Specialist Language Courses

How to WORK in the UK if you’re an overseas DOCTOR

UK foreign Doctor

Are you a qualified doctor who’s thinking of applying to live and work in the UK? 

If so, read on and discover SLC’s guide for foreign medical professionals.

Does the UK need doctors?

The answer is YES.

There is a UK doctor shortage, especially in England, according to the British Medical Association (BMA).

The UK lags behind almost all EU countries in its proportion of doctors to inhabitants

There are various reasons for this, but the BMA calls it ‘a chronic workforce crisis’.

What’s a UK doctor’s salary?

Doctors in foundation training are paid up to £34,000 a year

Doctors in specialist training receive between £40,000 and £53,000 per year.


Qualified specialty doctors earn between £50,000 and £79,000. 

Specialist grade doctors, however, can earn up to £91,500.

Consultants earn a basic salary of £88,000 which rises according to experience.


Salaried GPs earn between £65,000 and £98,000. 

Other GPs run their own businesses and contract their services to the NHS.

*All salaries have been rounded down or up for clarity.

Can I work in the UK as a doctor without an English language qualification?

Only if you meet certain criteria (such as working for two years in an English-speaking country).

Most of the time, you will need to satisfy the GMC (General Medical Council) that you can communicate effectively in English.

To do this, you will need to have either the IELTS Academic or OET Medicine test. 

Your overall IELTS score must be 7.5, with at least 7 for each area. 

For the OET, you must reach Grade B. 

Your test results must be less than 2 years old.

OET and IELTS scores
OET Medicine Preparation Courses

We provide online preparation courses for doctors, to help you to reach Grade B in OET. 

You can practise by yourself, or include one-to-one tuition.

OET Preparation Courses

And if you want IELTS preparation courses, we have the perfect one for you.

IELTS Preparation Courses
Where can I get a job in the UK?

You can find job opportunities on the NHS websites for England and Wales, and for Scotland.

Once you find a job, you must then apply to join the GMC’s medical register. 

You can learn how to apply for registration on the GMC’s website.

Want to contact us?

We are happy to help you with your medical language training and preparation for moving to the UK.

 

You can contact us by filling in this form or giving us a call on +44 1273 900213

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