The Medical Training Initiative Scheme is designed to support international medical graduates (IMGs) who come to the UK to engage in short-term training opportunities and who return to their home countries to implement training experience in the development of local health services.
Our scheme is open to a limited number of applications each year and as such, there is no guarantee applications will be accepted at time of submission. Applicants applying for the scheme must be in receipt of a job offer through an employing Health Board before submitting an application.
The College works closely with a number of specific NHS Health Boards and Trusts to support their local recruitment efforts and priority will be given to our partner Health Boards and Trusts in the first instance.
Essential criteria
Candidates must meet all the following criteria for acceptance onto the International Sponsorship Scheme:
- Hold a primary medical qualification accepted by the GMC and verified by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG)
- Have a postgraduate qualification (e.g. Royal College Membership Exam, or other higher degree in medicine or a medical subspecialty)
- Three years minimum postgraduate experience (including 1 year’s internship and at least 1 year in the specialty in which you intend to train whilst in the UK)
- Demonstrable proficiency in English through a score of at least 7.0 in each component of the academic module of the International English Language Testing Service (IELTS) test with no less than 7.5 overall or a grade of B in each component of the medical version of the Occupational English Test (or OET)
- 12 months of continuous practice prior to application as well as 3 years of practice of the last 5 years (please see page 3 for further guidance on continuous practice)
- Resident and employed outside the UK in a priority country at time and for duration of the International Sponsorship Scheme application
- Not pursued GMC registration through the Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) route and failed
If you meet our essential criteria and would like to apply, please email mti@rcpsg.ac.uk. Please note you will be asked to complete an application form as well as provide a number of documents as part of the application process, including copies of academic achievements, CV and job offer letter. Due to the volume of applications we receive, we would not be able to access your application until all required documents are fully completed and received.