Dear Radiologist

WELCOME to the UK !

Images: http://www.study-uk.org/, http://www.europarl.org.uk, Warwick Castle's Ghost Tower @ www.timetravel-britain.com

WHY might you be thinking of

coming to the UK?
Challenge of working abroad - widen
your horizon!
Job security, stable political/social
circumstances
Good income
Multicultural NHS workforce
Joining a team of equal consultant
radiologists (avoiding hierarchic
structures found in many countries)

WHEN is the best time to come?

As established fully qualified consultant.
Experience is valued!
Possibly for last 2 years of training (International Sponsorship
Scheme (ISS) NOT open for European trainees, please note
arduous and time consuming process), further details:
http://www.rcr.ac.uk/content.aspx?PageID=2636
http://www.rcr.ac.uk/content.aspx?PageID=2638
Start of training / during training very difficult: National
Training Numbers for Radiology are very competitive, at least 4
applicants per number. Hospitals/Trusts generally do not
accept observers or trainees without a National Training
Number frequent requests.

WHICH TYPE OF JOB?

Locum versus
permanent posts

Locum jobs
Often recruited via agencies, usually shorter contracts (although
there are long term locums working in many trusts).
Advantages:
Locum position may be much better paid for short term work in the UK
Likely to have no on call /overnight /weekend working as too expensive
for employer
Possibility to sample (working) life in the UK
May lead to permanent appointment with much better knowledge of future
colleagues
To consider:
There may be no time allocated in job plans for education, continuous
professional development, multi-disciplinary team meetings etc
You will not necessarily be considered as full member of the team, potentially
less support from other Radiologists, Radiographers , Clinicians
Possible greater workload (if department seriously understaffed)
Challenge of different computer systems (RIS-PACS , electronic patient
records) in each hospital

Permanent posts
Advantages:
Fully recognised member of the team
Study leave budget and time allocated in job plans for
continuous professional development, active participation in
departmental governance and service improvements
More challenging but also much more rewarding jobs!
To consider:
Be honest with yourself about your skills and level of
expertise. You may get some training on the job when you
start, but this should be agreed in advance (otherwise you
may find yourself thrown in the deep end in an understaffed
department with little support).

Greatest recruitment needs

Breast
Paediatric
Interventional and
General radiologists

WHERE to work?
There is a greater recruitment need outside London
Concerning job location you may wish to consider:

Big cities versus rural setting what would you prefer?

Transport to and from work
Cost of living / housing (much less outside London); (Most
people buy houses in the UK, see for example property website:
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/)
Availability of schools (if moving with family)

Consider sub-specialisation and hospital settings (small

district general hospitals or medium size trusts versus big
university teaching hospitals).
Consider on calls (trainees providing first on call service or
consultants first on call? Over night outsourcing?)
Consider traveling home - flight/train connections

WHERE to look for jobs

Finding work in the UK useful links:
http://www.bmjcareers.com/
http://www.jobs.nhs.uk/ (medical recruitment England
and Wales)

http://www.medicaljobs.scot.nhs.uk/ (medical
recruitment Scotland)

http://www.hscni.net/?link=jobs (medical recruitment

Northern Ireland)

Essentials
Good knowledge of English!
General Medical Council (GMC)
registration (see next slide)
Visa, entry clearance, language tests for
non EEA candidates
Indemnity insurance is strongly advised
British Medical Association (BMA)
membership should be considered
(advice on pay, contracts, good journal,
website etc)

GMC Specialist Register

Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration (CESR):
Legal requirement for substantive, permanent or
honorary NHS consultant posts.
Applications are evaluated by the Royal College of
Radiologists (RCR), who then makes a recommendation for
approval or disapproval to the GMC. The RCR can assist in
queries (email: specreg@rcr.ac.uk)
EEA nationals with specialist qualifications from the EEA
may apply for automatic mutual recognition of their
qualifications by the GMC and enter the specialist register
this way.
Further details please see :
https://www.rcr.ac.uk/content.aspx?PageID=733:

Language tests
Necessary proof of English
communication skills depend on country
of origin and education received. For
details please see:
http://www.gmcuk.org/doctors/registration_applications/languag
e_proficiency.asp
A book about radiological English is
available: Radiological English, published 2006
by Ribes/Ros

Visa & entry clearance

Certificate of Sponsorship
A Visa is required for any national who is not from a country in the
European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland. Entry clearance may
be needed before you travel to the UK.
Any non-UK European Economic Area (EEA) nationals seeking entry
or permission to remain in the UK for the purpose of employment,
will normally require a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS). Certificates
of sponsorship are applied for by the employer from the UK Visas
and Immigration and will only be granted if the NHS organisation
can show that they have been unable to fill the post with an
individual from the UK/EEA resident labour market.
Further details please see :
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-visas-andimmigration

Useful things
Anything to brush up your English
language skills is good (speaking,
writing & understanding - local & foreign
accents)
Interview preparation online advice or
books
List of commonly used medical
abbreviations is very useful
Preparation courses to work in the UK as
a doctor may be available

Further information websites:

http://www.gmc-uk.org/doctors/before_you_apply/12526.asp
=> General Medical Council (GMC) information and further links
http://www.gmc-uk.org/doctors/WelcomeUK.asp#Next%20steps
=> GMC Welcome to UK practice program information
http://www.gmc-uk.org/gmpinaction/
=> GMC good medical practice guidance
http://www.irefer.org.uk/
=> RCR iRefer guidance: Making the best use of clinical radiology

Interview advice
There are various internet resources available, like
http://careers.bmj.com/careers/advice/viewarticle.html?id=20006642: Succeeding at consultant interview: how
to stand out from the crowd for the right reasons
(Authors: Robert Ghosh, Matt Green, published 2012)
Books will be somewhat out of date with regards to acute topics,
publications and reforms, but may give useful hints and question
scenarios (like Medical Interviews: a comprehensive guide to CT, ST
and Registrar interview skills - Over 120 medical interview
questions, techniques and NHS topics explained. By Olivier Picard)

Curriculum Vitae
Curriculum Vitae (CV) preparation - Online
advice for example:
Preparing the perfect medical CV
(authors: Matt Green, 2011)

See website:
http://careers.bmj.com/careers/advice/viewarticle.html?id=20004424

Source: http://www.keepcalmandposters.com/posters/461691.png