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How to find work together as an IMG couple in the UK

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The rules, guidelines and criteria for working as a doctor in the UK change frequently. Please make sure you check the latest official guidance before taking action.

Introduction

When Kimberly and I decided to pursue a postgraduate medical career in the UK, it was a big worry of ours that we would end up on either side of the country and have to live apart. We know this is a big worry for many IMG couples aspiring to migrate to the UK and having experienced this ourselves, we understand the fears.

Unfortunately, it did end up happening to us, and it was a huge challenge that we had to overcome. Living apart was certainly a struggle for us as a doctor couple and we hope that the tips in this article will help you to avoid a similar path!

So how can you get work closer together?

Well the strategies really depend on whether you are applying for training jobs or non-training jobs. Let’s start with training jobs.

Training jobs

Now with official training jobs (ie. residency), it’s more difficult because you don’t apply to individual hospitals, instead you apply to a specialty for the whole UK and you get matched to a job.

Where you match depends on 2 things:

  1. Your rank amongst all applicants
  2. How you order your list of preferred locations or hospitals

Once you are finally matched to a job, the location is set. If you don’t accept the placement, then unfortunately you don’t get a training job at all and you need to reapply the following year.

With the exception of FY1 (UK internship), unfortunately, there is no option to link applications when applying for specialty training whether you’re applying for the same specialty or different specialties.

Also, if a specialty is competitive and has very few seats, then the chances of getting into the location of your choice are lower which makes it even more difficult.

So what should a couple do?

Here are some strategies to get placed together.

1. Both score as high as possible in your applications

Doctors with the highest application scores will get the first pick of locations. Those with lower scores will only get to choose from the locations left over after the higher scoring applicants have made been allocated their choice. So basically, the higher you score the better! This will increase your chances of getting into your preferred location.

But at the same time, if one scores really high and the other scores quite low, it doesn’t work either because one will get matched to a location high up on the list, while the other will get matched somewhere lower down.

So it’s really best if your scores are roughly the same so that you both end up with preferences that are roughly in the same position on your preference list. 

This can be extremely tough to work out, especially if you are applying for different specialties with different levels of competition. In those cases, it can really be a lottery!

We run a Masterclass to help IMGs achieve high application scores and get into their dream specialty, read more on how we can help you.

2. Rank your preferences exactly the same

If you both score highly, it won’t matter unless you list your preferences in the exact same order. If you don’t list them in the same order, then even if you both get a high score, you may end up in different locations!

So make sure to rank your preferences exactly the same and try to list them in order of proximity to each other. That way, even if you end up at different hospitals, they’re not too far apart and you can find somewhere to live in the middle of the two hospitals.

Related: How to rank preferences for UK training jobs as an IMG

3. Request an Inter-Deanery Transfer (IDT)

Once you get matched to your placement and receive your final job offer, you can either accept it and start working there, or decline and reapply the next year. If you accept your post and start work, you can attempt to request a transfer for the following year.

This is called an Inter-Deanery Transfer because hospitals in a particular region are usually grouped together for the purpose of training programmes. These groups are called “deaneries”, so since you’re moving deaneries, it’s called an Inter-Deanery Transfer or IDT.

As you can imagine, lots of doctors make IDT requests each year but not all requests can be accommodated. You will need to prove that you have had “unforeseen and significant change in circumstances” since accepting your training job which can be difficult. You have to show that everything was fine and you were happy with your location when you first accepted the job, but things have now changed.

Each criteria is ranked by priority. You can read the exact wording of each criteria by clicking on the them. 

The trainee has developed a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010 (see below) following the acceptance of an offer of a training post, for which treatment is an absolute requirement and where the treatment, care or social requirements can only be carried out in the geographical area the trainee has applied to relocate to, as confirmed by a report from their Occupational Health Physician, GP or their medical specialist.

