Hello everyone! This post is for those seeking the United Kingdom pathway for further studies.
How to get the United Kingdom, General Medical Council Licence to Practice?
Here is my personal experience. Alhamdulillah, I managed to get my license to practice 1-2 months back.
IELTS:
For many this is the easiest part, for some, the most difficult - All depends on your English background. Its mandatory to get 7 out of 9 minimum in each module, and overall score of 7.5 out of 9 in order to be able to attempt for PLAB examinations. Make sure you apply for the academic version.
PLAB 1:
Once you have cleared your IELTS, you need to make a GMC account online.
Then you will need to book for PLAB 1 exam and date.
Study time for PLAB 1: 2-3 months maximum.
Exam level: Much easier than USMLE.
Required Material: Samson Plab notes, 1700 mcc file (all files are available on the Facebook group called PLAB w/>20,000members. I went through samson notes twice and the 1700 questions files twice. Many questions were repeated / had the same format.
There is an examination centre in riyadh, usually taking place in Holiday Inn Hotel. Its a written mcq exam with scantron sheets.
Results take place 3 weeks to a month approximately.
PLAB 2:
This is the real deal 📷:P Pretty much quiet similar to the USMLE step 2 CS. Where to begin?
Well first you need to attend a PLAB 2 course! Yes its a must! And for that you need to go to UK... Several courses offered:
Samson in Illford london
Hamed's academy in Barking, London
Swammy's in Manchester.
I personally went to and highly recommend Hameds Academy.
You need 2-3 weeks after finishing the course to practice manikins, physical examinations and history taking with your peers prior to appearing the exam.
Exam is hard, you have 18 stations ( 2 rest stations), and each station has a patient and an examiner. Stations consist of many different themes, but majority will focus on brief history, physical exam, diagnosis, or differential diagnosis and brief management plan. In addition, procedural techniques: NGT, foley's, IV cannulation, blood extraction, Otoscope + findings, ophthalmoscope + findings etc.
For accommodation: Several are offered by the academy or you may arrange by yourself. I stayed in Premier Inn, it was 10 minutes of Jog, 15 minutes of walk from the academy. 1-2 days before the exam, you will need to travel to manchester from London. In manchester, the exam takes place in Manchester- City Centre.
Once you have cleared all you exams, then you will start your GMC registration. Fill in the application, submit the required documents. They will reply back to you in 1 -2 weeks for any further documents required.
Final step is the ID check where they call you over to London or Manchester for you to present your original documents, prior to them verifying and giving you the registration (same day procedure).
Remember the VISA you will be applying is the PLAB 2 visa. usually this is a 6 month multiple exit/re entry visa.
Try so that you are able to do attend the PLAB 2 course, complete the PLAB 2 exam and the registration + ID check during this time line.
Added after some very valuable questions from Ali Rahmatullah:
GMC Licence to practice basically allows you to work in the United Kingdom... No restrictions... Wherever you have a job offer, and you are willing to work, you can!
For training: you start off as an FY1/FY2. With your internship being already done, you are likely to start of as an FY2 (foundation Year 2)--> Then you move towards CMT (core medical training) --> Then subspecialty training. Meanwhile you have to do the MRCP/MRCS examinations. With that being said, yes it is a bit "more complicated than the US SYSTEM"....
Well with the BREXIT thing going on, and the doctor's salaries not being at par for what the local british doctors would want, this leaves us IMGs with good optimism... In general its not easy to get a training position anywhere in the world, if you didn't graduate from their medical schools