This post is written for International Medical Graduates who wish to work in the UK. This post will guide them about the specialties they should choose during their House Jobs.
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Internship, House Job, Foundation Training
Before you read further, it is important to know that House Job is also known as Internship or Foundation Training/Program in the UK.
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What is an acceptable pattern of Internship?
At least 12 months of internship with at least 3 months in medicine and/or allied and at least 3 months in surgery and/or allied is considered to be an acceptable pattern of internship according to the GMC. Medical and surgical sub-specialties count as medicine and surgery, respectively. For example, paediatrics and OBGYN are counted as medicine and surgery, respectively.
Internships of even a day less than 12 months might not be accepted. Keep in mind that we are allowed to take annual leaves and sick leaves during internships.
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Which specialties to choose during Internship?
Based on the above information, please make sure that you include at least 3 months of Medicine and/or allied and at least 3 months of Surgery and/or allied in your internship.
To be on the safe side, choose sub-specialties in a way which would be acceptable to the GMC. Do not include too many specialties with too little duration in your internship. For example, do not choose ENT for a week, ophthalmology for two weeks, etc. Choose any specialty for at least 6 weeks, but ideally for 3 months.
It would be ideal to have 6 months of Medicine and 6 months of Surgery, or 3 months each of General Medicine, Paediatrics (or any other sub-specialty of medicine), General Surgery and OBGYN (or any other sub-specialty of surgery).
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The Official Link
You must also check the official link from the GMC’s website to find out the acceptable patterns of internship. You can click here to check the official GMC link.
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Why is it important to have an acceptable pattern of internship?
If you do not have an acceptable pattern of internship, you might find it very difficult to find work in the UK for the following reason:
International Medical Graduates who have NOT completed an acceptable pattern of internship and are looking to apply for jobs in the UK, can only apply for Foundation Training in the UK.
It is very difficult to find Foundation Training posts for IMGs, since most of these posts are taken by local graduates in the UK. Therefore, it is always advisable to start working in the UK only after completion of an acceptable internship back home.
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. If my internship certificate mentions Medicine & Allied and/or Surgery & Allied, would the GMC accept it? Yes, as long as your “Medicine & Allied” and “Surgery & Allied” are for 3 months or more, the GMC would accept it. 2. What if I did not complete my internship? If you go for your internship now, there will be a gap between your graduation and internship. Thus, you should check with the GMC if you can complete your Internship in your home country or any other country according to any of the GMC’s acceptable patterns. If this is not an option, then, you can only enter training through FY1, which is not easy or advisable, as explained here. 3. What if I completed my internship in my home country or my country of residence, but not according to the GMC's acceptable pattern of internship? You should check with the GMC if you can go back to your home country or any other country and complete your internship according to any of the GMC’s acceptable patterns. If this is not an option, then, you can only enter training through FY1, which is not easy or advisable, as explained here. 4. What if there is a gap during my Internship? Your internship’s acceptance depends entirely on the length of this gap. Gaps of 2 to 4 weeks can be explained with somewhat ease (or unease). But gaps any longer than this can make the GMC ask for a lot of explanations and documentation. 5. What is the longest duration of a gap which the GMC can accept? There is no way of knowing this. However, I have seen the GMC accepting an internship with four months of gap during the internship. The candidate had to provide a lot of explanations and documentation. You can read Dr. Raheela Mirza’s experience regarding this. 6. What if there is a gap between my graduation and internship? This also depends entirely on the length of the gap. If you are in this situation, it would be best to post on the Facebook groups to get input from others who have faced the same situation. 7. What if I completed a pre-graduate internship? If this satisfies the GMC’s criteria, there is a chance that the GMC might accept it. But I have seen the GMC rejecting some and accepting other pre-graduate internships. Therefore, it would be best to post on Facebook groups and take guidance from those who have full GMC registration on the basis of pre-graduate internship. 8. Is it necessary to have 3 months in General Medicine and 3 months in General Surgery or can they be in any field of Medicine or Surgery? They can be in any field of Medicine or Surgery. But to be on the safe side, it is best to have General Medicine and General Surgery experience. 9. Which sub-specialties should I choose? Choose sub-specialties based on your future interest. But even if you do not choose them based on your future interest, it will not make a big difference. 10. Can I complete six months of my rotation from one hospital and the other six months from another hospital? Yes.