The trainee has developed a condition relating to mental health following the acceptance of an offer of a training post, for which treatment is an absolute requirement and where the treatment, care or social requirements can only be carried out in the geographical area the trainee has applied to relocate to, as confirmed by a report from their Occupational Health Physician, GP or other registered clinician providing care for the individual.

The trainee is the primary carer for someone who has significant ill health and/or is disabled as defined by the Equality Act 2010 (see below), expected to be a partner, sibling, parent or child, and these responsibilities have changed significantly following the acceptance of an offer of a training pos t, resulting in the need to move location. Trainees who provide care for a person as part of a group of carers, e.g. a family, are not eligible to apply under this criterion.

The trainee is a parent or legal guardian of a child (or children) under the age of 18 who reside primarily with them, and for whom they have had significant change in caring responsibilities following the acceptance of an offer of a training post, resulting in the need to move location.

Please note: This criterion is based on childcare. Pregnancy is not part of this criterion. A trainee whose sole circumstance is that she – or a partner – is currently pregnant will not be regarded as eligible.

The trainee has had a significant change in personal circumstances due to a committed relationship or the breakdown of a committed relationship that could not have been foreseen following the acceptance of an offer of a training post, resulting in the need to move location.

Please note: a committed relationship refers to the relationship a trainee has with a partner (e.g. boyfriend, girlfriend, husband or wife) and not with other family members or friends.

Unfortunately IDT is not an easy or straightforward process. Here are some relevant links so you can learn more more about it. Be sure to read the section about trainees who are on Tier 2 visas.

4. One of you reapplies the following year

If you both accept your initial job offers and if your request for IDT is denied or you think you have a low chance of approval, then another option is for one of you to reapply for training the following year.

For example, if you got into Internal Medicine CT1 in location A and your partner was matched to location B, then you will start CT1 in location A, but at the same time reapply for CT1 so that you can move closer to location B next year.

Since the location of one person is already known and fixed, the second person will just need to rank their preferences closer to the first.

It’s not possible to apply directly for CT2. Applications to training are for certain entry points only eg. CT1/ST1 or ST3. 

However, you’re very likely to get your original CT1 year accredited so that even though you’re applying for CT1 again, you can actually start at CT2 level the following year. Each specialty will have their own rules for accrediting previous training when you move deaneries. Be sure to check what your specialty’s rules are.


There are a couple of caveats with this approach that you should be aware of:

  1. You will need approval from your training programme director to reapply with the aim to change location. This should be straightforward in most cases unless your deanery is desperate for trainees in which case they may not be happy to let you move.
  2. Some specialties do not allow you to reapply once you have already started training in that same specialty elsewhere. If your specialty has this type of rule, then it may be best not to accept the job and look into strategy no. 5.

5. One starts training first, the other applies the following year

If the idea of being apart for one year isn’t acceptable to you or your partner, or if your specialty does not allow trainees to reapply for training with the aim to move location, then strategy number 5 is an option.

In this strategy, one of you starts the training job first. The other will look for a non-training job nearby so you can be together. They can then apply for training the following year and base all their preferences around the first person’s location.

6. Ride it out

If one or both of you get into a core training programme or GP training that’s just 2-3 years long but far apart, then there’s always the option to simply start training, live apart, and make it work. You can then try to match closer together at the next stage of training.

This is a really personal decision and you’ll both have to decide whether maintaining 2 separate accommodations is feasible for you, and how you’re going to cope with the long-distance relationship.

Of course, if one or both of you get’s into a programme that’s 6 years or longer, then you’ll really need to consider the pros and cons of living apart for that long. If it were us, that’s simply too long – especially with plans to start a family.

7. Request another Inter-Deanery Transfer

If your request for an IDT was denied before, it doesn’t mean that it will always be denied. If your circumstances change then you can submit another request for a transfer.

Non-training jobs

In the UK, it’s possible to work as a doctor even if you don’t get a job in an official training programme (ie. residency). There are lots of types of jobs outside of the training programmes and we’ll just refer to all of them here generically as “non-training jobs”.

