As a new immigrant doctor (international medical graduate/IMG) or one about to start practising very soon in the UK, you have a steep learning curve in many areas.
There are things like adapting to the UK health service and understanding how your community or hospital system works.
You will want to know how to get around different hospital departments or work with different primary care team members – depending on whether you are a specialist or general practitioner grade.
As you begin seeing patients, you will realise there’s more to patient interactions than your medical knowledge and skills.
Other issues that often stress new IMGs or those who have been practising in the UK for a relatively short while are understanding the culture and language of their local community members.
You may also have to negotiate driving to new places or local bus routes, schools for your children, accommodation, bank account opening, local recreational spots, etc.
The last thing that may be on your mind is ethics. After all, as a trained doctor, you know about medical ethics, right?
Wrong.
The biggest mistake you could make is failing to familiarise yourself with medical conduct in the UK.
The standards you have learned while preparing for your licensing exams are but an introduction.
Somehow you have to quickly understand the ethical standards and ensure your conduct is the same as any other doctor practising in the UK.
And this is why we are here – to show you the common pitfalls that IMGs easily fall into and how to avoid them.
Facts about issues IMGS face in the UK
Many international medical graduates practice in the UK successfully and have significantly and positively impacted their local communities and nationally.
This fact notwithstanding, overseas medical doctors often find themselves in some difficulty over issues that border on their professional conduct and behaviour, which may result in an investigation by the GMC (General Medical Council).
The GMC is an organisation that looms large and bold over the shoulders of every practising medical doctor in the UK. It is a statutory body empowered by legislation, the Medical Act 1983, with roles including medical education, setting standards for medical practice in the UK and ensuring the safety of the general public.
The GMC is funded by the compulsory annual fees of doctors registered and practising in the UK, examination fees paid by doctors, and government support from general taxation that doctors also contribute towards.
The outcomes from a GMC investigation into a doctor’s practice include sanctions which can vary from a warning, suspension from the register for a period of time, and limitations on a doctor’s ability to practice.
Sometimes the investigation findings may mean outright erasure from the medical register, and in some cases, criminal proceedings may result.
In many cases, however, the outcome is also the complete exoneration of the doctor from any allegations of wrongdoing.
Regardless, the toll of the process is significant on all manner of resources, including financial, personal relationships and health.
The Fair To Refer report (2019) is a piece of work commissioned by the GMC to explore the disparity observed that black and minority ethnic doctors are more likely to be referred by their employers (and health care providers) than white or UK-qualified peers.
One of the findings includes the existence of ‘in groups’ and ‘out groups’ in medicine relative to qualifications by country and ethnicity. In-groups are more likely to be favoured than out groups. Out groups are at risk of bias and stereotyping.
Another finding is that “some organisational cultures respond to things going wrong by trying to identify who to blame rather than focusing on learning. This creates particular risks for doctors who are ‘outsiders’.”
You can see the hurdles that could affect an IMG’s ability to practice.
Many times being aware and keeping yourself updated with information about best practices can help you avoid or deal with some of these situations if they arise. And this is where Alevyn comes in.
What is Alevyn?
Alevyn is a health consultancy run by UK-based healthcare experts.
Our staff and partners have worked with both local and international medical graduates in the UK and understand the standards guiding the safety of patients and doctors’ professional conduct in the UK.
How can we help?
We are health educators and aim to ensure every international medical graduate working in the UK is comfortable with a doctor’s professional responsibility as laid out in the Good Medical Practice.
The Good Medical Practice is “guidance which describes the professional values and behaviours expected from any doctor registered by the GMC. It describes what it means to be a Good Doctor”.
We provide detailed examples via our guides, videos, and eBooks of what different sections of the Good Medical Practice guidelines mean and how they can affect your daily practice.
Our consultants and partners have decades of experience working in different parts of the UK and familiarity with dealing with the complaints process.
We are happy to offer one-on-one support via email and signpost you to support further if necessary.
Please get in touch (medicalenquiries@alevyn.com) if you have a question about:
- Doctors’ professional conduct
- The Good Medical Practice
- General Medical Council, or other ethical issues that may affect your medical practice in the UK.