A clear route to practising medicine in the UK
GMC registration is a demanding process with several possible routes, and choosing the wrong one costs time you cannot recover. We help you identify the right pathway and evidence it properly.
What doctors and general physicians need to know
The General Medical Council maintains the register of doctors licensed to practise in the UK and sets the standards for medical education, training and conduct. For international medical graduates, registration means demonstrating a recognised primary medical qualification, English language proficiency, and completion of internship or foundation-level training.
There is more than one route onto the register, and they are not equally suited to every background. The PLAB route is the most common, but recognised postgraduate qualifications and other pathways can apply depending on where and what you trained in. Identifying the right route at the outset is the single most valuable decision in the process.
Not sure this is you?
Professions overlap, and the regulator that covers your role is not always obvious, particularly across two countries. If you're unsure where you fit, describe your qualification and we'll tell you which route applies.
Ask about your professionThe route for doctors and general physicians
Each stage depends on the one before it. This is the order that keeps a timeline moving rather than stalling.
- 01
Route identification
We assess your primary medical qualification, postgraduate training and experience to establish which GMC route genuinely fits.
- 02
English language evidence
IELTS Academic or OET to the GMC's defined minimum scores, with guidance on which suits your circumstances.
- 03
Assessments where applicable
Where your route requires PLAB, we help you understand the structure, sequencing and what each part assesses.
- 04
Application and verification
Your qualification and employment history are verified directly with your medical school and former employers. A stage that stalls without preparation.
- 05
Registration and licence to practise
On approval you receive GMC registration with a licence to practise medicine in the UK.
- 06
Placement and sponsorship
We match you to opportunities and support the Certificate of Sponsorship and visa stages through to your start date.
The things that catch people out
These are the details that most often add months to a timeline, and all of them are manageable if you know about them early.
Your route determines everything else
Timeline, cost and assessment requirements all follow from which registration route applies. This decision comes first.
Verification takes longer than people expect
Credential verification runs through your medical school and past employers. Institutions vary widely in how quickly they respond.
Internship evidence is scrutinised
Evidence of completed internship or foundation training is examined closely and must be documented precisely.
A postgraduate degree is not required
It is not a mandatory condition of GMC registration, though it may strengthen specific job applications and can affect your route.
Services for doctors and general physicians
The services most commonly needed on this route, in roughly the order they apply.
Doctors & Physicians: common questions
No. PLAB is the most common route for international medical graduates, but recognised postgraduate qualifications and other pathways can provide alternatives depending on your training. Establishing which applies to you is the first thing we look at.
It varies considerably by route and by how quickly your medical school and former employers respond to verification requests. The stages within your control (complete documentation, correct evidence, timely English testing) are where preparation makes the most difference.
You can begin conversations, but most UK employers need your GMC registration in place or clearly in progress before issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship. We generally run the two in parallel with registration leading.
Ready to talk through your route?
Tell us about your qualification and where you'd like to work. We'll map what's genuinely open to you as one of the doctors and general physicians we work with.