Information for Trainees
The College of Emergency Medicine is one of the Medical Royal Colleges taking part in the Medical Training Initiative (MTI). The MTI is a government authorised exchange under Tier 5 of the Points Based System allowing overseas trainees to obtain training in the UK for up to two years. The College of Emergency Medicines International Sponsorship Scheme offers Emergency Medicine training opportunities within the MTI. Successful applicants can obtain full GMC registration without taking the Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board (PLAB) test.
The GMC must be satisfied that the doctor has been selected under quality assurance arrangements designed to safeguard the interests of patients and to provide support for the trainee before granting registration. The College of Emergency Medicine matches successful applicants to training posts. Posts are available for between 6 and 24 months. At the end of their training period in the UK trainees have to return to their home country.
Eligibility
The sponsorship scheme is designed for trainees and consultants selected as likely to benefit from a period of training in the UK.
To be eligible for sponsorship you must be one of the following:
1. a current trainee in an overseas Emergency Medicine training programme (You should have the support of your training programme director for your plan to spend a period of time training in the UK)
2. a consultant who has completed a specialist training programme in Emergency Medicine (You should have the support of your employer for your plan to spend a period of time training in the UK)
3. a consultant who has trained in a specialty other than Emergency Medicine with at least 12 months experience in Emergency Medicine (You should have the support of your employer for your plan to spend a period of time training in the UK)
Candidates must:
Not (normally) hold EEA citizenship or EEA rights of residency.
Hold a Primary Medical Qualification acceptable to the GMC for full registration.
Be able to provide certificates of good standing (CGS) from all licensing and regulatory bodies with which you have been registered in the last five years. The GMC requires that a doctor must provide a CGS from the country in which they obtained their primary medical qualification and each of the countries they have worked in during the five years immediately preceding an application for registration.
Have completed at least three years postgraduate training including an internship.
Have an institutional sponsor in their home country specifying the post they will return to.
Provide evidence of satisfactory progression through training. Acceptable evidence would be documentation of passing any required postgraduate exam, a logbook or training portfolio (if applicable), evidence of clinical governance activity, appraisal documentation. Evidence should cover both generic Emergency Medicine and acute specialties. Any evidence should be validated by the overseas sponsor.
Be certified in at least one life support course - ATLS, APLS/PALS or ALS.
Have achieved a score of 7.0 in each section (speaking, listening, reading and writing) of the academic module of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). If you are practising in a country where the first language is English you may apply to the GMC for exemption from IELTS.
Provide contact details of two referees. If you are a trainee these should be your current educational supervisor and one other Emergency Medicine specialist currently or recently involved in your training. If you have already completed your specialty training you should get two references from doctors currently supervising you. Your referees will be contacted directly by the College.
Upon receipt of the required forms and associated documents the application will be reviewed by the International Sponsorship Lead or Chairman of the Training Standards Committee. The College will recommend successful applicants to the GMC for full registration.
Once your application has been approved by the College you will need to complete the application for registration on the GMC website and read the GMC guidance on what evidence should be provided to support the application. The GMC website address is www.gmc-uk.org. You will need to produce original documentation to the GMC on arrival in the UK to confirm your registration.
Immigration
The Medical Training Initiative is a government authorised exchange operated under Tier 5 (Temporary Worker) of the Points Based System. The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges will issue a certificate of sponsorship for each successful applicant. This certificate supports application for entry to the UK under Tier 5. For more details see:
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk/tier5/governmentauthorisedexchanged/
Administration Fee
The fee for the administration of an individual application is £200 or £100 for applicants based in lower and lower middle income economies (as defined by the World Bank; see: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/DATASTATISTICS/Resources/CLASS.XLS). Please pay by either credit card or bank transfer - contact the College for details.
Application Pack
Application forms can be obtained from Ms Marlies Kunnen, International Sponsorship and Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine Administrator (Email: Marlies.Kunnen@collemergencymed.ac.uk).
Application Process
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I already live in the UK. Can I apply for a place on the International Sponsorship Scheme?
A: No. The International Sponsorship Scheme is only open to doctors currently based in non-EEA countries.
Q: I have failed the PLAB test. Can I apply for a place on the International Sponsorship Scheme?
A: No. Doctors who have been offered a place on the International Sponsorship Scheme can obtain GMC registration without taking the PLAB test. The International Sponsorship Scheme is NOT a route to GMC registration for doctors who have taken and failed the PLAB test.
Q: How do I find a post?
A: If your application is successful the College of Emergency Medicine will find a post for you.
Q: I want to emigrate to the United Kingdom. Can I apply for a place on the International Sponsorship Scheme?
A: No. The International Sponsorship Scheme allows overseas trainees to train in the UK for up to two years after which they have to return to their home country.