Hi great work I am 4th medical student in Ethiopia one year left for internship and I am really interested if u let me know how can I apply? Please update me via my email or imo +251924755727
You can go through my website for detailed guidance. If you have any specific questions, I’ll be here. All the best! 🙂
Same question. How can I apply for plab1 during my internship? I wouldn’t have graduated by then .
Excuse me Sir, even if I have an acceptable paatern of internship don’t I have to start at FY2 ?So does it really differ in difficulty of finding a job ? What I mean is why is it easier to find an FY2 training position than an FY1 training position ?
1. No, you can only start as FY1 then.
2. Yes, it’s very difficult to find FY1 posts.
3. Because you can get a non-training FY2/SHO/CT1 post as well when you have full GMC registration. But on provisional GMC registration, you can only get training FY1 post. And it’s very difficult to get FY1 training posts because most medial students in the UK go straight to FY1 training.
Dr Naseer, Can we apply for non training fy2 if we took oet as english proficiency test? Hoping you will reply 😄
Dear Dr. Naseer,
I have done 6 months of House job in IcU/CCU/Dialysis and another 6 months in Radiology.
Is it acceptable for full register action by GMC?
Moreover I did the house job in 1987-1988 Which is almost 39 years ago. Is this a problem, since I am an old graduate.
I’m very sorry; I’m not sure if the GMC will accept this internship or not. But you can always email them and check.
Sir My HJ Certificated mentions:
Surgery and Allied 16-05-2014 – 15-11-2014 (6months)
Medicine and Allied 16-11-2014- 15-05-2015 (6months)
I dont have any gap after graduation or during my HJ.
Is the acceptable or i need further details of each ward or department i worked in
It seems like you have a perfect House Job. It should be okay.
Here in my university hospital there is an official leave (12 days for each 6 months tenure), but then you have to do the deficit unless the HoD is nice enough to let you go away with it. My query is: as I need to go to my homecountry to renew my passport, I’ll be gone for around 2 to 3 weeks, so is it enough of a good explanation for the GMC? Or do they consider it a gap and need me to redo this deficit? I don’t really understand what they consider an annual leave and what a gap.
We are allowed annual leaves (I’m not sure about the duration of annual leaves allowed. But you can email the GMC and check).
I hv 6 months medicine n 6 months gynae/obs internship, will it be acceptable?
Yes, as OBGYN is counted as Surgery.
For intership
Plab is neccesaary ?
I have graduated now fron ukraine
And if i want to do intershop in uk can i ?
For internship in your home country? No, it’s not.
You’ll have to take PLAB and apply for FY1. But for non-Nationals, getting into FY1 is very difficult and not advisable.
If I have done my house in Medicine and Surgery according to GMC requirement and it is acceptable, then why I can not go to FY2?
You can easily find a non-training FY2/CT1 post.
Getting a training FY2 post is possible but difficult because most training FY2 slots are taken by FY1 trainees.
Starting as a non-training FY2/CT1 is ideal because it places less pressure on you and allows you to learn.
All the best! 🙂
We are getting paid for a non training FY2? And after it, access to residency training program would be easy ? Thnx for everything !
1. Yes.
2. I don’t understand the second question. I’m sorry!
Hi Dr. Khan
Is there a non-training FY1 position?
If yes
Is it easy to find?
Does it require internship?
1. Yes.
2. Yes.
3. No.
But you can not get full GMC registration on the basis of it. And you can not apply for it without a complete internship.
Thank you for your posts. It helps me a lot.
