Resources and Advice for Refugee Doctors
The RCOG is aware of the large number of refugee doctors in the United Kingdom, a number of which have previous experience in obstetrics and gynaecology and that they are having difficulty in keeping their medical knowledge up to date. Therefore, the College had decided to allow access to a number of resources in the College for refugee doctors. Please read the FAQs on this page.
In order to obtain access to these resources you will need to register with the RCOG via its Adviser for Refugee Doctors (e-mail bpatel@rcog.org.uk) or write to Mr Mani Das, Adviser for Refugee Doctors, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, 27 Sussex Place, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RG.
Definition of Refugee Doctors
To take advantage of the College assistance, a refugee doctor is one whose passport has been stamped by the Home Office as a refugee and who has been given indefinite leave to remain in the UK with refugee status.
RCOG Concessions for Refugee Doctors
Any applicants for concessionary assistance will need to provide original evidence from the Home Office of their stamped passport showing that they have been recognised as a refugee and have been granted asylum to remain in the UK on a permanent basis and must currently not be in employment. The following concessions are available for refugee doctors for one year only from date of registration:
- The annual subscription fee for an Associate of the College (£135 British Isles) will be waived
- Entitled to attend, free of charge, a maximum of 3 conferences during one year registration. Unfortunately, places will not be available free of charge on “Revision Courses” and courses which regularly result in a waiting list
- Library staff will offer support and access to associated resources
- On-line subscription to The Obstetricians & Gynaecologist will be made available free of charge
- The College will allow up to two attempts at Part 1 MRCOG at a discretionary fee of £50.
RCOG guidance for refugee doctors - IELTS and PLAB
To be able to work in medicine in the United Kingdom it is necessary to be registered with the General Medical Council. For people holding basic medical qualifications from outside the EU it will be necessary for these doctors to have passed the IELTS Test and PLAB examination before registration with the GMC. The IELTS is a test in English and doctors have to obtain an overall score of 7.0.
The PLAB examination is a test of basic medical sciences and contact should be made directly to the GMC. This is the quickest and simplest way to obtain Limited Registration in the UK. It may be that you are able to get a clinical attachment but unless you have passed the PLAB test you will only be able to act as an observer and will not be able to touch patients. Unfortunately, the RCOG cannot sponsor refugee doctors for registration with the GMC.
MRCOG examination
Training in obstetrics and gynaecology in the United Kingdom is a seven-year training programme consisting of two basic years and five years specialist training. During that time a trainee has to pass the MRCOG Parts 1 and Part 2 examinations. Part 1 MRCOG is a multiple-choice paper in basic medical science pertaining to obstetrics and gynaecology. Part 1 MRCOG examination can be attempted any time during your career and the College has a discretionary fee of £50 available to refugee doctors who wish to take this examination.
Part 2 MRCOG examination can be attempted after completion of four years postgraduate training in obstetrics and gynaecology. Training can have been undertaken in any country provided it has been supervised. The Part 2 examination consists of a multiple choice paper, short answer written paper and those doctors who pass this section they proceed to an Oral Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). There are, at present, no concessionary fee regulations for this examination.
Higher training in obstetrics and gynaecology
Eligibility to enter higher medical training in obstetrics and gynaecology is based on having passed the Part 1 MRCOG. Training programmes are run by the Deaneries in each Region of the United Kingdom and take a minimum of five years during which time the Deanery would rotate you through a number of hospitals. At the end of each year, you are expected to have passed satisfactorily your annual assessment (RITA). By the end of year three, you should have passed Part 2 of the MROCG examination and at the end of year five, if completed satisfactorily, will be awarded a CCT. Once a CCT has been obtained a doctor can apply for consultant posts within the United Kingdom. CCT is awarded by PMETB (Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board) on recommendations by the RCOG and the appropriate Deanery.
The Deaneries are responsible for running the training programme and the RCOG for setting the standards and goals that have to be covered during that programme. This includes filling a core logbook and Training Portfolio. Further information on the process of training can be found under Education and exams.
Applying for posts
Refugee doctors applying for posts in the United Kingdom will be considered as having the same rights as British and European doctors. The first level of post is that of SHO which in two years time will change over to designation ST1. Refugee doctors would need to get a six months SHO post first as it is unlikely that any Training Committee would appoint you to year 1 on the Registrar Training Programme unless you have undertaken work within the UK and have knowledge of how the British system works. At the moment it is difficult to get on the SHO ladder. Hopefully, if you have a mentor or have obtained a clinical attachment, the consultants there will be able to assist you in getting a first SHO (ST1) post. Further information on the training can be found on the College website. You might like to contact Mr Eddy at the College, who is the Adviser for refugee doctors for further advice.
Sources of information
Please also read the FAQs on this subject.
There are a number groups, particularly the British Medical Association (BMA), Refugee Doctor Liaison Group and Department of Health Steering Group on Refugee Doctors as well as non-government organisations that may be able to help and advise you on issues, particularly those that are not within the remit of this College. For details of help available in your area, please see the local Resources Section of the www.rose.nhs.uk and the British Medical Association's website – www.bma.org.uk .
The United Kingdom is divided into medical regions and each region has a Postgraduate Deanery. Most of these Deaneries now have an Associate Dean for Overseas Doctors who will be able to advise you on a variety of issues. Contact should be made with the appropriate Associate Dean within your Deanery. The Conference of Postgraduate Medical Deans (CoPMED) maintains a complete list of Deaneries ( www.copmed.org.uk ; telephone: 020 7404 2931).
FAQs for Refugee Doctors
1. Can I be sponsored by the RCOG for limited registration with the GMC?
No, we are unable to sponsor refugee doctors for registration.
2. How can I find help for refugee doctors in the local area where I live?
Look at local resource section of www.rose.nhs.uk
3. How can I find a Clinical Attachment?
We suggest that you approach consultants at your nearest local hospital. It is also possible to get information about possible clinical attachments from the Associated Deans for Overseas Service at your Regional Postgraduate Deanery and possibly from some local refugee organisations.
4. How do I register in the UK?
The General Medical Council (GMC) is a regulatory body for doctors in the United Kingdom. In order to practice here, you must be registered with them. For more information see the registration section of their website or call their helpline (020 7915 3620).
5. What grade of post should I apply for once I have passed both parts of the GMC's PLAB Test?
Most hospitals, however experienced you are, would be reluctant to take anybody in a post other than a SHO, who has not previously worked in the United Kingdom. Such posts are advertised in the career supplement of the British Medical Journal (BMJ).
6. Where do I find a Training Post?
All training posts in the United Kingdom are advertised in the BMJ ( www.bmj.com ) or via the Lancet ( www.thelancet.com ) or pages of Hospital Medicine. The level of SHO posts requires you to apply directly to the individual hospital to get an application form. This should be filled in (preferably typed) and you will need to be able to give references. Most SHO posts start either on the first Wednesday of either February or August and tend to be advertised some four months prior to commencement of the post.
7. How Can I get Further Information?
The BMA ( www.bma.org.uk ), in addition to the above a list of resources, produces a regular electronic publication “Refugee Doctor News”. This contains a great deal of useful information, particularly a list of useful websites. We suggest that any refugee doctor wanting help should register with the BMA.