Doctor (GMC / PLAB)

What it is

This is the conversion route for doctors who qualified abroad to register with the General Medical Council (GMC) and practise medicine in the UK. It is not a new medical degree. For most international doctors the path is the PLAB assessment, which tests whether your existing medical knowledge and skills meet the UK standard. For someone who was already a doctor in their home country, it is one of the highest-value routes available, leading back into the profession you trained for.

Who it suits

This route is only for people who hold a recognised medical degree and are registered as a doctor in their home country. If that is you, it is genuinely worth pursuing, but go in clear-eyed. The English bar is high and the process is long and demanding. It rewards people who can commit to months, sometimes a couple of years, of study and exam preparation while managing the cost. If your English is not yet at the required standard, that is the first thing to fix.

How you qualify

1. Meet the GMC English requirement (IELTS or OET to the GMC standard).
2. Pass PLAB 1, a written multiple-choice exam.
3. Pass PLAB 2, a practical OSCE at a UK test centre.
4. Complete GMC registration to practise.

Some doctors qualify instead through an approved postgraduate qualification or a sponsorship route, rather than PLAB. Check which path fits your specialty.

Cost and how long it takes

PLAB, registration and the English test together come to several thousand pounds, and the path commonly takes 1 to 3 years from start to working. The biggest variables are English preparation, the wait for PLAB 2 slots, and finding your first post afterwards. Important: these fees and requirements change every year, so do not rely on any figure here. Verify the current exam fees, registration costs and steps on the official regulator site, gmc-uk.org, before you budget or book anything.

The English you need

High. You must pass IELTS or OET to the GMC standard, and PLAB 2 then tests your spoken English again in realistic clinical scenarios. This is not a route where weak English can be worked around. If you are below the level, structured exam-focused English or OET preparation is the essential first step, before you spend money on PLAB. General ESOL is rarely enough to reach the medical standard.

The honest reality

This is a high-value but genuinely hard route, only for those who already qualified as doctors abroad. The figures here are knowledge-filled, so treat gmc-uk.org as the source of truth and re-check before you commit. Passing PLAB and registering is still not a job: securing your first UK post is a separate, competitive step, and many doctors take time and several applications to land it. Budget for possible re-sits and for the gap between registration and employment. Be cautious of any service charging large fees with a promise of guaranteed registration or a guaranteed job, because neither can be guaranteed.

What you can earn

Doctors in the NHS are paid on national pay scales that rise with grade and experience, so earnings can be strong over a career. The source material does not give specific figures for this route, so any number you see elsewhere should be checked, and early earnings depend on the grade of your first post. Treat all pay figures as estimates, not promises.

Your next step

If your English already meets the GMC standard, begin preparing for PLAB 1. If it does not, your real first action is exam-focused English study toward the required IELTS or OET grade. Either way, confirm the current requirements, exam fees and timelines on the official GMC site linked below, because they change.