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.
- Data controller: The Savvy IMG
- How we collect or obtain information about you: when you provide it to us e.g. by contacting us, registering, uploading and downloading from our website, completing registration forms, posting blogs, or signing up for content such as newsletters. From your use of our website, using cookies and occasionally, from third parties such as mailing list providers.
- Information we collect: name, contact details, social media information, IP address, information from cookies, information about your computer or device (e.g. device and browser type), information about how you use our website (e.g. which pages you have viewed, the time when you view them and what you clicked on, the geographical location from which you accessed our website (based on your IP address), engagement history and transaction history.
- How we use your information: for administrative and business purposes (particularly to contact you, to improve our business and website, to fulfil our contractual obligations, to advertise our and other’s goods and services, to analyse your use of our website, and in connection with our legal rights and obligations.)
- Disclosure of your information to third parties: user information can be shared with partners for specific types of content and events where a user has registered their information. Other disclosures are only to the extent necessary to run our business, to our service providers, to fulfil any contracts we enter into with you and where required by law or to enforce our legal rights.
- Do we sell your information to third parties (other than in the course of a business sale or purchase or similar event): No, The Savvy IMG, does not sell data. However, when you register or sign up for certain types of content, your registration data can be shared with sponsors and partners. Examples of where we do this include event registrations, webinar signups or whitepaper downloads. We will always make it clear where any information provided will be shared with other parties.
- How long we retain your information: for no longer than necessary, taking into account any legal obligations we have (e.g. to maintain records for tax purposes), any other legal basis we have for using your information (e.g. your consent, performance of a contract with you or our legitimate interests as a business) and certain additional factors described in the main section below entitled How long we retain your information. For specific retention periods in relation to certain information which we collect from you, please see the main section below entitled How long we retain your information.
- How we secure your information: using appropriate technical and organisational measures such as storing your information on secure servers, encrypting transfers of data to or from our servers using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology, encrypting payments you make on or via our website using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology and only granting access to your information where necessary.
- Use of cookies and similar technologies: we use cookies and similar information-gathering technologies such as marketing automation tracking on our website including essential, functional, analytical and targeting cookies. For more information, please visit our cookies policy.
- Transfers of your information outside the European Economic Area: By using our website, your information may be transferred outside of the European Economic Area. We take personal data seriously and as such we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, including, for example, that the third parties we use who transfer your information outside the European Economic Area have self-certified themselves as compliant with the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield.
- Use of profiling: we use profiling to understand our users better through web and marketing analytics, provide targeted advertising and deliver a personalised user experience.
- Your rights in relation to your information
- to access your information and to receive information about its use
- to have your information corrected and/or completed
- to have your information deleted
- to restrict the use of your information
- to receive your information in a portable format
- to object to the use of your information
- to withdraw your consent to the use of your information
- to complain to a supervisory authority
- Sensitive personal information: we do not collect what is commonly referred to as ‘sensitive personal information’.
Our details
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact the data controller.
The data controller in respect of our website is The Savvy IMG.
You can contact the data controller by sending an email to info@thesavvyimg.co.uk.
When you visit our website
We collect and use information from website visitors in accordance with this section and the section entitled Disclosure and additional uses of your information.
Web server log information
We use a third party server to host our website called BlueHost Inc. the privacy policy of which is available here: https://www.endurance.com/privacy/privacy
Our website server automatically logs the IP address you use to access our website as well as other information about your visit such as the pages accessed, information requested, the date and time of the request, the source of your access to our website (e.g. the website or URL (link) which referred you to our website), and your browser version and operating system.
Use of website server log information for IT security purposes
We collect and store server logs to ensure network and IT security and so that the server and website remain uncompromised. This includes analysing log files to help identify and prevent unauthorised access to our network, the distribution of malicious code, denial of services attacks and other cyber-attacks, by detecting unusual or suspicious activity.
Unless we are investigating suspicious or potential criminal activity, we do not make, nor do we allow our hosting provider to make, any attempt to identify you from the information collected via server logs.
Legal basis for processing: compliance with a legal obligation to which we are subject (Article 6(1)(c) of the General Data Protection Regulation).
Legal obligation: we have a legal obligation to implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure a level of security appropriate to the risk of our processing of information about individuals. Recording access to our website using server log files is such a measure.
Legal basis for processing: our legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) of the General Data Protection Regulation).
Legitimate interests: we have a legitimate interest in using your information for the purposes of ensuring network and information security.
Use of website server log information to analyse website use and improve our website
We use the information collected by our website server logs to analyse how our website users interact with our website and its features. For example, we analyse the number of visits and unique visitors we receive, the time and date of the visit, the location of the visit and the operating system and browser use.
We use the information gathered from the analysis of this information to improve our website. For example, we use the information gathered to change the information, content and structure of our website and individual pages based according to what users are engaging most with and the duration of time spent on particular pages on our website.
Legal basis for processing: our legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) of the General Data Protection Regulation).
Legitimate interest: improving our website for our website users and getting to know our website users’ preferences so our website can better meet their needs and desires.
Cookies
Cookies are data files which are sent from a website to a browser to record information about users for various purposes.
We use cookies on our website, including essential, functional, analytical and targeting cookies. For further information on how we use cookies, please see our cookies policy.
You can reject some or all of the cookies we use on or via our website by changing your browser settings or non-essential cookies by using a cookie control tool, but doing so can impair your ability to use our website or some or all of its features. For further information about cookies, including how to change your browser settings, please visit www.allaboutcookies.org or see our cookie policy.
When you contact us
We collect and use information from individuals who contact us in accordance with this section and the section entitled Disclosure and additional uses of your information.
Email
When you send an email to the email address displayed on our website we collect your email address and any other information you provide in that email (such as your name, telephone number and the information contained in any signature block in your email).
Legal basis for processing: our legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) of the General Data Protection Regulation).
Legitimate interest(s): responding to enquiries and messages we receive and keeping records of correspondence.
Legal basis for processing: necessary to perform a contract or to take steps at your request to enter into a contract (Article 6(1)(b) of the General Data Protection Regulation).
Reason why necessary to perform a contract: where your message relates to us providing you with goods or services or taking steps at your request prior to providing you with our goods and services (for example, providing you with information about such goods and services), we will process your information in order to do so).
Enquiry forms
When you contact us using an enquiry form, we collect your personal details and match this to any information we hold about you on record. Typical personal information collected will include your name and contact details. We will also record the time, date and the specific form you completed.
If you do not provide the mandatory information required by our contact form, you will not be able to submit the contact form and we will not receive your enquiry.
Legal basis for processing: our legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) of the General Data Protection Regulation).
Legitimate interest(s): responding to enquiries and messages we receive and keeping records of correspondence.
We will also use this information to tailor any follow up sales and marketing communications with you. For further information, see the section of this privacy policy titled ‘Marketing Communications’.
Messages you send to us via our contact form may be stored outside the European Economic Area on our contact form provider’s servers.
Phone
When you contact us by phone, we collect your phone number and any information provide to us during your conversation with us.
We record customer-facing phone calls for training and customer service purposes.
Legal basis for processing: our legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) of the General Data Protection Regulation)
Legitimate interest(s): responding to enquiries and messages we receive and keeping records of correspondence.
Legal basis for processing: necessary to perform a contract or to take steps at your request to enter into a contract (Article 6(1)(b) of the General Data Protection Regulation).
Reason why necessary to perform a contract: where your message relates to us providing you with goods or services or taking steps at your request prior to providing you with our goods and services (for example, providing you with information about such goods and services), we will process your information in order to do so).
Post
If you contact us by post, we will collect any information you provide to us in any postal communications you send us.
