Ensuring that international medical graduates and ethnic minority doctors have the necessary cultural awareness to provide care in the UK

IntroductionDoctors qualified outside the UK constitute > 40% workforce in psychiatry. Differential examinations’ attainment and poor career progression are key issues for International Medical Graduates (IMGs). Due to increased migration, this is transversal to many countries. Varying ethical standards and values in different countries can create difficulties in the workplace and impact quality of patient-care.ObjectivesTo understand current support available for IMGs across countries; identify areas of best practice.MethodsWe ran a preliminary open consultation to establish which initiatives were available across Europe and worldwide to address IMGs’ training abroad impact on their training/work in the host country and if any support exists for supervisors of IMGs. Representatives of European trainees were contacted through European Federation of Psychiatric Trainees network and early career psychiatrists through World Psychiatric Association network. Emphasis was given to identified host countries of IMGs.ResultsNo specific initiatives were identified in Europe. Out of the six main host countries – Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, UK – one did not provide information. Many countries reported specific requirements for a doctor to be accepted to work. There are courses on language and medicolegal processes. Some support is available for doctors doing short clinical placements. However, once an IMG has been accepted to work in the host country, there is no special support given by way of supervision.ConclusionsReports suggest IMGs welcome initiatives to help them gain skills related to the system, its culture, and appreciate feedback on their performance. There is a need to help host countries better support IMGs.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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Local clinical attachment scheme in psychiatry

Psychiatric Bulletin ◽

10.1192/pb.bp.106.011031 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 31 (4) ◽

pp. 142-144

Author(s):

Oliver White ◽

Amit Malik ◽

Hemant Bagalkote

Keyword(s):

Medical Association ◽

Current System ◽

British Medical Association ◽

International Medical ◽

International Medical Graduates ◽

Medical Graduates ◽

Essential Step ◽

Lessons Learnt ◽

The Uk

Clinical attachments are an essential step in the process by which international medical graduates (IMGs) secure training posts in the UK. Although the British Medical Association (BMA) provides general guidelines for clinical attachments, the current system lacks a structured process regarding selection, defined length of posts, predetermined contents of training and detailed guidance for consultants supervising clinical attachments in psychiatry. This article outlines the experience in Nottingham of developing a formalised clinical attachment scheme and includes the lessons learnt and difficulties faced during the process. Also presented are the results of feedback surveys from consultants and IMGs who have partaken in the new formalised scheme.

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International medical graduates: how can UK psychiatry do better?

BJPsych Bulletin ◽

10.1192/bjb.2020.118 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-6

Author(s):

Emmeline Lagunes-Cordoba ◽

Raka Maitra ◽

Subodh Dave ◽

Shevonne Matheiken ◽

Femi Oyebode ◽

...

Keyword(s):

National Health Service ◽

Health Service ◽

Adverse Effects ◽

Well Being ◽

International Medical ◽

International Medical Graduates ◽

Universal Healthcare ◽

Medical Graduates ◽

And Performance ◽

The Uk

Summary The National Health Service (NHS) was created 70 years ago to provide universal healthcare to the UK, and over the years it has relied upon international medical graduates (IMGs) to be able to meet its needs. Despite the benefits these professionals bring to the NHS, they often face barriers that hinder their well-being and performance. In this editorial, we discuss some of the most common challenges and the adverse effects these have on IMGs’ lives and careers. However, we also propose practical measures to improve IMGs’ experiences of working in psychiatry.

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A Comparison of Urology Training Across Five Major English-Speaking Countries

Current Urology ◽

10.1159/000499265 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 14-21

Author(s):

Rishi Naik ◽

Indrajeet Mandal ◽

Alexander Hampson ◽

Rowan Casey ◽

Nikhil Vasdev

Keyword(s):

International Medical ◽

International Medical Graduates ◽

International Programs ◽

Training Requirements ◽

Medical Graduates ◽

The Status ◽

The Usa ◽

World Class ◽

English Speaking ◽

The Uk

Background: Urology is a rapidly evolving specialty, although wide variations exist between training programs in different countries. We aimed to compare the status of urology training in 5 English-speaking countries. Materials and Methods: Features compared include the training pathway structure, training requirements, competition levels and the process of moving country for international medical graduates. Results: Length of training varied considerably across countries, ranging from 5 years in the USA and Canada, to 7 years in Australia and New Zealand and 9 years in the UK. Ease of entering urology training for international medical graduates also varies, with the UK relatively easier compared to other countries. All countries encourage participation in research during training as well as completion of non-urology and urology specific surgical examinations. Conclusion: Following the Royal College of Surgeons Improving Surgical Training report, it is vital that the UK incorporates optimal elements of international programs in order to provide the best standards for trainees and world-class care in urology.

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Aspirations of unemployed international medical graduates in the UK

Sushruta Journal of Health Policy & Opinion ◽

10.38192/14.2.2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (2) ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

Montila Ghosh ◽

Suvalagna Chatterjee

Keyword(s):

Medical Profession ◽

Current System ◽

General Medical Council ◽

International Medical ◽

International Medical Graduates ◽

Medical Council ◽

Home Office ◽

Safe Delivery ◽

Medical Graduates ◽

The Uk

The trials and tribulations of immigrant professionals such as international medical graduates (IMGs) to the UK have been a topic for discussion and debate over many years. Many challenges faced by immigrant doctors have been reviewed and reformed over time and many rules pertaining to the registration and induction of international doctors to UK practice has been modified to facilitate safe delivery of care in the UK National Health Service (NHS). The General Medical Council (GMC), NHS employers, and the UK Home Office contribute to a three-tier filtration sieve for selecting suitable IMGs who aspire to either education and training or pursue a career in the UK health and care sector. This article pertains to the cohort of IMGs, who have been cleared by immigration regulations to reside in the UK but have not been able to initiate a career or active employment in a medical profession. The process of GMC registration referred to and discussed in this article is based on GMC rules prior to Jan 2021. The perspective from which some of the attributes of the current system has been observed has shown it to be efficient but not uniform, robust but not considerate, thorough but not perfect. During the research for this article, we realised that there are many different opinions or conflicting views on this topic, which have all developed either from an individual or a group’s own experience in the UK. There are similarities and differences in opinions and thus to broaden the scope of the discussion, we report the results of a survey exploring where and how the IMGs (currently resident in the UK) are at the start of their careers in the UK.

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