International Medical Graduates (IMGs)

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust operates hospitals on our two main sites in Cheltenham and Gloucester, and we’re one of the largest NHS trusts in the country. Our workforce of almost 8,000 staff provides high-quality emergency, elective and specialist care across a range of clinical areas.

Working in the National Health Service (NHS)

In the United Kingdom (UK), the National Health Service (NHS) is the term for the publicly funded healthcare system. It is increasingly looking overseas for qualified doctors, not only to help fill gaps in the workforce but also to bring their diversity of background experience and training.

The latest estimate is that this group of healthcare professionals accounts for over a third of the medical workforce in the UK and therefore represent a hugely important cohort of clinicians.

Many International Medical Graduates (IMGs) may not be familiar with routine day-to-day practices within the NHS and we hope that some of the information will help to support you.

Useful links

How does the NHS in England work? The King’s Fund
This short video explains in full how the NHS works in England (6:33)

International doctors BMA support for IMGs
British Medical Association advice for international medical graduates

You can find detailed information that explains Doctors' titles in the UK on the British Medical Association website.

Working as an IMG at our hospitals

Many IMGs come to the UK for further training and specialisation, and eventually about 25-30% join the medical workforce permanently.

What is a clinical attachment?

A clinical attachment is one of the best ways for an IMG to learn about the NHS and UK clinical practice. This supervised attachment can boost your confidence and may enhance your chances of passing exams or obtaining a job. It allows you to gain an overview of medical processes and systems in the NHS, by shadowing different grade doctors, as well as nursing staff, and healthcare assistants in a relevant specialty at work. You can observe a consultant in a relevant specialty without having the responsibility of patient care. Attachments usually last between 2-3 weeks.

You can find out more about clinical attachments on the BMA website

For enquiries about clinical attachments at our hospitals, you can contact ghn-tr.medical.staffing@nhs.net

Working in the UK

When you arrive in the UK, as well as starting your new job, you will need to get used to a new country and culture. We hope that you find that our essentials in the UK page has useful information to support you as you settle in.

Refugee doctors

Doctors who are refugees may face additional challenges. The General Medical Council (GMC) publishes helpful information for refugee doctors.