Legal basis for processing: our legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) of the General Data Protection Regulation)
Legitimate interest(s): responding to enquiries and messages we receive and keeping records of correspondence.
Legal basis for processing: necessary to perform a contract or to take steps at your request to enter into a contract (Article 6(1)(b) of the General Data Protection Regulation).
Reason why necessary to perform a contract: where your message relates to us providing you with goods or services or taking steps at your request prior to providing you with our goods and services (for example, providing you with information about such goods and services), we will process your information in order to do so).
When you use our website
We collect and use information from individuals who interact with particular features of our website in accordance with this section and the section entitled Disclosure and additional uses of your information.
Social Media Tools
We have a wide range of social media tools to be able to use on our website. These tools include (but not limited to); Sharing, Likes, comments and submitting content both on and off our website. By using these tools, you are providing your consent to store and use the submitted data whether personal information or general information both on and off our website.
Legal basis for processing: your consent (Article 6(1)(a) of the General Data Protection Regulation). Consent: you give your consent to us storing and using submitted content using the steps described above.
We may also use this information to tailor any follow up sales and marketing communications with you. For further information, see the section of this privacy policy titled ‘Marketing Communications’.
Information you submit may be stored both inside and outside the European Economic Area on our servers as well as third-party servers such as Facebook.
For further information about the safeguards used when your information is transferred outside the European Economic Area.
Registering on our Website
When you register on our website or via teachable, we collect the following information; Your Name, Email.
If you do not provide the mandatory information required by the form, you will not be able to interact with our website or on Teachable.
You can view Teachable's privacy policy here https://teachable.com/privacy-policy
Legal basis for processing: our legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) of the General Data Protection Regulation).
Legitimate interest: registering and administering accounts on our website to provide access to content, allows you to download content and facilitates the running and operation of our business.
We will also use this information to tailor any follow up sales and marketing communications with you. For further information, see the section of this privacy policy titled ‘Marketing Communications’.
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
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, in order to assist your organisation, grow.
Third party goods and services
In addition to receiving information about our products and services, you can opt in to receiving marketing communications from us in relation third party goods and services by email by ticking a box indicating that you would like to receive such communications.
Legal basis for processing: consent (Article 6(1)(a) of the General Data Protection Regulation).
Consent: you give your consent to us sending you information about third party goods and services by signing up to receive such information in accordance with the steps described above.
Transfer and storage of your information
Information for marketing campaigns will be stored outside the European Economic Area on our third-party mailing list provider’s servers in the United States.
For further information about the safeguards used when your information is transferred outside the European Economic Area, see the section of this privacy policy below entitled Transfers of your information outside the European Economic Area.
Use of tracking in emails
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.
Legal basis for processing: necessary to perform a contract or to take steps at your request to enter into a contract (Article 6(1)(b) of the General Data Protection Regulation).
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).
Consent: where you have asked that a third party to share information about you with us and the purpose of sharing that information is not related to the performance of a contract or services by us to you, we will process your information on the basis of your consent, which you give by asking the third party in question to pass on your information to us.
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.
Legal basis for processing: necessary to perform a contract and/or to take steps at your request prior to entering into a contract (Article 6(1)(b) of the General Data Protection Regulation).
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:
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- 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.
179 Responses
Hello, I have two months of general surgery and one month in neurosurgical ICU in my internship .
I want to check if neurosurgical ICU will be accepted as surgical rotation?
Thank you
Lilly
Hi Lilly,
Thank you for your question. The neurosurgical ICU rotation you completed during your internship may be considered as a surgical rotation, but it may not be. If you’ve done any rotations in Obstetrics, those would definitely be counted as surgery. You may also find it useful to ask IMGs who have recent experience with that in one of the IMG Facebook groups,to see if someone with a similar rotation has had it accepted for surgery in the past. All the best!
Hi Nick, first of all, nice post, very it’s very clear, but, however, I’ve got a few questions about my personal situation. I’m from Mexico, my MBBS program lasts 7 years, 5 years, 2 and half years of basic medical sciences and 2 and half years of clinical rotations in all the specialties and sub-specialties; then 12 months of internship, divided into 6 rotations of 2 months of length each one: G&O, Paediatrics, Internal Medicine, General Surgery, Emergency Medicine, and Family Medicine, then, we’ve to do something called ‘Social Service’ by 12 months in primary medical care or research, in fact I’m actually doing my social service. The question is, my pattern of internship meets the criteria of 3 months of “Medicine” and 3 months of “surgery”?
Thank you for the positive feedback! Regarding your question, based on the information you provided, it seems that your pattern of internship meets this requirement.
Hi i graduated in 2011, did my pre graduate internship back in 2010. After that i applied for Plab 1 in 2013 but could not make it. In 2014, i started applying for UK study visa and got a place in MSc Public Health in 2015, completed that in 2017. Additionally, i did another master degree in UK that ended in 2019. After that Covid 19 outbreak started and i was stucked and had some personal problems as well. In 2021, i started preparing for OET got it done after three attempts. After that i appeared fro Plab 1 in november 2022 and passed it. Now i am due for Plab 2 on august 2023. Considering my circumstances, will i be able to get full
GMC registration? Your reply would be highly valuable.
Congratulations on passing your PLAB 1 and OET. Passing PLAB 1 is a significant step towards achieving full GMC registration. As long as you pass all your PLAB exams, it looks like it should work out for you.
Hi,I am Dr.Ali,have done MRCP,my internship is 5 months General Medicine,2 months neurology,3 months Paediatric Medicine and one year Anesthesia.Is this pattern acceptable for GMC registeration
Hi Dr. Ali, it looks like you don’t have any surgical rotations. I’m afraid it may not be accepted by the GMC.
hello,
im going to apply for gmc registration through pattern A. My internship included
Pediatrics 1 month
Emergency unit of internal medicine 3 months
General surgery 3 months
Trauma and Ortho 2 months
Obg gyne 2 months
Dermatology 1 month
Is this internship likely to get accepted by GMC?
IS Emergency (A&E) considered as medicine rotation?
Thanks
Hi there, A&E can be considered as a medicine rotation since you said it’s the emergency unit of internal medicine. I don’t think there will be a problem. Good luck!
Hi! As an intern doctor (which stands for FY1) in Turkey, I really need some guidance. I’m planning on dropping my rotation in thoracic surgery hence I’ll fail and graduate 1 month later than usual. I’m extremely worried that doing a 13 month internship rather than 12 month will cause me a huge problem on continuing from FY2 when I move to UK. I’ll provide the required surgery period when I graduate, just with a month prolonged graduation. I need an answer as soon as possible.
Hi Ayse, 12 months is the minimum for internship, not the maximum. Some IMGs apply with 24 months internship, so the duration is not an issue. The issue is why you are graduating later than your peers. What’s the reason for dropping a rotation? That might need to be explained. As long as you can provide adequate explanation for everything it should not be a barrier. You may also find it useful to ask IMGs who have recent experience with that in one of the IMG Facebook groups. You can find the links to relevant Facebook groups here on our Useful Links page. https://thesavvyimg.co.uk/useful-links/ All the best!
Excuse me Nick, Indian img from China here. Ive been informed my internship from China is not recognised unless it comes with a special letter that is impossible to obtain in my university. I’m already registered in india with 11 months of work experience, my question is would I be able to get full gmc registration if i were to complete postgraduation in india(3 years )while simultaneously doing any one of the member of royal College exams?
Hi there, yes you can get full GMC reg by doing that. You can also use 12 months of work in India if it’s also considered an internship and fits Pattern A, or you can go with Pattern B after 24 months experience. All the best!
