The Savvy IMG

Find your step-by-step guide to the UK as an IMG

A free tool to help you find the most suitable UK career pathway!

Table of Contents

This free tool was developed to help you find your step-by-step guide for your own personal pathway to the UK. When you finish the quiz, you will be able to view the step-by-step guide to the pathway that’s best for your personal circumstances. 
 

You do not need to take the quiz if you only want to obtain short-term experience in the UK then return home.

For short-term training, please see our article on fellowships.

Take the quiz

Answer the questions the best you can to reach the most accurate pathway. If you need to change your answers, you can refresh the page to start again.

[chained-quiz 1]

We’d appreciate your feedback!

If there’s something not right with this quiz, or if the questions or results are unclear, please do let us know. We want to make this as helpful for IMGs as possible.

Or if you have any compliments, those would also be much appreciated!

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24 Responses

  1. Hello please let me know if I can get gmc after a long career gap (more than 3 years) I did take exams and volunteered at medical camps for 1.5 -2 years other than that I was home with social anxiety and depression (after losing a parent). Is this going to be a problem? Since I can’t really explain my gap because it’s all due to my bad mental health. Tia.

    1. Hi there! Regarding your inquiry about obtaining GMC registration after a career gap of more than three years, it is important to be transparent about your circumstances. The GMC considers extenuating circumstances, including health issues, when reviewing applications. Focus on the steps you have taken to address your mental health, such as volunteering and completing exams.

  2. Hi. I am a medical doctor from South Africa. I finished two years of internship and a year of community service. I have worked in different surhical disciplines for about three years now. I would like to specialize in a surgical discipline in the UK. Can I apply for GMC registration with my MRCS part A and B results, IELTS exam and EPIC verified documents? Or do I need to write the PLABS?

  3. Hi, I have a post graduation in family medicine from India and an MPH (Global Health) from UK. I was wanting to know the pathway for an IMG to get into training for public health registrarship in UK. Can you help?

  4. Hi there,

    Thanks for all the useful info you have provided, however, I can’t really find the info I am looking for so would be pleased if you could help me.

    I have just started my residency in internal medicine in Sweden. My husband is British and I would like to do one of my rotations in the UK if possible. This would mean I am paid by my employer in Sweden. Do you know how I can set this up? I am looking at completing the cardiology, nephrology or infection rotation in the UK.

    Many thanks.
    Maja

    1. Hi Maja, I don’t think this is possible but the best place to inquire about this would be the Royal College of Physicians or the Joint Royal Colleges of Physicians Training Board. Please let us know how it goes!

  5. Hi !iwill graduate In June 2021..no internship.I want to apply for FY 1 ..can I know sequence of exams Have to go through and timeline too with in which I should finish these exams

  6. Hi! I’m a mexican IMG, recently graduated, and I want to pursue a residency in the UK. My understanding is that for me is somewhat easier, in my country we do a year of internship (like the Foundation Programme) and a year of Return Of Service. My question is mostly focused on my fiancé, who is in his second year of oncology training. Can he practice as a consultant once he finishes his training? What does he have to do? I’m grateful for all the info and the help

  7. Hi Nick, thanks for your guides and sharing your experience with us. I am an Anaesthetist trained in Brazil and I just got my registration with the GMC. I am now looking for a job but I would like to gain more experience/training within the NHS system. How would it be possible for me to apply for a training or a SHO position for example? Any of your help is hightly appreciated.

  8. Hi! Would you know the pathway if I decide to practice instead in Australia after getting experience in the UK? Thanks!

  9. Hello , am a medical student at Lebanese American University . Please I need to know the requirements for residency program at Uk . And the percentage to accept a Lebanese medical. student at Uk.

  10. Hello! 🙂

    I am a newly graduated medical doctor from Portugal.
    In January 2020 I will start our “Ano Comum”, which I believe is the equivalent to your FP1 (or maybe FP2, I am not really sure).
    Someone told me that is possible for an IMG from Portugal to finish Medical School, undertake that year of “Ano Comum” I mentioned above and apply to the CT1 without having to do the Foundation Programme. Can you tell me if this is true?
    At the end of ou Ano Comum we have 12 months of clinical experience.

    1. Hi, you need 24 months clinical experience to be eligible to start ST1/CT1. Your Ano Comum probably counts as FY1 but you still need FY2 or equivalent.

  11. Hi,
    Hope this message will find you well!

    I am trying to find a clear answer for the upcoming MBBS programme in UK. Please let me know for an Indian high school pass out(+12), after pursuing MBBS in MCI unapproved UK universities, shall he/she be eligible to practice back in India after graduation from UK? If not then what will happen to those pass outs from UK medical colleges pursuing their carrier for future?

    1. Dear Maloy, thanks for your comment. Sorry I don’t know what you mean by pass out, could you please clarify? If a university is not approved by the MCI then I would assume one cannot practice in India. However, I have no knowledge of the MCI rules and regulations and would advise you to contact them directly to get an official answer. You can also ask in one of the many IMG Facebook groups such as this one, but asking the MCI directly is the best thing to do.

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Meet the Team

Hi, we’re Drs Nick & Kimberly Tan, the two IMGs behind The Savvy IMG. We write comprehensive guides, create courses, and provide one-to-one guidance to help other overseas qualified doctors on their journey to the UK.
We have scoured the official guidance to put these posts together, but we can make mistakes! If you spot anything that is incorrect, please get in touch and we’ll put it right.
Photo of Dr Nicholas Tan