When applying for non-training jobs as a couple, it’s much easier to get into the same hospital or same location compared to training jobs because you have direct control over where you apply.

Related: The best first job in the UK for overseas doctors

So here are the ways that you can find work near each other if you’re both applying for non-training jobs.

1. Apply to the same hospitals

With non-training jobs, you apply directly to the hospital that has the vacancy so you can choose which hospitals you apply for. Because you choose where you apply, you will not end up hundreds of miles apart since you won’t be applying for jobs that are hundreds of miles apart.

So the first strategy is to simply look for jobs at the same hospital or in the same geographic area and submit your application.

It’s even possible to apply for the same job, because sometimes a department can decide to hire more than one person even though the job advert is only for one person. Of course, only do this if you don’t mind working together!

2. One works first then recommends the other

When one person inevitably gets a job first, it may be possible to recommend the partner at the hospital for a job. This doesn’t always work because it’s difficult for hospitals to just create jobs if there is no need, but some couples have found success this way so don’t rule it out.

If you’re the first one to get a job, you can bring this up with your Consultant and they may be able to get you in touch with the right people to inquire about any internal vacancies.

3. One works first then the other applies to the same hospital or nearby hospitals

If there’s no way the first person can recommend the other, then the second person can simply continue applying for jobs the regular way online in the same hospital or at a nearby hospital. This way, the first person acts as the anchor for the location and the second person can fit around them.

Conclusion

Being a doctor couple can be extremely challenging at times, especially if you both want to pursue training! IMGs and UK doctors alike face the prospect of long-distance relationships, but there are ways to work and live together if you’re patient and flexible.

Book a one-to-one session

We totally understand that this whole UK journey can all be quite confusing at first, we definitely felt that way when we first started! 

If you are looking for individual guidance for your personal circumstances, we offer IMG coaching calls that you can book at your convenience.
Learn more

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Subscribe to the Savvy IMG and grab your FREE 2-year roadmap to UK residency as an IMG.

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Subscribe to the Savvy IMG and grab your FREE 2-year roadmap to UK residency as an IMG.

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This Privacy Policy sets out how we, The Savvy IMG, collect, store and use information about you when you use or interact with our website, thesavvyimg.co.uk (our website) and where we otherwise obtain or collect information about you. This Privacy Policy is effective 13th November 2019.

Contents

  • Summary
  • Our details
  • When you visit our website
  • When you use our website
  • Marketing communications
  • Information obtained from third parties
  • Disclosure and additional uses of your information
  • How long we retain your information
  • How we secure your information
  • Transfers of your information outside the European Economic Area
  • Your rights in relation to your information
  • Changes to our Privacy Policy
  • Children’s Privacy

Summary

This section summarises how we obtain, store and use information about you. It is intended to provide a very general overview only. It is not complete in and of itself and it must be read in conjunction with the corresponding full sections of this Privacy Policy.

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Our details

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When you visit our website

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For further information about the safeguards used when your information is transferred outside the European Economic Area.

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Transfer and storage of your information

Information you submit to us via the registration form on our website may be stored outside the European Economic Area on our third-party hosting provider’s servers.

Marketing communications

Our content, goods and services

When signing up for content, registering on our website or making a payment, we will use the information you provide in order to contact you regarding related content, products and services.

We will continue to send you marketing communications in relation to similar goods and services if you do not opt out from receiving them.

You can opt-out from receiving marketing communications at any time by emailing info@thesavvyimg.co.uk

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Transfer and storage of your information

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We use technologies such as tracking pixels (small graphic files) and tracked links in the emails we send to allow us to assess the level of engagement our emails receive by measuring information such as the delivery rates, open rates, click through rates and content engagement that our emails achieve.

Information obtained from third parties

This section sets out how we obtain or collect information about you from third parties.

Information received from third parties

We can often receive information about you from third parties. The third parties from which we receive information about you can include partner events within the marketing industry and other organisations that we have a professional affiliation with.