Hello, thank you for your post. I did my overseas internship postgraduate and this meet all the criteria except by the following aspect >> I had more than 3 months in medicine but I wasn’t in any major surgery on theatre qx (unavailable), just only I was involved 3 months related to minor surgery tasks as wound cleansing, burning care, incision-drainage of small abscesses ( I don’t have the rest of fulfills for Surgical rotation). The 1st question is: if does minor surgery (as the examples I wrote) fit the criteria as Surgical rotation? Another thing is my certificate doesn’t specify nothing about what Rotations I did in my internship on the document. May this aspect affect the pattern A? In fact, immediately after completing my internship (for 12 months), I worked as general physician and emergency physician in different private centers for 4 years. May my work experience help to the acceptance of my internship? Thank you so much
Hi Stephanie, I haven’t come across this type of surgical rotation as the only exposure to surgery during internship before so I’m not sure how the GMC will handle it. I would recommend contacting the GMC directly and asking IMGs who have recent experience with that in one of the IMG Facebook groups. If your internship is not accepted for Pattern A, then it’s possible you can use pattern B but you’ll need to work for 3 months in a surgical ward to meet the criteria. Hope it all works out!
Hi , I’m a graduate from India finished my internship in 2019 , I had a gap of 6 months during my internship since I had to take care of my mom since she was unwell , I have 2 years experience in a public hospital and a primary health care center , 1 year each both in the govt sector , will my internship be accepted or will path b work out for me
Hi Hassan, either one could potentially work. It’s good to have options!
Hello doctor ,
I have done my MBBS from china and due to covid-19, I had to return to my country. Since then I had two semesters of online classes and one whole year of online internship. I haven’t graduated yet. I’m waiting to return to china, to complete my practicals and offline internship. Will this wait and delayed graduation be a problem when it comes to GMC ? Or do we have to graduate with online internship?
Hi there, unfortunately the GMC have not provided any guidance about online internships. But we think it’s unlikely that the GMC will accept that since practical experience is the most important part of internship. You may find it useful to ask IMGs who have recent experience with that in one of the IMG Facebook groups. You can find the links to relevant Facebook groups here on our Useful Links page. https://thesavvyimg.co.uk/useful-links/
Good luck!
Hello , I graduated from Kharkiv national medical university ,Ukraine. Currently I’m doing my internship in my hometown,INDIA. Is it acceptable to graduate from one country and do the internship from a different country?
Hi there! Yes it is. Best of luck with your internship!
Hello, my pre-graduation internship just got rejected by the GMC because I wasn’t registered at the time. I have graduated more than 2 years ago. I was wondering if I could do another internship as I heard some people’s internship got rejected because it was more than 2 years after graduation. Any thoughts? Obviously the GMC answered with their infamous “you are free to do it, we’ll evaluate at application”
Hi there, that sounds odd. If it was a pre-graduate internship, surely you wouldn’t need to registered because you are under the medical school? I would recommend asking IMGs who have recent experience with that in one of the IMG Facebook groups. You can find the links to relevant Facebook groups here on our Useful Links page. https://thesavvyimg.co.uk/useful-links/ You can’t be the first person with this situation so hopefully someone can advise on how to appeal that decision.
Regarding repeating internship, you can try to submit your internship after 12 months but it would be best not to stop working because ultimately you might need to aim for Pattern B. Alternatively you could aim for a postgraduate qualification such as MRCS and apply for GMC registration based on that. Technically, in accordance with GMC’s own guidance, you do not need to meet the internship requirements if you apply for registration using a postgraduate qualification.
Best of luck!
Dear Dr Nick,
Currently I am 6th-year medical student at Turkey which is equavalent to FY1. I would like to implement my Internal Medicine internship(6 weeks) in another university’s hospital at Turkey due to another university location at my home city. Both my university and another university that i have intended to do my internship are GMC approved universities. My internship does not have any interruption. Do you think this scheme is an issue?
Thank you.
Hi there! Ideally don’t do that to avoid issues, but if it’s all approved by both schools then the GMC may accept it. If possible I would contact the GMC first to request clarification on their policies.
Hello, thank you for such an informative article.
I have a query regarding whether my internship will be accepted along Pattern A. It fulfills the 12 month requirement with 3 months in medicine and surgical specialties each. However I have a gap of 33 days ( one month + 3 days) in my internship.
Will the GMC accept it for full registration in light of the 5 week annual leave + 20 additional days allowed?
Hi there, I don’t see why not if it’s annual leave. It still falls within the remit of 5 weeks annual leave.
Hello Dr. nick , this is Dr.Divya here I am a graduate from Davao City Philippines (DMSF) I graduated in December 2020 and I also have a legit valid Clinical clerkship certificate of December 2020.
I am an Indian so I came back to my home country after graduation and prepared for my Indian licensure exam FMGE and cleared it in December 2021. Now I am planning for Plab UK journey for my Pg studies and specialty. I just wanted to enquire is my internship / clinical clerkship certificate valid from the year December 2020 if I plan to give my Oet and plab1 in December 2022 or 2023 . Please revert back to me as per your convenience.
Thank you.
Hi there, if you are referring to the 4th year of medical school then the GMC does not accept that as internship. Please see this article https://thesavvyimg.co.uk/is-clerkship-accepted-as-internship-by-the-gmc/
Please take note that internship is not a requirement to sit PLAB, but it is a requirement for full GMC registration. Without it you will only get provisional registration which means you must apply for UK internship aka FY1.
Hi Nick,
I am a medical student from India, is it necessary that the medical degree and the intership (plan A) be from the same hospital/medical College?
As I have done my 4.5 year medical degree from a private medical college and plan on shifting to a government run college to pursue my internship as it has better clinical exposure.
Hi Soumya, if there is a valid reason to change then it should be accepted provided the entire internship is acceptable to the supervising board, but we recommend contacting the GMC directly for advice. Their email address is gmc@gmc-uk.org and the phone number is +44161 923 6602. They are open Monday to Friday 8 am–5.30 pm and 9 am–5 pm on Saturday. You can also send them a message on FB messenger, they usually reply within a day or 2. Good luck!
Hi, i did pediatrics 6 months and surgery 6 months for my internship and it was continuous 12 months. Is it acceptable by GMC??
Hi there, I don’t see why not. Is there any particular concern you have about it?
Hi! Is interventional cardiology counts for surgery or medicine?
medicine
Dear Doctor,
thank you wonderful article ,kindly guide me ,what can be the reason,
i have recently passed plab 2 and My GMC registration is under query.
i am an Indian national ,passed from russia in year 2010, i went back to India ,passed licensed exam in India as i am foreign medical graduate for India, in year sep 2011.
i got my provisional registration for training in year 2012 feb,
and i managed to started my internship from
28 may 2012 to 28 July 2012 , preventive and social medicine
and from 20 October 2012 to 18 august 2013 another 10 month of rotation i did
now after applying with GMC, they send query and ask me to fill the two years of post graduation rotation form, and stated that my current internship is not acceptable,
kindly guide why it is that?
Hi there, you need to complete internship within 2 years of graduating for them to accept it. Sounds like you started internship more than 2 years after graduating which is why they’re asking for 2 years experience now (Pattern B) Hope it all works out! Good luck!
Let say u’ve completed internship with
Paediatrics 83 days (2months 22days)
Internal medicine 88 days (2months 27 days)
Obstetrics & Gynecology 77days (2months 16days)
Surgery 105days (3months 13days)
Emergency medicine 27days
Total 380days (12months 15days)
Prognosis?
What’s the issue exactly? I don’t see a problem.
I have done 12 months of internship, but there was a significant gap, 3 months and 10 days actually, I was depressed but I didn’t do therapy so I can’t provide documents, what are my chances and what can I do? I will probably do 12 months of a medical specialty before applying anyway
Hi there, sorry to hear about your struggles. It’s unlikely to be accepted but that’s for the GMC to decide. If it’s not accepted, then you would need to go for Pattern B.
