Returning To The UK After Studying Medicine In Europe

Can I Practise In The UK After Studying Medicine In Europe?

If you choose to pursue Medical studies in Europe (by this we mean in the European Economic Area) then your qualification is recognised across Europe.

This means that you are eligible to apply for registration with the GMC without sitting the Professional Linguistic and Assessment Board (PLAB) test (provided you are a European citizen).

As you complete the equivalent of your FY1 year (usually called an ‘internship year’) in your chosen study destination, you will be applying for full registration with a license to practise.

You will be eligible to apply for this route if you:

• graduated from a medical school outside of the UK or Switzerland
• have passed both parts of the PLAB test within the past two years
• have completed an internship

Here is a list of qualifications accepted from within the EU.

You will also need to submit the so-called evidence of internship, showing you’ve done at least 12 months’ continuous medical practice in an approved training post in a public hospital, either immediately before or after you graduated.

This makes you eligible to apply for vacant FY2 posts when you return to the UK. Some returnees will also apply for vacant FY1 positions. Please note that you are still required to comply with all the UK’s health and criminal record disclosure requirements.

If you’re a foreign citizen or a European citizen who has arrived to the UK after 31 January 2021, you will need to obtain a visa or work permit to work in the UK.

Can I Stay Overseas After Studying Medicine In Europe?

At the time of your application to a European Medical School, you will probably be planning on coming back to the UK when you qualify in six years’ time. However, there are two important things to remember.

Firstly, going to university (and especially going to university in another country) changes you. You grow and mature a lot in these years and after you graduate you may decide that pursing a medical career in the UK is not the be all and end all.

Secondly, nobody can predict what the employment situation will be in six years’ time. The NHS’ conditions may be better, the same, or worse. And as the UK health services undergo constant change, so does the number of available employment opportunities.

So of course – you can decide to stay and practice medicine in Europe. Each European country will have different rules for obtaining qualifications and licenses, so make sure to check those in advance.