It is also possible that third parties with whom we have had no prior contact may provide us with information about you.

Information we obtain from third parties will generally be your name and contact details but will include any additional information about you which they provide to us.

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Reason why necessary to perform a contract: where a third party has passed on information about you to us (such as your name and email address) in order for us to provide services to you, we will process your information in order to take steps at your request to enter into a contract with you and perform a contract with you (as the case may be).

Legal basis for processing: consent (Article 6(1)(a) of the General Data Protection Regulation).

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Legal basis for processing: our legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) of the General Data Protection Regulation).

Legitimate interests: where a third party has shared information about you with us and you have not consented to the sharing of that information, we will have a legitimate interest in processing that information in certain circumstances.

For example, we would have a legitimate interest in processing your information to perform our obligations under a sub-contract with the third party, where the third party has the main contract with you. Our legitimate interest is the performance of our obligations under our sub-contract.

Similarly, third parties may pass on information about you to us if you have infringed or potentially infringed any of our legal rights. In this case, we will have a legitimate interest in processing that information to investigate and pursue any such potential infringement.

Information obtained by us from third parties

In certain circumstances (for example, to verify the information we hold about you or obtain missing information we require to provide you with a service) we will obtain information about you from certain publicly accessible sources, both EU and non-EU, such as Companies House, online customer databases, business directories, media publications, social media, and websites (including your own website if you have one.

In certain circumstances will also obtain information about you from private sources, both EU and non-EU, such as marketing data services.

We will continue to send you marketing communications in relation to similar goods and services if you do not opt out from receiving them.

You can opt-out from receiving marketing communications at any time by emailing hello@thesavvyimg.co.uk

Legal basis for processing: our legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) of the General Data Protection Regulation).

Legitimate interests: Sharing relevant, timely and industry-specific information on related business services.

Where we receive information about you in error

If we receive information about you from a third party in error and/or we do not have a legal basis for processing that information, we will delete your information.

Disclosure and additional uses of your information

This section sets out the circumstances in which will disclose information about you to third parties and any additional purposes for which we use your information.

Disclosure of your information to service providers

We use a number of third parties to provide us with services which are necessary to run our business or to assist us with running our business

These include the following: Internet services, IT service providers and web developers.

Our third-party service providers are located both inside and outside of the European Economic Area.

Your information will be shared with these service providers where necessary to provide you with the service you have requested, whether that is accessing our website or ordering goods and services from us.

We do not display the identities of our service providers publicly by name for security and competitive reasons. If you would like further information about the identities of our service providers, however, please contact us directly by email and we will provide you with such information where you have a legitimate reason for requesting it (where we have shared your information with such service providers, for example).

Legal basis for processing: legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) of the General Data Protection Regulation).

Legitimate interest relied on: where we share your information with these third parties in a context other than where is necessary to perform a contract (or take steps at your request to do so), we will share your information with such third parties in order to allow us to run and manage our business efficiently.

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Reason why necessary to perform a contract: we may need to share information with our service providers to enable us to perform our obligations under that contract or to take the steps you have requested before we enter into a contract with you.

Disclosure and use of your information for legal reasons

Indicating possible criminal acts or threats to public security to a competent authority

If we suspect that criminal or potential criminal conduct has been occurred, we will in certain circumstances need to contact an appropriate authority, such as the police. This could be the case, for instance, if we suspect that we fraud or a cyber-crime has been committed or if we receive threats or malicious communications towards us or third parties.

We will generally only need to process your information for this purpose if you were involved or affected by such an incident in some way.

Legal basis for processing: our legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) of the General Data Protection Regulation).

Legitimate interests: preventing crime or suspected criminal activity (such as fraud).

In connection with the enforcement or potential enforcement our legal rights

We will use your information in connection with the enforcement or potential enforcement of our legal rights, including, for example, sharing information with debt collection agencies if you do not pay amounts owed to us when you are contractually obliged to do so. Our legal rights may be contractual (where we have entered into a contract with you) or non-contractual (such as legal rights that we have under copyright law or tort law).