I have done medicine 3 months and medicine allied as dermatology 3 months
Is dermatology accepted as medicine allied as its not mentioned in pattern A/B
I did my surgery 3 months and now applying for surgery allied but I’m not sure if radiology is a surgery allied so asking for information before i join it to keep my options , if you can help guide me thank u x
Hi there, as long as you have done 3 months in medicine and 3 months in surgery, it doesn’t matter what the other rotations are. Do the ones you’re interested in! All the best!
Hello nick
Please is the following internship pattern acceptable.
Start date:27/05/16. End 18/05/2017
Total weeks :51 weeks
Will the last 1 week short affect the 12months requirement.
Thanks.
We’re not show how strict the GMC is on this. It’s only 1 week so shouldn’t be a problem, but best to ask them directly. To avoid any issues, can you get your school to extend it one week and label it as annual leave?
Hello Nick.
Thank you for all you do.
Please I have an enquiry concerning Internship postings. In my home country, Internship postings are normally 12 weeks each. Does this 12 weeks equal the required 3months by GMC?
I ask this question because most of the dates in our postings are not up to 3 calendar months but 12 weeks exactly.
Would this be a problem?
I should also note that the entire posting is 12 months plus some days.
Hi Kemi, I don’t think it would be a problem but it’s best to ask some IMGs who have gone through this before to see how the GMC handled their case. I recommend asking in the IMG FB group. Hope it all works out!
Hey, I have done my MBBS from China and I came to India during the pandemic (2019). I was not able to go back to start my internship so I prepared for my FMGE ( Indian licensing exam) and I have passed it. So I can also do my internship in India now if I want.
Is it a rule by GMC that you have to do your internship from the same university you graduated from or I can do my internship here in India and then get my final MBBS degree? Will it be a problem to get rejected for by GMC?
Hi there! No there is no such rule, you just need to have a valid reason which you do. You can ask in the FB group if anyone has any recent experience with a similar situation, I know others have been through the same thing. Hope it all works!
Hi Sir Nick! I am currently an incoming 3rd year med student from UERM in the PH. First of all, thank you so much for sharing your information and experiences in this website, its super helpful and complete! I actually have 2 questions if you could help me;
1. what are the additional requirements needed by hopeful IMG from UERM, since I keep on reading that we need additional requirements?
2. After PGI, I plan to moonlight in small clinics/hospitals to earn money for all the fees that have to pay before taking PLAB exams, are these small clinics/hospitals be considered as experience since these institutions are not teaching hospitals?
Thank you so much and more power to you!
Hi,
Thank you for this informative post!
I graduated from an Italian medical school and need to show 12 months of internship to be eligible for full registration in the UK. (since our pre-graduation internship diploma is no longer considered enough by the GMC) I’ve done 2 months of internship in my 6th year in italy (may-june). In july I started another internship in another country that will take 12 months for me to complete (so it will be done June 30, 2022). My question is since I’m required to get my GMC registration in May 2022, am I allowed to submit the months I did in Italy plus 10 months of the other internship? What I’m wondering essentially is that are we allowed to submit two consecutive internships totalling 12 months?
Thanks in advance
Hi there! I doubt it would be accepted, but I recommend that you contact the GMC about this directly for an official response. Please let us know what they say!
Hello Nick I am from India.
I completed my MBBS (MD) from Philippines . I did 1 year intership in Philippines .
Now I wanted to go UK and Give PLAB and than register myself.
I have 2 questions regarding this do my Philippines MD degree is accepted in UK and I can get direct FY2 in UK or need to do From FY1 ( Foundation year )
Hi there! Great to hear from a Filipino grad. Yes, the GMC accepts MD degrees from the Philippines in most cases. The only possible issues are if it’s a new school that they are not familiar with, if you went to more than 1 medical school, or if you graduated from UERMMM. These are not strict blocks to GMC registration, they may just require additional paperwork. The internship should be accepted and you should be able to apply for FY2, we have not heard of any Philippine internships being rejected but of course there are other factors such as whether you had any gaps, prolonged leave etc. If your case is straightforward, then GMC registration should be straightforward too. Best of luck!
hi, i’m also on the same boat bro. Philippine graduate.
just wanted to clarify- did you do an additional internship of 1yr after 4yrs or you are talking about the rotations that we had after 3rd yr? please reply..thanks!
Yes you are correct in asking that! I should have asked myself. If he is referring to the clinical rotations in third year, then these are not accepted as an internship but rather as standard part of any medical degree.
Hello Nick!
I’m from Germany and in our sixth (final) year of medical school we rotate in surgery, internal medicine, and a field of our choice for 4 months each (so 12 months in total). It is kind of similar to the FY1 year for the UK students, but we would still be under the student title (and unfortunately with no pay). I am hoping that this would count as an acceptable internship for the GMC registration.
I am however planning on doing a part of this internship (a 4-month block) in the UK or Australia, which I can apply for as a visiting elective program and it would be recognised as an internship in my home university in Germany. Do you think this would be any kind of problem in terms of getting my internship recognised by the GMC?
Thank you so much in advance for all your help!
Best regards,
CS
Hi there! Thanks for your question!
If you studied at a medical school outside the EU, that would not be accepted as equivalent to internship and you’d be in a pickle. A visiting elective is only open to medical students whereas FY1 is a paid position during which you are considered a qualified and licensed working doctor, not a student, so the GMC would not accept that as an internship.
But there is good news for EU doctors. For many European countries (Germany included), you don’t need to complete an internship to get full registration. So really, it doesn’t matter what you do in terms of GMC registration. In which case, I recommend you do an elective you enjoy wherever that may be 🙂
Hope that helps, best of luck!
https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/join-the-register/eea-countries/germany
Hi,
Thank you for your prompt reply. 🙂
It’s a relief to hear that German medical school graduates don’t need to complete an internship to get full registration. Does this however also apply to non-EU nationals who gradated from a German medical school?
Thanks a lot again!!
Since Brexit, yes it does. And also since Brexit, EU nationals who qualify from non-EU medical schools now need to sit PLAB.
Hi Nick,
Thanks again for your reply. 🙂
Does this mean I can directly apply for FY2 Standalone once I’ve graduated from a German medical school and have gotten full registration from the GMC?
If I graduate in May/June of 2023, I’m worried wouldn’t be able to start the FY2 `Standalone post in that same year (depending on the job application deadline and duration of GMC registration process). Would I then only be able to start working in the UK in 2024 and does this potentially mean I would need to take the UKMLE as well? Or will I be able to forego that if I apply for full registration as soon as I graduate?
Thanks so much in advance.
Best,
Chae
Hello, I am an IMG who completed my MBBS and Internship without any breaks in 2007 but soon joined a Health insurance company and has been working in this field since then . I am planning to write PLAB soon and get back to practice now . Can I expect a full registration from GMC? You mentioned that provided we can proof that we are clinically up to date . What kind of proof will be accepted.
Also I would like to know whether I should simultaneously apply for the UKFP and what are my chances
Hi there! We’re not too sure about the details but other IMGs have shown evidence of CPD. You might find it helpful to ask in a the Facebook group in case anyone has been through a similar situation. https://www.facebook.com/groups/thesavvyimg
You can try applying for UKFP as a back up in case you’re not given full registration. To be honest, if you’ve been out of clinical practise for almost 15 years, FY1 is a great place to start anyway. Your chances are the same as any UK graduate, it all depends on your application score!
Hi, thanks for creating this blog.
