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General Medical CounCIL
OVERVIEW
The General Medical Council (GMC) is a public body that maintains the official register of medical practitioners within the United Kingdom. It promotes the goal "protect, promote and maintain the health and safety of the public" and ensures your fitness to practice.
In order to be eligible for working in the UK in either a training or a non-training post, you need to have a registration with the GMC with a license to practice. There are the following types of registration:
- Provisional registration with a license to practice - for those applicants who are about to start working in an approved and official Foundation Year 1 (F1) programme in the UK.
- Full registration with a license to practice - for those applicants who have evidence of F1 competences and they have not officially qualified in a specialty in another country.
- Specialist registration - for those applicants who have a specialist medical qualification in another country with evidence of transferable skills, training or experience and they want to work as a consultant in a UK health service.
- GP registration - for those who have completed the training and they have acquired a qualification in General Practice.
Graduating from a European medical school you will most likely be eligible for the 2nd option, ie. full registration with a license to practice.
For more information, please visit the GMC guide to medical register .
Change in circumstances because of Brexit:
The United Kingdom has left the European Union and currently is in a transition period until the 31st December 2020. The doctors, who will have joined the medical registry before that date, will not be affected by Brexit. However, the process of registration might change in 2021. If you want to join the GMC and you wish to work in the UK from 2021 onwards, you are strongly advised to visit the official GMC website for further updates.
How do I register?
First, visit the GMC website and make an account. You can do this at any point during your medical studies. To apply for registration you need to be near the end of your medical degree (2-3 months before graduation). You apply online via the GMC website and then your application is processed. At that point you do not need to present any official documents. Once your application is accepted for consideration, you will be contacted by the GMC to arrange a face-to-face appointment. It is at this meeting where you will have to present all official documents such as your passport and medical degree (no photocopies accepted).
If you aim to start working in August, as an FY2 stand-alone doctor, this process will have to be completed before your job commences. We understand that most degrees are awarded in July, creating a very brief time frame, and the GMC does too. So, instead of bringing your actual medical degree in the face-to-face appointment, you can request a letter from the dean of your university confirming that you have passed your last exam and are going to graduate. The original letter with the university seal will suffice for the GMC to validate your status. Always contact the GMC beforehand to make them aware of your situation and they will guide you as to the necessary paperwork they will require. After this appointment, you are done.
The GMC will take some time to complete your registration and will then provide you with your GMC number, which is a unique identifier for you. You can search for a doctor in the register using this number and will have to use it when signing several documents in your clinical practice.
What happens after registration?
Once registered, all doctors need to demonstrate that they practise in line with the principles and values set out in Good medical practice to maintain their membership in the medical registry
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Annual Fees
Annual fees apply for all doctors who wish to maintain their GMC membership. When you set up an online account at the GMC you will be able to view pending fees and set up payment plans. Unfortunately, annual fees can be pricey but manageable. For more information, please visit GMC Fees&Funding. -
Appraisal
All doctors undergo annual appraisal with a view to complete the revalidation process by the GMC every five years. If you are a trainee, the deanery will provide you with information on the evidence required and it will ensure your appraisal process takes place annually. However, if you are working in a non-training post, you need to contact your responsible officer or suitable person in your local hospital to initiate this process annually and to arrange an appointment with a qualified appraiser. The evidence required for the non-training doctors is more flexible in the sense that you set your own standards and goals for your career. It is advisable to demonstrate evidence that you attend courses and conferences relevant to your field of interest, that you sit medical exams, you participate in quality improvement projects and audits, you make presentations and that you are able to reflect on your practice, acknowledging areas of improvement. -
Revalidation
Revalidation is an evaluation of your fitness to practise. Every licensed doctor must revalidate to show they are up to date and fit to practise to maintain their GMC registration. For the vast majority of doctors, revalidation is based on: annual whole practice appraisals information from systems of clinical governance a five yearly revalidation recommendation.
For more information on how to manage your GMC registration, please visit the GMC guide.
What if there’s a concern?
If there are issues, complaints or concerns that raise questions about any doctor’s fitness to practise, the GMC might decide to undertake provisional enquiry and/or investigation and depending on the outcome to suspend or erase doctors from the medical register.
For more information on the GMC’s fitness to practice procedures, please visit:
Tips on the registration process:
- The summer is generally a very busy period for the GMC as most medical students apply for a registration during that time. Plan ahead and don’t leave your registration for the last minute. You need it before you start working.
- The face-to-face appointment can be an excellent opportunity for you to visit some places in the UK or even find accommodation, if you already know where you’re going to work.
- Don’t hesitate to email the GMC directly for any queries on the registration process. They are quick to get back to you and usually very helpful.