Legal basis for processing: our legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) of the General Data Protection Regulation).

Legitimate interest: enforcing our legal rights and taking steps to enforce our legal rights.

In connection with a legal or potential legal dispute or proceedings

We may need to use your information if we are involved in a dispute with you or a third party for example, either to resolve the dispute or as part of any mediation, arbitration or court resolution or similar process.

Legal basis for processing: our legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) of the General Data Protection Regulation).

Legitimate interest(s): resolving disputes and potential disputes.

How long we retain your information

This section sets out how long we retain your information. We have set out specific retention periods where possible. Where that has not been possible, we have set out the criteria we use to determine the retention period.

Retention periods

Server log information: we retain information on our server logs for 3 months.

Correspondence and enquiries: when you make an enquiry or correspond with us for any reason, whether by email or via our contact form or by phone, we will retain your information for as long as it takes to respond to and resolve your enquiry, and for 36 further month(s), after which point we will archive your information.

Newsletter: we retain the information you used to sign up for our newsletter for as long as you remain subscribed (i.e. you do not unsubscribe).

Membership: we retain the information you used to sign up for our memberships for as long as you remain subscribed (i.e. you do not unsubscribe).

Criteria for determining retention periods

In any other circumstances, we will retain your information for no longer than necessary, taking into account the following:

    • the purpose(s) and use of your information both now and in the future (such as whether it is necessary to continue to store that information in order to continue to perform our obligations under a contract with you or to contact you in the future);
    • whether we have any legal obligation to continue to process your information (such as any record-keeping obligations imposed by relevant law or regulation);
    • whether we have any legal basis to continue to process your information (such as your consent);
    • how valuable your information is (both now and in the future);
    • any relevant agreed industry practices on how long information should be retained;
    • the levels of risk, cost and liability involved with us continuing to hold the information;
    • how hard it is to ensure that the information can be kept up to date and accurate; and
    • any relevant surrounding circumstances (such as the nature and status of our relationship with you).

How we secure your information

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to secure your information and to protect it against unauthorised or unlawful use and accidental loss or destruction, including:

  • only sharing and providing access to your information to the minimum extent necessary, subject to confidentiality restrictions where appropriate, and on an anonymised basis wherever possible;
  • using secure servers to store your information;
  • verifying the identity of any individual who requests access to information prior to granting them access to information;
  • using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) software to encrypt any payment transactions you make on or via our website;
  • only transferring your information via closed system or encrypted data transfers;

Transmission of information to us by email

Transmission of information over the internet is not entirely secure, and if you submit any information to us over the internet (whether by email, via our website or any other means), you do so entirely at your own risk.

We cannot be responsible for any costs, expenses, loss of profits, harm to reputation, damages, liabilities or any other form of loss or damage suffered by you as a result of your decision to transmit information to us by such means.

Transfers of your information outside the European Economic Area

Your information may be transferred and stored outside the European Economic Area (EEA) in the circumstances set out earlier in this policy.

We will also transfer your information outside the EEA or to an international organisation in order to comply with legal obligations to which we are subject (compliance with a court order, for example). Where we are required to do so, we will ensure appropriate safeguards and protections are in place.

Your rights in relation to your information

Subject to certain limitations on certain rights, you have the following rights in relation to your information, which you can exercise by writing to the data controller using the details provided at the top of this policy.

  • to request access to your information and information related to our use and processing of your information;
  • to request the correction or deletion of your information;
  • to request that we restrict our use of your information;
  • to receive information which you have provided to us in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format (e.g. a CSV file) and the right to have that information transferred to another data controller (including a third-party data controller);
  • to object to the processing of your information for certain purposes (for further information, see the section below entitled Your right to object to the processing of your information for certain purposes); and
  • to withdraw your consent to our use of your information at any time where we rely on your consent to use or process that information. Please note that if you withdraw your consent, this will not affect the lawfulness of our use and processing of your information on the basis of your consent before the point in time when you withdraw your consent.