I have applied for a full registration after 2 years gap post pmq bf internship( was preparing for my country’s licensure as I studied abroad) After internship, I worked for 6 months in obs/gynae bf coming to the U.K. and not done any medical work since then(since December 2017)however, I have been studying for my masters degree for a year plus now( maternity 2018 and studies 2019 to date). My application is currently with the iandi team. It’s been a month plus since applied for a full registration. I have submitted both the GEN 2, and Gen 4 forms including the IMG 10 form. Know anyone with similar concern who eventually got a full registration? What do u think the outcome would be?
Hi Emi, if you have submitted all the documents as requested then it’s likely to be accepted, but unfortunately we can’t give any assurances. We hope it works out. Sit tight! Please let us know how it goes. We’re thinking of compiling situations with the outcomes so that other IMGs can learn from them.
Hello Nick,
I graduated from medical school in 2019, and had my compulsory 12 month internship from March 2020 to March 2021. However, my covering letter/ proof of internship gotten from my center only reflects the actual duration of the rotations adding up to a total of 11 months (48 weeks, 12 weeks in each posting), i.e from march till feb, i spent the last 4 weeks on terminal leave.
I’m trying to confirm if this would be an issue and if i need to get another letter covering all the 12 months
thank you
Hi there! If I were you I’d get a letter covering all 12 months and specify that the last 4 weeks are approved annual leave. UK interns (FY1) get around 5 weeks of annual leave spread throughout the year, so that shouldn’t be a problem.
Hi, Nick
I’m currently doing my internship in a different country than my own, and it will finish soon in September; however, my passport is about to expire a couple of days after my internship ends, so I need to travel back home in the middle of my 12-month internship. The question here is: am I allowed to leave for 20 days and carry on my internship when I’m back? Will that cause me any problems with the Gmc registration?
Hi Ali, is it necessary to travel back home during your internship? See if you can renew your passport through your country’s embassy. If not, the GMC allows annual leave plus 20 days of leave so it shouldn’t cause a problem provided your leave is approved.
Unfortunately, Nick, I don’t have my own country’s embassy where I’m having my internship currently.
Nick, please help, are you sure it’s allowed to take three weeks off during my internship without any problem, knowing I will resume as soon as I come back? Plab is my only way, and if it fails, then everything fails along. GMC were not making things clear enough.
Thank you so much, you are a big help for everyone
Hi Ali, as I said, the GMC allows 5 weeks of annual leave + 20 days of other absence so 3 weeks shouldn’t be a problem. I can’t make any guarantees but I honestly can’t see any reason why it should be a problem.
Hello Nick,
I’d like to explain my peculiar situation
I went through a 12 month internship in my home country.
Each rotation was 12 weeks, with the 13th week being a leave period between each period, I however opted against taking the leaves and rather took all the leaves as a lump period of 4 weeks as my terminal leave at the end of my 4 rotations.
My letter/proof of internship from my institution however only covered the dates for my 4 postings adding up to 11 calendar months.
Do you think this would be a problem and do I need to get another letter from my centre to adequately cover the 12th month which was my terminal leave?…in preparation for GMC registration.
Thanks
Hi Joseph! If it’s clear in your internship letter that the start and finish date are 12 months apart, and the final 4 weeks were considered annual leave, then I can’t see it as too much of a problem. The main issue I would see is if the start and finish date as stated in your internship letter is only 11 months apart.
Hi Nick,
Thankyou for the all work you put into this blog.
I completed my internship in the following format
MEDICINE
Gen medicine =4months
Med and Allied
Derma=15days
Psychiatry =15days
Peads = 1month
SURGERY
Gen surgery=3months
Surg and Allied
ENT=2 months
Anesthesia= 1 month
Total 6+6 = 12 months
Will it be acceptable for GMC registeration?
Hi Daniel, I don’t see why not. Of course there are other criteria for it to be accepted such as the gap between graduation and the start of internship, and gaps during internship. Just bear in mind I cannot give any reassurances about whether your internship will be accepted, only the GMC can do that once you have submitted your application.
Hi, Dr. Nick
Would it be alright if I couldn’t go through Medicine for 3 ‘continuous’ months, but instead doing Med for 2 months then goes to Surgery for 1 months then goes to Ped (Med allied) for 2 months. In total, I would have trained Med for 5 months and Sx for 4 months, with total 12 months of internship.
Thanks
Hi Vasita, I’ve seen many doctors get GMC registration with non-continuous rotations so based on that it should be ok as long as they total 3 months each.
Hi Nick
I have completed my MBBS in 2009 and thereafter 3 years post graduation training in cardiology immediately after (without internship) abroad.
Thereafter I have returned to my country and did my internship and got registered in my home country. I also have done another post graduate degree in my country.
According to the above process, I have 3 years of gap between my MBBS and my internship. However the gap was due to an additional post graduate training course.
So will I have problems during my GMC registration?
Is a training course suitable explanation for the 3 year gap?
Also I have got a MTI post in the UK… Does this internship requirement also hold true for MTI posts?
Thanks for your help.. really appreciate.
Internship is only a strict requirement for PLAB. If you have an MTI post then they won’t ask for details of internship. But again, please contact the GMC for guidance.
Hi Nick
I have completed my MBBS in 2009 and thereafter pursued post graduate clinical residency from 2009-2012 without internship, both from abroad.
Then I returned to my home country and did 12 months of rotational internship here and got registered with my state medical council.
So basically the gap between my MBBS and internship is three years. But I did a clinical residency during these three years.
Do you think I would have problems with GMC registration given I have spent those three years in a training program?
Kindly advise.
Thank you
Hi there, I can’t really say for sure what the GMC would say about this. If they don’t accept your internship then you can always go for Pattern B. Best to contact the GMC for further advice. Best of luck!
Hi Nick
I graduaded from medicine in 2016. Right after graduation I started taking a master degree in Engineering. However, 8 months after beginning the course I found myself not interested and decided to follow back my path in Medicine. So I started to study for the pre-internship exam in my country and finally managed to start my internship 15 months after graduation.
My internship matches pattern 1 and since finishing my internship I have worked as a physician for 2 years now.
I want to start studying for PLAB tests, but I am worried about applying for GMC once I clear the exams due to the described gap that I have.
Is there any possibility that I can convince GMC to overlook the gap?
What’s the worst case scenario that can happen to me?
Thanks
Hi Hami, they may consider your application as long as you explain the reason for the gap and provide evidence if they request it. If not, you can work in surgery for 3 months and use pattern B instead.
Hi Tan,
I have question about Primary Medical Qualification : I have graduated from 2 institutes – started at one and graduated from other, both are govt institutions from the same countries
My application is with the assessor and she asks me letter typically mentioning the reasons and transcript records. They provided me transcripts and letters explaining in general that the transfer was leagle, but not mentionimg the specific reason of transfer and just records of transcripts (GMC wants they should mention whether I failed the credits or not) but they send me a letter which states that transfer letter is given to one who completes the duration successfully. Assessor wants words to word quote the reason as I described above. She said other wise they ll send my application for full assessment..? I wounder what’s full assessment of application and what are the chances to get my application successful. Thank you
Hi there,
From what I understand, the GMC needs confirmation that the credits for your final degree do not include any failed credits. So if you did fail any classes, you should have retaken them and passed. That needs to be clear in your application.
If it goes to full assessment, the chances are related to how satisfied they are that your final degree only consists of passed subjects.
I recommend also asking in the IMG FB group in case anyone has a similar situation.
Hope it all works out.
If i am doing 12 month internship then do i have to complete 3 months in medicine and allied continuosly and 3 months in surgery and allied continuosly or i can finish them in any sequence but with 3 months in each branch and allied in the whole course of 12 months?
The GMC says continuously on the website, but plenty of IMGs have gotten their GMC registration with the 3 months split up over 12 months. It doesn’t seem to be a very strict rule.
Hello, thank you for this guide.