But i would like to ask you which specialities are accounted as surgery.
Surgery and its sub-specialties. You can always ask the GMC if you’re unsure.
What is the difference between pregraduate internship and post graduate internship?
As the name suggests, one is before graduation and the other is after.
Is 3 months surgery, 1 ob-gyn, 1 neurosurgery and 1 icu acceptable?
I mean as for the surgery part:)
Yes, it should be fine. 🙂
Pardon the redundancy, but I’d like to know if for the medicine part is it ok to have 2 months in g.medicine, 1 in ccu, 2 in peads and 1 in radio? I was actually planning to do 3 in g.medicine, but I decided to cut it short due to some issues I have with the consultant. And would it be too bad if I chose to do 2 weeks ccu and 2 derma?
Thank you in advance
Yes.
No.
This satisfies the three-month surgical requirement but not the three-month medicine requirement.
Perfect, thanks Nasser:)
No problem! You’re welcome! 🙂
3 months surgery 6 weeks neurosurgery 6 weeks anaesthsia for surgery rotation
Is it ok?
Yes.
Hello, ive completed my MBBS and willwstsrt my internship which is ofo12 months. I will give my IELTS in a month, so when do i applyafor PLAB 1? And how when is the ideal timetdo apply for an electivee
Is it difficult for non-EU Irish graduates to get an internship in the UK?
Hie Dr. khan,
I have completed my internship; 1.5 month in Medicine, 1 month in Pediatrics, 1 month in psychiatry, 1.5 month in Surgery, 2 month in OB&GY, 1 month in Orthopedics.
is this fall under acceptable pattern of internship?
Yes.
Thank you 😊
Good Evening Dr,naseer
Is it acceptable pattern of internship for GMC registration
6 Months in Urology
6 months in Radiotherapy
Thanks and have great day.
I don’t know if radiotherapy comes under medicine.
Hello Dr Naseer!!I have no gap during my internship!! But there is some gap between my housejob and graduation as my final year result was on 6th january and housejob interviews were on 18th February!! Is it acceptable for Gmc???
Yes.
I m Indian medical graduate …just completed my intern on 6 march 2018 which was started on 7 march 2017.. comprising 2 months medicine, 1 months pedia ,2month obs gynae,2months surgery…n other remaining subjects throughout remaining month of year
GMC will accept??
Yes.
Hi dr Naseer.. I just wanna know.. I had 6 months gap in my internship.. am I still eligible for gmc registration..?
I had health issues.. but I got no medical certificates about it..
What would you suggest.. waiting.. thanks
Yes.
Check with others on Facebook who’ve been through this.
How about 6 months medicine and Surgery each, and also house jobs before 2012 in Pakistan are written as experience certificate ??
Six months in medicine and surgery each should be fine.
Hi.. Is six months medicine and six months Ophthalmology in 2004 an acceptable pattern of house job?
Yes, it is. Ophthalmology is counted under surgery.
Hello Naseer, your page is extremely helpful and encouraging.
My housejob from Civil hospital is dated like this :
01/05/2012 to 13/08/2012, (neurology and medicine)
02/10/2012 to 31/10/2012, medicine
01/05/2013 to 15/06/2013 medicine
this included neurology uninterrupted first three months and then medicine.
For surgery 01/11/2011 to 30/04/2012 surgery and ENT
please tell me if this is okay.
You have enough of medicine and surgery. You’ll have to justify the gaps. They will probably accept it.
Thanksalot! that’s a relief, shall i have something ready for justification like verification from PMDC or anything else?
Please ask those who have been in this situation. They’ll be your best guides.
Hello dr. Khan
Thank you for your posts they are extremely helpful.
Can you guide me please to internal medicine speciality training through the MRCP route after graduation from a medical school? And this 12 months of acceptable pattern does it count for FY1 or FY2 or both ?