In accordance with Article 77 of the General Data Protection Regulation, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of your habitual residence, place of work or of an alleged infringement of the General Data Protection Regulation.

Further information on your rights in relation to your personal data as an individual

You can find out further information about your rights, as well as information on any limitations which apply to those rights, by reading the underlying legislation contained in Articles 12 to 22 and 34 of the General Data Protection Regulation, which is available here:http://ec.europa.eu/justice/data-protection/reform/files/regulation_oj_en.pdf

Verifying your identity where you request access to your information

Where you request access to your information, we are required by law to use all reasonable measures to verify your identity before doing so.

These measures are designed to protect your information and to reduce the risk of identity fraud, identity theft or general unauthorised access to your information.

How we verify your identity

Where we possess appropriate information about you on file, we will attempt to verify your identity using that information.

If it is not possible to identity you from such information, or if we have insufficient information about you, we may require original or certified copies of certain documentation in order to be able to verify your identity before we are able to provide you with access to your information.

We will be able to confirm the precise information we require to verify your identity in your specific circumstances if and when you make such a request.

Your right to object

You have the following rights in relation to your information, which you may exercise in the same way as you may exercise by writing to the data controller using the details provided at the top of this policy.

  • to object to us using or processing your information where we use or process it in order
  • to carry out a task in the public interest or for our legitimate interests, including ‘profiling’ (i.e. analysing or predicting your behaviour based on your information) based on any of these purposes; and
  • to object to us using or processing your information for direct marketing purposes(including any profiling we engage in that is related to such direct marketing).

You may also exercise your right to object to us using or processing your information for direct marketing purposes by:

  • clicking the unsubscribe link contained at the bottom of any marketing email we send to you and following the instructions which appear in your browser following your clicking on that link;
  • sending an email to info@thesavvyimg.co.uk, asking that we stop sending you marketing communications or by including the words “OPT OUT”.

Sensitive Personal Information

‘Sensitive personal information’ is information about an individual that reveals their racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, or trade union membership, genetic information, biometric information for the purpose of uniquely identifying an individual, information concerning health or information concerning a natural person’s sex life or sexual orientation.

Our website does not allow you to register any ‘Sensitive Information’, however if we ask for this, you will be considered to have explicitly consented to us processing that sensitive personal information under Article 9(2)(a) of the General Data Protection Regulation.

Changes to our Privacy Policy

We update and amend our Privacy Policy from time to time.

Minor changes to our Privacy Policy

Where we make minor changes to our Privacy Policy, we will update our Privacy Policy with a new effective date stated at the beginning of it. Our processing of your information will be governed by the practices set out in that new version of the Privacy Policy from its effective date onwards.

Major changes to our Privacy Policy or the purposes for which we process your information

Where we make major changes to our Privacy Policy or intend to use your information for a new purpose or a different purpose than the purposes for which we originally collected it, we will notify you by email (where possible) or by posting a notice on our website.

We will provide you with the information about the change in question and the purpose and any other relevant information before we use your information for that new purpose.

Wherever required, we will obtain your prior consent before using your information for a purpose that is different from the purposes for which we originally collected it.

Children’s Privacy

Because we care about the safety and privacy of children online, we comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA). COPPA and its accompanying regulations protect the privacy of children using the internet. We do not knowingly contact or collect information from persons under the age of 18. The website is not intended to solicit information of any kind from persons under the age of 18.

It is possible that we could receive information pertaining to persons under the age of 18 by the fraud or deception of a third party. If we are notified of this, as soon as we verify the information, we will, where required by law to do so, immediately obtain the appropriate parental consent to use that information or, if we are unable to obtain such parental consent, we will delete the information from our servers. If you would like to notify us of our receipt of information about persons under the age of 18, please do so by contacting us by using the details at the top of this policy.