I was wondering, do months have to be in order? Like 3 consecutive months of medicine and then 3 consecutive months of surgery? Or could these be interspersed throughout the 12 total months?
There seems to be small space for rotations in the new pathways applicant document so wondering if it’s supposed to be grouped like that.
Hi there! We haven’t seen the GMC be too strict with the requirement for medicine and surgery to be consecutive, lots of friends have 3 months each but not consecutively, but obviously can’t make any guarantees.
Hi nick
I am applying on the basis of acceptable post graduate qualification
My internship is in medicine and peads 6 months each
Will it be an issue as I read in the above mentioned note that it is acceptable?
Kindly guide
Hi there, it shouldn’t be according to GMC guidance.
Hello
I graduated June 2010 , and was awaiting allocation for internship by Sudan ministery of health, then I got married and moved to Saudi Arabia and started my internship October 2011 ( one year and 4 months total gap) , is this could be a problem? Thanks
(Until I moved to Saudi Arabia was no answer from Sudanese ministry of health
Hi there, it might be but if you don’t meet the criteria for Pattern A then you can always go for Pattern B. Best to contact the GMC directly so they can advise on your situation. All the best!
H Nick,
I have a query about full registration. I have completed my internship (6 months pediatrics Medicine and 6 months General Medicine), but there is a gap of 4 months between two rotations. I am applying on the basis of MRCP which I received in April, 2019.I have total of 8+years of continuous clinical experience since November , 2012.
I have also other experience after the graduation which is not continuous ( after internship : 7 months GP/Primary Care, then 3-1/2 months gap + 6 MO this ER/ED+4 months General Medicine +9 months General Surgery=21 months total,
– 1 year GP/Clinic Practice(self employed),
-3 months primary care.
After that point I have continuous clinical experience about 6 years before MRCP and 2 years after MRCP( awarded in April, 2019). (8 +1/2 year uninterrupted clinical experience).
Your advice for full GMC registration please.
Thank you
Hi there, I don’t see why that would be a problem. You can speak to the GMC for their official advice. All the best!
I graduated as Medical Doctor in 2016, completed 1 year of internship in Surgery, Medicine, OG and Pediatrics with 3 months each from 2015 June to 2016 June. Since then, i stopped practising as a doctor. Now I want to work in NHS through PLAB. Since PLAB 1 seats are all booked out for 2021, the best case scenario would be I completed PLAB 2 before end of 2022. Even if I passed PLAB 2 in 2022, there will be 6 years gap of not practising as a medical doctor. My concern is even after completing PLAB 2, will I get approved by GMC or will I get hired by NHS due to my gap of 6 years? Thanks to all of you.
Hi there, clinical gaps alone are not a strict barrier to finding a job in the UK. Recent clinical experience is more important than the fact that you have a gap. To improve your chances of getting GMC registration and a job in the UK, then it’s a good idea to return to work back home.
Hello DR!
at this moment I am studying medicine in Romania which is EU country, On the GMC site for Romanian certificates we can only apply for full registration, at the same time I didn’t remember doing any internship but we do 6 years of medicine, so I don’t know what is the solution for this problem and does this extra year is an equivalent for the internship?
Hi there, yes the GMC grants full registration to some EU graduates without internship. If you need further clarification about how to apply for registration, please contact the GMC directly. Best of luck!
Dear Ahmad, i am in the same situation,
I went after 6 years of medical school straight into doing the surgical residency. can you please update us how you solved this problem and if your application was accepted?
thank you so much
Hi Nick,
My internship will include:
3 months in Internal Medicine
10 weeks in Surgery (2.5 months)
7 weeks in Obstetrics and Gynaecology
3 weeks in Ophthalmology
amongst others- do you think there is a problem with my internship pattern regarding the mandatory 3 months in Surgery? Especially as Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Ophthalmology are both considered allied surgical specialities ?
Hi there, we’ve seen lots of IMGs get GMC registration with similar internships so I don’t see any major problem with that. Best of luck!
Hello Nick.
I graduated in 2018 and didn’t do my internship. I came to uk immediately after my graduation and in 2018 i took ielts thrice but i couldn’t pass in all attempts. Then in 2019 i took oet in june and plab 1 in november and in april 2020, i went for plab 2 but my exam got cancelled due to covid twice. Once in april n then in october. Then i took my plab 2 in jan 2021 and now i am applying for provisional registration. After my provisional im planing to go back to my home country to do internship. Do you think i will get full registration with this much gap.
Hi there, if you’re already in the UK, why go overseas to do internship? If you live in the UK you can apply for the UK Foundation Programme and you will get full registration after completion of FY1 which is UK internship. https://thesavvyimg.co.uk/apply-for-the-uk-foundation-programme-as-an-img/
Hello Nick,
I’m studying in a country where students match directly into residency programs, skipping internships. What medical specialties could meet the GMC requirements of both medicine and surgery? Anesthesiology? Or is it possible to pick a surgical residency, while working part-time as an MO.
Hi there, I’m afraid there is no single specialty that meets both requirements of medicine and surgery that we’re aware of. Whether anaesthesiology is accepted for surgery would only be possible if you have done other specialties for medicine, not anaesthesiology for both medicine and surgery. Even then, it’s not guaranteed that anaesthesiology will be accepted as surgery since it is not actually a surgical specialty.
If you don’t have internship, you’ll need to go for Pattern B. We’re not sure if working part-time as an MO will count as we’ve never encountered that kind of background before, but it might. The other option is to gain GMC registration via a postgraduate qualification like MRCS because then you don’t need to meet the criteria of Pattern A or B. Best of luck!
hello Nick
I started my internship 02 OCTOBRE 2020
duration is 9 weeks per rotation
so
9 weeks pediatric
9 weels general surgery
9 weeks gyn-ob
9 weeks primary health center
9 weeks gastroenterology
so the total duration is 45 weeks
and there is 3 WEEKS anuual leave
is it acceptable ????
Hi there, doesn’t look like it will be accepted. Please contact the GMC directly. You can also ask other IMGs who have a similar internship on FB to see how the GMC dealt with it just so you have an idea.
Hi Nick! I’ve just come across your blog and it is such a wonderful resource for everything I was looking for! Thankyou so much for all that you’re doing.
I have a tiny question: in the registration for GMC Online Account, they ask when the course (MBBS in my case) ended and when was the degree awarded, both are separate options. I do have a date on my degree (it’s in May 2018) but I only have the month for my actual final year exams (march 2018). I don’t remember the exact date they ended. Can I put the degree date in both places?
Hi Fatima! Thank you so much for your kind words! I believe you can put the same date but just double check with the GMC. They respond quite quickly by email or FB messenger!
Hello Dr!
Thank you for your guidance in your blog, it is extremely helpful for FY2 application.
I finished my internship in September and did some Observerships till December. But currently I’m not doing any medical work. Any suggestions on what to put for career gap between now- until start of the program in August 2021?
Hi there! Apologies for the delayed response to your comment! You’ll just need to put what you are doing – this could exam preparation, research, teaching etc. If you are not doing anything in particular then you can simply write “career gap” or “unemployed”. Best of luck with your application!
Hello Nick,
Is there any problem with my internship pattern?
3 months Internal Medicine
3 months General Surgery
2 months Emergency
2 months Pediatric
2 months Obstetrics & Gynecology
•I will start my internship after 6 months delay, due to Covid-19 travel ban then followed by documents(degree) verification took 1 month, is it going to be a problem?
Hi there! 1. I don’t see any problems with that pattern. 2. If there are genuine reasons like Covid then it shouldn’t be a problem.
