865 740605)
The Home Office website Working in the UK provides more information for non-EEA nationals wishing to work in the UK.
Permit Free Training
Non-EEA Foundation Doctors who qualified from a UK medical school do not need to apply for a work permit. These doctors should apply for Permit Free Training. Please contact Vicky Beal for further details and for a form.
Medical Training Initiative (MTI) (Updated 16 November 2006)
The Medical Training Initiative (MTI) is a new immigration category within the Training and Work Experience Scheme (TWES), to accomodate overseas postgraduate doctors coming here for a maximum of two years for further training. It covers all schemes and arrangements sponsored or administered by the Medical Royal Colleges (e.g. ODTS) and similar organisations (e.g. COmmonwealth Scholarships).
Application must be made from oversears, and the doctor must return overseas at the end of a maximum of two years. There are also regulations regarding the length of time before the doctors is permitted to return to the UK. Full details are available on the government website: www.workingintheuk.gov.uk. A supporting letter/form from the Deanery should accompany any application.
STOP PRESS 20 November 2006
International Medical Graduates in the SpR grade still on permit-free training are advised to change their status to Work Permit prior to 31 December 2006, as otherwise when their PFT expires there is a risk their extension of stay could be subject to the resident labour market test (i.e. no suitable UK/EEA candidate to take the post)".
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More information for overseas doctors can be found on the following links:
The Courses are not open to other overseas doctors who do not fall into the above category. All eligible doctors will be advised of the date of the Induction Course they should attend, at the time their appointment to their post/rotation is confirmed. The Courses are normally held at Milton Keynes Hospital (in the north of the Deanery) at the end of July/beginning of August, and at Wexham Park Hospital, Slough (in the south-east of the Deanery) at the end of January/beginning of February. These Courses cover topics such as the organisation of the NHS, standards of clinical practice in the UK, professional values, codes of interaction with colleagues, the hospital hierarchy and its relation to general practice, and the system of postgraduate education and training.
Their purpose is to familiarise newly-arrived IMGs with medical practice in the UK, and to support and raise the confidence of those starting to live and work in an environment which may be very different from their own. The Courses are supplementary to the Trust-level Induction Courses at each hospital, at which attendance by all new appointees is mandatory.
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| The RCGP and PMETB web sites give extensive information on the requirements for doctors from overseas who wish to work in UK general practice. |
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