The Medical Training Initiative (MTI) is designed to enable International Medical Graduates (IMGs) to enter the UK and train in the NHS for up to two years. Upon completion of their placement, they return to their home country to implement their newly acquired skills and knowledge in the development of local health services.
Offering specific training placements to IMGs allows access to a diverse pool of talented medical professionals who have been identified either independently or by our international partners, who can help with staffing, while providing a unique insight into patient care.
The College offers support throughout the whole MTI process. This ensures applicants applying for posts are at a sufficient level of training and expertise to take on the role being offered. Additionally, we’re here to help with the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC) Application Form and all other necessary paperwork required for GMC sponsorship and applying for visas. Finally, once your IMG has begun their placement, we can also provide guidance for how best to support them when in post and beyond.
- An opportunity to recruit excellent IMGs, who can contribute a wide range of clinical skills and teaching expertise to UK medical practice.
- Opportunities to establish links with international partners seeking to send their trainees for valuable NHS experience.
- Provide a low cost and longer-term alternative to locums.
- Being part of the MTI is a commitment to building stronger and more resilient healthcare systems around the world for future generations.
- ST3 grade or above – please check the ST3 application for the specialty (grade should be clearly stated in the job description).
- Duration of the post is between 12 to 24 months.
- Must follow Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) criteria.
- Candidates must receive high-quality education and training, equivalent to that of a UK trainee, with associated study leave and study leave budget. We require evidence of this as part of the job description or as a separate document.
- The post must either be funded by the employer, or the candidate should be in receipt of official funding e.g. government scholarship or home institution. The funding should be the equivalent of a UK salary for the level of work being undertaken and must last for the duration of the post.
- The posts must not disadvantage UK trainees nor adversely affect the training of existing trainees in the location.
The College checks that candidates meet certain requirements for MTI, including GMC Sponsorship. A full list of these requirements can be found here. If you have any other specific questions relating to candidate requirements, please contact us at mti@rcpsg.ac.uk
Once we’ve checked your candidate meets all the relevant requirements, the Academy MTI Application Form can be initiated. A blank application form is available here which includes guidance on how to complete it.
There are nine parts to this form, completed as follows:
- Part 1 is completed by the employer or RCPSG MTI Team.
- Once Part 1 is completed, the candidate will be sent a separate MTI data protection consent (DPC) form.
- Part 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8a are typically completed by the employer.
- Within Part 4 of the application, you must complete a separate Deanery approval form.
- Part 8b must be completed by the supervising consultant for the post.
- Part 9 is usually completed by the candidate, although the documentation can be uploaded by whoever has it.
There are additional steps which the College will undertake on behalf of the candidate which includes issuing the Sponsorship Registration Certificate (SRC) to the GMC. We will also liaise with the candidate regarding how to apply for a Temporary Work Visa (GAE).
Once the Academy application form has been completed and submitted, they’ll review it and if everything is in order, they’ll issue a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) within five working days.
When the candidate is in post, you’ll have the MTI Starter Report that needs to be completed as detailed in the relevant section.
If you let us the know the details of the vacancy and, providing it meets the relevant Job Criteria, we can help identify eligible candidates. Send details of your vacancies to mti@rcpsg.ac.uk. If we identify a suitable candidate, we’ll send you their CV/qualifications for review. You can then decide if you wish to interview the candidate in line with your HR recruitment process.
If you already have a successful candidate, we can help with the Academy application form and subsequent GMC Sponsorship. We’ll liaise with the candidate and ask them to submit the required documentation. They’ll also be required to pay our non-refundable administration fee of £100. We’ll work with the relevant HR/Medical Personnel teams to ensure that the forms are completed in a timely manner.
A placement fee of £1550 is charged to the employer once the application has been accepted and a start date has been confirmed. The fee allows the College to provide a high level of dedicated and knowledgeable support and guidance to both employers and candidates from application right through to the end of the placement.
Starters Report
A MTI Starters report must be submitted to the Academy within 10 working days of a candidate’s first day of work. All Starters Reports must be submitted with the following:
- A PDF copy of the candidate’s right to work profile signed and verified as a true likeness by you, the employer. Employers can perform the right to work check once the candidate has applied for and obtained their share code.
- A new MTI data protection consent form signed by the candidate. Don’t re-submit the form sent with the candidate’s initial MTI application.
When the candidate finishes their MTI placement, you as the employer must notify the Academy within 10 working days using the End of Placement report. This is so they can end their visa sponsorship.
This is required regardless of the reason the candidate finishes their placement.
If the required paperwork for candidates with a CoS issued is not sent within the correct timeframes, the Academy will stop processing further CoS requests for your hospital until the outstanding forms are received.
Additional forms will need to be submitted to the Academy in the following circumstances:
- An Exception Report should be submitted if a candidate doesn’t start their sponsored role. If you know the reason for their absence, for instance a missed flight, illness or bereavement, you should include this in the report.
- If you have any reason to believe the candidate’s conditions of leave are being breached, you must submit an Exception Report.
- If your candidate requires an extension within the same employer, an Extension Application should be submitted before the original visa expires.
- If a candidate is transferring to another MTI placement, an MTI transfer application form should be submitted to the Academy. This is in place of an End of Placement report. If a candidate is looking to transfer to another employer, please inform us as soon as possible so that we can support them.