Hi Nick
Is it necessary to have 3 CONTINUOUS months in medicine & surgery (including related branches like pedia ,obgyn)
For ex , is the following sequence of internship valid
1. Jan-feb – internal medicine
2.march-aprl – general surgery
3. May-june- pediatrics
4.july-august- obstetrics&gynaecology
5.sep 1-15 -Ent
6. Sep 16-30 opthalmology
7.oct – othopaedics
8.nov-dec-community medicine ( rural area posting)
Hi there, to be honest, we have not seen the GMC be that strict about the continuous months as long as it’s 3 months in total, but the decision is ultimately theirs.
Hello.
I graduated in June 2016. However, i started my internship in September 2018.
During those +2 years gap. I finished USMLE Step 1 and USMLE step 2 exams ( i have the exam certificates with the dates).
Will this be a huge problem with GMC registration?
Thank you
Hi there, that is likely to be a problem because there is a gap of more than 2 years between graduation and completion of internship. You may need to use Pattern B instead of Pattern A. Please see the criteria above. You can also try asking on one of the IMG groups on FB if someone has been in a similar situation and how it was handled. Best of luck!
Hello
I have a question
What if my uni rule is to have a pr graduate internship so i wont have the certificate until i complete a 12 month of internship
So i cant apply for provisional registration in gmc right? Or are there any exceptions?
Hi there, probably not but you can contact the GMC directly about this query. Please let us know what they say!
Hello Nick, I need your opinion on this.
How is the 5 weeks of leave and additional 20 days of allowed absence permitted to reflect in our certificate? For instance, if ones certificates states that he did Houseman ship for 11 straight months including 3 months in both medicine and surgery can he use leave to explain the uncaptured 1 month in the certificate?
I would think it depends on what the end date of your certificate is. If the dates cover 12 months in total then presumably that should be ok but we’re not experts in this matter. It’s really up to the GMC. You might find someone who has been through something similar in one of the IMG FB groups. Hope you find your answer!
Hi Nick!
My internship was 12 months in an acceptable gmc pattern.However, my internship completion letter only states i completed successfully and does not contain details of duration,speciality and dates.
Do i need to get another letter with this evidence and attach it to the old one before i apply? What do you suggest?
Hi there! Yes you will need to show the duration and specialties.
Hi there!
I need to say to introduce myself – I am a Bulgarian specialist of Pathology with more then 20 yrs experience.
Hereby I am interested in registration in GMC in order to search for eventual job in UK
Hi, that’s great to hear! Please see our guides about GMC registration here: https://thesavvyimg.co.uk/category/gmc-registration/
Hi Dr Nick, I have done 12 months internship before MBBS- so will it count as pre graduate internship ? What papers I need to submit? I have done 12 months clinical experience in a private hospital before MBBS.so in case if gmc dnt accept my pre graduate then can i show this 12 months clinical experience to get full registration. Thanks in advance
Hi there, I’m not really sure what you mean. Do you mean you had 12 months clinical experience before starting medical school?
Hello, Nick.
My intership starts in 2021 and is of 12 months duration. I will mostly have 3 months of medicine( 1 month of general medicine+ dermat+ community medicine+ emergency medicine……) and 3 months of surgery( general surgery+ ENT + Ophthal+ ObGYN etc) as part of my intership program. My intership will include one month of all the major clinical subjects. I will probably take a break of 3-4 months to prepare for plab 2 after my interhsip. Will this break affect my chance in getting a direct access to FY 2? I do not wish to do FY 1, but I will do it if I have no other option left.
Thanks in advance.
Hi there, I don’t see any reason why that would be a problem! Good luck!
Hello;
I have an important question. I have the kind of 12 months internship included my medical schools curriculum as the sixth year, so no problem there. What if I complete 2 months of it through Erasmus+ Traineeship Program in an hospital in eu which is also accepted by GMC. Would that be considered a continuous and uninterrupted 12 months of internship?
It will finish in exactly 12 months anyway since the internship I do abroad is accepted by my home university in terms of Erasmus+ program.
Thank you very much for your answers in advance. I am so curious about this.
Hi, I’m not familiar with internships like this. It’s best to contact the GMC for official advice. Best of luck! Let us know how it goes!
Hello Nick,
Thank you so much for this article, please I wanted to ask for your advice . For a medical student like me who would want to start the process next year and wouldn’t mind starting from fy1. Should I take up an internship or just use my time to prepare for the exams ? I am graduating July next year and I would love to go through the fy1 route so is there any need to still go for an internship even while doing the exams? Thank you.
Hi there! Starting internship back home would give you more options in case you don’t get a place in FY1 so it’s not a bad idea. This is because if you don’t complete internship then your only option for a job is FY1. So if you don’t get in, you’ll have to eventually do internship back home anyway or reapply for FY1 the following year.
If you do get accepted into FY1 then you can always stop your internship early because if you complete internship then you can’t proceed with FY1.
Hope that helps, best of luck!
Hi Nick,
I completed my pmq mbbs with a 12 month internship in 2010. Then went on to pursue an MD in a para clinical subject in India And have been working for the past 6 yrs. will this affect me from acquiring a GMC registration and then getting a non training job in the nhs and then continue with specialty training or do I have to do a fy2 standalone?
Hi there, recent clinical experience is obviously a plus when applying for any job so if you can start clinical work then great. Regarding applications to specialty training, you will still need to meet the eligibility criteria for ST1/CT1 including having a valid CREST form and 12 months of post-internship clinical experience. If you don’t have these then you fall into Pathway B. Standalone FY2 is one option on this route. Please see these guides:
https://thesavvyimg.co.uk/category/uk-pre-specialty-training/
https://thesavvyimg.co.uk/what-you-need-to-know-about-applications-to-specialty-training-in-the-uk/
hello nick
i have done my internship 6 months in medicine and 6 months in paediatrics.then i did my post graduation training in internal medicine for 5 years.i am going for plab.will i be considered for gmc registration?
Hi, probably not as you have not worked in surgery at all. You may be better off going through the MRCP route which does not require an acceptable pattern of internship. You can email the GMC to clarify. Best of luck!
hello nick
many thanks for your reply.
I don’t want to apply for FY1 or 2 post.
i just need a sho job and then meanwhile i can compete my MRCP.
even then i will not get a registration as a simple doctor???
You still need to meet the requirements for GMC registration before you can work in the UK at any level. If you wish to work here while completing MRCP, then you will need to sit PLAB. Or you look into the MTI/sponsorship route which only requires MRCP Part 1 for you to gain GMC registration, but this route is more suitable for those who do not wish to stay in the UK long-term.
Hi Nick,
I have a question that concerns the patterns of internship: Is general medicine considered as acceptable by the GMC as being part of “internal medicine”?
By general medicine I mean general practice.
Thank you.
Hi, it should be. You can email the GMC to confirm.
Many thanks Nick, for the reply.
Thanks for the insight Nick,
GMC asked me the reason for the gap being more than two years and have now sent it over to the investigations (iandi) team. I expect to hear back from them probably next week.
As far as working is concerned, this was also due to the baby/child care that followed (as it was my firstborn), it’s not very common in our culture to hire a babysitter and as such I stayed home to prepare for PLAB exams (in the UK) before moving back to my country for internship when my child was older.
In any case I’ll keep you up to date.
Hi Adita !
any update from the investigations team?
I have received my full registration as of today.
Hi Adita can you please explain me your journey. I am in the same boat. I graduated in 2017 came to UK without internship in 2017 conceived had mc then conceived again had a baby in 2018 and other in 2019. I gave ielts meanwhile in 2 years now am due to give plab 1 next month. My oet will expire next year oct.i am also planning to do my internship back home after giving plab1 or do u suggest giving plab2 and then do intership and then apply fr registration.
Hi Nick,
Thanks for the explanation – I have recently applied to the GMC for a full registration but unfortunately I have 3 year gap between PMQ and completing internship. This is due to pregnancy right after PMQ, after pregnancy I took PLAB 1 & 2 and then back to internship abroad (which has concluded now).