Excuse me Sir, I need to know to about what allieds should I choose for medicine and surgery ? Is there anything like not accepted allied for example i heard pathology (which is a medicine allied in my hospital) and opthamology (surgery allied) are not counted. This worries me.
Also kindly can you tell which allieds you opted for ? Thanks.
I’m not sure. It is best to choose more common fields.
I did not opt for any allied fields.
Sir,What is the difference between MRCS and MRCP
MRCS is for surgery. MRCP is for medicine.
Hello Sir,
I am working as a GP in India right now, and want to do MRCP. Just need your valuable suggestion that will it be better to clear the PLAB 1st, get a job in UK and then preparing for MRCP, or should I prepare here itself in India only then opt to go there later on? kindly suggest me..Thanks
This might help:
https://naseersjourney.com/2017/03/12/plab-vs-mrcp/
Thanks a lot for your kind suggestion. Now, I have got a clear picture about how to approach for MRCP…Therefore, will chose to crack PLAB first, try to get a job in UK, then side wise prepare for MRCP. Thanks once again Sir.Will contact you if any help arises, regarding the same.
That sounds good. All the best! 🙂
Hello doctor,
I have graduated and I have the required amount of internship days. but I took a break after internship for almost a year due to health issues. would there be a problem when I apply for jobs?
Also since I have finished 1 year of internship, would I be able to start in FY2?
Hello.
My rotations are as follows
General Medicine 3 months
Pedriatics 3 months
General Surgery 3 months
OBGYN 2 months
Radiology 1 month
Is this acceptable?
Yes.
Hey so i wanted to ask if this pattern of house job would be acceptable in uk: 3 months general surgery, 2 months gynae, 1 month eye , 3 months medicine and 3 months paeds.
Is it the same for ireland as well? Or we need 3 months each for 4 major specialities?
Thanks!
Hello there. Very commendable work Dr Nasser. jazakAllah.
Dr Nasser is 6 months medicine and 6 months anesthesia an acceptable house job.
Secondly I have 6 plus year experience in intensive care in mideast and intend to do ficm in UK. Is it possible to get training posts in ICU given the current job shortage in UK.
Thank you.
I’m not sure. It might be best to ask the GMC if they accept anesthesia under the surgical training.
Again, I’m not sure about ITU training slots. But if you post on IMGs in the UK Facebook groups, someone will guide you for sure.
All the best! 🙂
Dear Dr
My daughter studied in China.. Will qualify in China.. We’re from South Africa.. Can she move directly from China to UK without registration in south Africa.. And if yes.. And what steps must be followed..
She can, as long as she completes her internship.
Aslamualikum sir!!!
Your page is extremely helpful and thanks a lot for all the information!!
Sir, I have completed 9 months of house job from one hospital and 3 months of house job from another hospital.
However, pattern is same as you have mentioned above i:e 6 months of surgery and allied and 6 months of medicine and allied..
Is my house job pattern acceptable by GMC!!!??
Probably, yes.
Hello Doctor Naseer,
I have done an internship that satisfies the criteria set by the GMC. However, I have enrolled in a one year clinical research position after my internship.
Can I still apply for a full-registration license?
Yes.
Can I get a full registration license after completing a non-training F1 in the UK?
I’m not sure.
Salam dr naseer.i have done 6 month in pediatrics medicine and 6 months in dermatology house job in 2009.also 4 year pgr training in pediatrics medicine.but no expeeience in surgery. Will there any chance of acceptance of my experience for gmc reg
You can try the 24-month experience pattern since your House Job does not have the Surgical experience.
Good evening ,
I was just wondering that would my pattern of internship be acceptable by gmc ? I did
6 months in urology
6 months in radiotherapy ( oncology)
I emailed them and they said they can’t help until I submit and start the application.
Kindly give your advice.
Thanks
I’m not sure if radiotherapy would be counted as medicine or not. You can check this with others who had the same experience.
Sir can we choose derma as a medicine allied?
