Thinking of Relocating to the UK to Practise? Here's What I'd Tell a Friend.
Whether you're still wondering if a UK move is even realistic, or you're mid-GMC application trying to navigate the job market — the questions are always the same. Here's the honest advice I give every clinician who asks.
Five Things Worth Knowing Before You Start
1. Know Why You're Moving — and Be Specific
"Better opportunities" is too vague to be useful. Training structure? Clinical volume? Pay? Work-life balance? Family stability? The UK can deliver on all of these — but the right role and location depends entirely on what you're actually trying to achieve. Get clear on your priorities first.
2. The Job Market Is Active — But Competitive
Genuine shortages exist across emergency medicine, psychiatry, GP, radiology and anaesthetics. But shortage doesn't mean easy. Interviews are formal, trusts are selective, and preparation matters more than most candidates expect.
3. Your UK Network Is Your Most Valuable Asset
LinkedIn is genuinely useful in UK medicine. Speciality societies, BMA local branches and international doctor forums all open doors. The UK clinical world is smaller than it looks — and reputation travels fast.
4. Private Sector Opportunities Are Growing
NHS-only is no longer the only path. Independent hospitals, diagnostic clinics, occupational health providers and telehealth platforms are all actively recruiting internationally trained doctors. Many offer flexible, well-paid roles that sit alongside NHS work. Worth knowing the full picture.
Use a Recruiter Who Actually Knows Clinical Healthcare
The difference between a recruiter who understands GMC pathways, NHS pay structures and trust culture — and one who doesn't — is enormous. The right recruiter doesn't just find you a job. They help you avoid the wrong one.
My Top 5 Practical Steps to Get Started
1. Register with the GMC as early as possible.
Everything else follows from this. Language requirements (OET or IELTS), document verification and GMC processing take 3–6 months minimum. Start before you have a job offer — not after.
2. Get your CV into UK format.
A UK clinical CV is chronological, detailed and covers posts, procedures, audit and CPD specifically. It's different from most international formats. Get someone who knows UK clinical hiring to check it before it goes anywhere.
3. Know your numbers before you negotiate.
Understand Agenda for Change pay scales for your grade, private sector benchmarks for your speciality, and what a reasonable job plan and on-call commitment looks like. Don't go in blind.
4. Visit before you commit.
See the city, visit the trust if possible, and speak to staff already there. Nothing replaces the feel of a place — and it signals serious intent to prospective employers.
5. Don't try to do this alone.
GMC registration, credential verification, job applications, visa, housing, schooling, banking — it's a lot happening at once. Build a support team: specialist recruiter, immigration lawyer if needed, relocation help. Trying to manage it solo adds months and stress you don't need.