Hopefully they’ll grant a full registration but I’m just worried they might hold it against me for it taking so long. Do you know of cases where there was a significant gap between internship and graduation due to maternity leave but did get accepted (or declined)?
Hi Adita, to be honest that will probably be an issue. In the UK, maternity leave is one year in duration (for each baby) after which doctors go back to work. Also doctors here prepare for exams while working so I’m not sure they’ll accept that as a reason for a 3 year gap but hopefully we are wrong. Our advice would be that you should not stop working after internship. If you continue working while applying for GMC registration, then if they reject your internship, at least you can still get GMC registration using Pattern B.
We don’t know anyone who has been in the same situation so you may find it helpful to ask on FB if anyone has gone through anything similar. Just keep in mind that each case is dealt with individually so if someone else’s gap was accepted, it does not guarantee that yours will be accepted. At the same time, if their gap was rejected then it doesn’t mean yours will be automatically rejected either.
Hope that helps. Best of luck and please keep us updated!
Hi Nick,
I have received my full registration as of today, I’m grateful that they’ve accepted it. My gap was a total of 3 and a half years since my PMQ until the completion of my house job.
I just realised we did not reply to your update. Thank you so much for getting back to us about the outcome and we’re so pleased for you! I think the GMC are usually quite reasonable as long as you follow their guidance.
Hey adita
I have one year gap between graduation and start of internship
Will this affect GMC registration ?
Sir
I graduated in dec 19
And will start my internship in jan 2021
I appeared in two exams in 2020
But result was withheld due to incomplete documents
Will this affect my GMC registration in future ?
Hi there, as long as you can explain what happened it shouldn’t be a barrier. The GMC will let you know if they need any additional documents. You can also try to call them about your situation to see what they would advise.
Hello Nick!
Thank you for the wonderful guidance that you are providing.
I am just concerned that I have a gap in employment of about 2.5 years after completing internship (which was in January 2018). This was a study break for a PG entrance exam. I worked in the medical ICU for 1.5 months and that was it.
But now I’ve decided to switch my route to PLAB and I’m just starting my preparation for it.
Will this gap be a problem for GMC Registration?
Hi there! Gaps after internship are rarely a barrier to GMC registration. If you have a long clinical gap, you may need to submit a statement additional paperwork to show that you are clinically up-to-date. Best of luck!
Thank you so much!
What about the 8 year gap after doing 12 months internship?
Someone may did master after fulfilling internship and did a job for 8years. Now want pursue the rout of plab.
Hi there! Lots of IMGs in this situation have found work in the UK with gaps of up to 10 years.
Clinical gaps alone are not a strict barrier to finding a job in the UK. Recent clinical experience is more important than the fact that you have a gap. To improve your chances of getting a job in the UK, then it’s a good idea to get a job back home.
If you’re already in the UK, you’ll need to work on your application and show you are clinically up-to-date and ready to work in the NHS through CPD and potentially a clinical attachment.
Hi ,
I have a 12 month continuous internship divided equally between urban and rural settings.My 6 month urban internship in a teaching hospital has rotations of 2 months each in Surgery, Medicine and OBGYN and their allied branches.The other 6 months was in a rural primary health centre .I have applied for registration, and GMC has asked to provide evidence of 3 months in medicine as my internship certificate does not clarify what I did for 6 months in rural posting. I have satisfied the 3 months experience in Surgery.Thet have sent me an evidence of internship form.Should this be filled up for the rural posting.What should be the approach now?
Hi, they just want to see that you’ve completed 3 months of medicine in your internship. I suggest writing that you’ve completed 2 months of hospital medicine and 6 months of community medicine which is what primary health care would be, but I cannot guarantee that this will be accepted. You may find it helpful to see what other IMGs in similar situations have done by posting in the Facebook groups. Hope that helps!
Dear Nick,
Thanks for your instructions. It’s very helpful for my case and I appreciate your works.
I have some queries and would like to have your advice.
How will GMC verify the pre-graduate internship? (which form will they use? and its process)
How will GMC verify the post-graduate internship? (which form will they use? and its process)
Best regards,
Hi, the process is the same for both. You will need a certificate or letter from the hospital you completed your internship or postgraduate experience at. The letter must contain the dates/duration and specialties of all your clinical rotations.
Hi. Thanks for making thisI kniw it is a tough question but please advise me. Take your time to read again. Thanks wonderful site. May God bless you for your worrk.
I situation is that I have completed 3 month Medicine 3 month Allied(psychiatry) on 15th december 2017 and then I left internship to pursue USMLE STEP 1. It is taking me alot of time and I am giving USMLE STEP 1 in January 2020. So I have an option to complete remaining 6 month Surgery & allied internship From February to July 2020. SO 6 months medicine then gap of 25 months aprox then 6 months. DO you think I stand a chance to get GMC registration for FY2 if start plab route after July 2020?
Unfortunately, we cannot comment on the likelihood of that being accepted. It would be a good idea to have a backup plan to fulfill the requirements for Pattern B in case they do not accept your internship. Best of luck!
Hey guys, I had a query soo my final exams and internship were one after the other and my internship was a 12 month one as required but my convocation ceremony was one year later(it’s given in my degree certificate) can that affect my GMC registration chances?
Hi there, the timing of your ceremony does not play a role. However if this is the date on your degree certificate, it would probably be helpful to get a letter from your medical school confirming the date of your final exams, the start and finish dates of your internship, and the date of the ceremony just to clear any confusion. You can also contact the GMC to see what they recommend. Best of luck!
Hi kindly guide about gmc registration appeal for European graduates but non EU citizens as they are giving issues with the internship as its spread over 3 years before graduation thx
Hi there, “internship spread over 3 years” sounds more like clinical rotations rather than internship and unlikely to be accepted as internship by the GMC. Please see this article about clinical rotations/clerkship. It would be best to contact the GMC directly, and do please let us know the outcome of your query. Best of luck!
Hey Nick! My internship was during medical school, before graduating, at least 3 months in each area (14 months). I have graduated overseas, but I have an European citizenship. Do you think it’s okay?
Thanks!
Raquel
Hi there, I’m unable to comment on how the GMC will treat this as there are many changes happening due to Brexit. It would be best to contact them directly. Best of luck!
Hi Nick
Thanks for an outstanding coverage over GMC requirements for Internship. I have an issue regarding my internship. I have done 1 year Internship from India, however there is a three month break (due to health issues) and couple of 7-12 days breaks afterwards… I am a bit concerned about it… will you please guide me in this regard
Thanks in advance
Hi Utkarsh, the only guidance I can give is that you should provide documentation about each period of absence. It will be up to the GMC to decide on whether to accept your internship despite gaps. Health issues are usually accepted but unfortunately I cannot provide any assurances with this.
Hey Utkarshi, could you please provide an update regarding whether your application for full registration was approved?
In pattern B i have done Post graduate training in Public sector Hospital as follow:
14 Months General Surgery
6Months PEdiatric surgery
2Months PEdiatric Medicine
2Months Pathology
is this format acceptable?
Hi, it appears you do not meet the requirement for 3 months in medicine or related medical specialties as you only have 2 months in paediatrics. It may not be accepted, but this decision lies with the GMC.
Dear Nick,
I completed my MD in Poland without completing an internship (4 year advanced program) and I’m interested in registering with the GMC. I’m a non-EU national.
I will be registered with the Irish medical council and start a non training SHO job soon.
Just wanted to clarify that I would have to complete 24 months of postgraduate clinical experiences to fulfil pattern B and that SHO posts in the aforementioned specialities (3 mo surgery, 3 mo medicine) will likely be accepted?
Hi there, yes as stated in the article ?