Sir, After my final year exams, our results were delayed for two months due to some issue of appointing a registrar … But we joined internship as soon as results came out.. so this two month gap between completing the exam and joining internship, would that be considered as unacceptable by GMC?
Hi Dr. I did my internship for 1 year straight in ophthalmology and them completed 2 year training in ophthalmology leading to diploma in opthalmology. A gap of 6 years between internship and post grad training. Is there any pathway available for me to register with GMC?
Sadly, your internship does not match the 12-month experience set by the GMC. But you might be able to try for the 24-month period experience. You can check the GMC website for this. All the best! 🙂
Hi Dr Naseer. İm about to start my internship here in turkey. This is pattern of surgery programs in university.
General surgery-4weeks
Obsgyn-6weeks
Pediatrics(not pediatrics surgery)-9 weeks
Orthopedics 2weeks
İs this acceptable??
Since it does not include 3 months of medicine, it will not be accepted.
Hi Dr.Nasser, Is there an eligibilty criteria for the hospitals where I can have my internship year.
-I can not do my internship year in my university hospital.
-Is it acceptable If I have my internship year at any other hoapital (teaching hospitals or private hospitals)?
As long as the internship will be recognized by the local medical body, you can do your internship at any hospital. All the best! 🙂
Thank you sir
Hello Dr. Naseer,
I graduated from medical school in June 2018. After that, I enrolled in a clinical research position in my university and currently Im in that position till July 2019. I am planning ti do my House Job after I finish my research work.
Will that house job be considered or it should have been done right after I graduated?
House Job should be started right after graduation. Long gaps between graduation and starting House Job is risky as the GMC might not accept this House Job.
Hi Dr. Naseer,
First, thanks for your awesome blog. Its really helpful.
Now, I have a question that you may already have addressed.
I am a Canadian but foreign trained medical graduate from the Caribbean who wants to practice in UK. Since we trained with the US/Canadian system in mind, IMGs like me do not have the fifth year internship experience and are not even familiar with the position of clinical fellowship/JHO/SHO/ FY1-2.
So, if I pass the PLAB 1/2, and assuming I am granted provisional registration, how do I go about receiving my foundational competencies so that I may apply to ST1/CT1?
Thank You
If you can complete your internship in Carribean, USA, Canada or anywhere else before moving to the UK, it will help. Because getting into Foundation Training in the UK is difficult. Having said that, it is not impossible to get into Foundation Training.
Hi Dr. Naseer
Thank you for your amazing work.This blog is a great guide.
I want to ask a question.Thanks for your future answers.
During my internship my medicine rotations are over 3 months so there is no problem with there.I also took 2 weeks of general surgery and 1 month of OBGYN.I know thats not enough for 3 months of surgery but there is another thing.I also took 2 months of emergency medicine and 1 month of it was in acute care and another month was in the trauma center.Therefore my school is agreed on signing internship certificate as emergency medicine is consists of one month of medical and one month surgical training.
Gmc replied my email about this as “We will consider this after you pass the ielts/plabs and you apply.”
With respect i want to ask you :
1) What do you think about this situation
2) Do you have any experience about emergency medicine count as surgical training.
Thank you.
Dr. Mert
Hello,
This is very tricky and I do not know if the GMC will accept this internship. I would advise you to check with others who have been in the same situation. They might be able to advise you if the GMC is likely to accept your internship. I am sorry for not being more helpful with this. I apologise!
Dear Dr Mert,
Did you find an answer for your problem?
I am a last year student in Marmara University. We have 2 months of internal medicine, 2 months of pediatrics, 2 months of electives which i did one month in General Surgery and one month in ENT, 4 months of public health which has 2 weeks of Obstetrics&Gynecology and 2 months of emergency medinine rotations. So i am in the same situation with you?
My kind regards,
Merve.
Hello sir
Sir i have done my graduation on 31st december, my house job will start in june and at this time i am working under supervision of doctor in an other hospital will this period be acceptable by GMC or have no value.
Many Thanks