<h2>What is the General Medical Council (GMC)?</h2>
<p>The General Medical Council, popularly known as the GMC, is an independent body that oversees doctors in the United Kingdom (UK). It is a separate entity from the National Health Service (NHS). The GMC is in charge of doctors’ registration and bestows their license to practice their profession. Any medical professional who wishes to work as a General Practitioner or Specialist doctor in the UK must register and get their license with the GMC.</p>
<h2>The Role of the GMC</h2>
<p>The Parliament of the UK created legislation known as the <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1983/54/contents" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Medical Act of 1983</a>, amended 31 December 2020, establishing the GMC. It mandated that the <a href="https://www.gmc-uk.org/about/what-we-do-and-why/our-mandate" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">GMC</a> oversees and improves UK medical education and training and dictates who is qualified to practice as a doctor. The GMC controls and maintains the UK quality and standards that doctors need to follow when practicing medicine during their active career. This body also takes the necessary steps to ensure that doctors will not risk losing the public’s trust or endanger patients.</p>
<h2>Registration and Licensing</h2>
<p>Both local and international medical graduates who want to set up their practice in the UK have to <a href="https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">register with the GMC</a> to get their license. There are <a href="https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/join-the-register/before-you-apply/types-of-registration" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">several registration options</a> available, depending on your qualifications. Take note that once licensed, you can <a href="https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/managing-your-registration/revalidation/revalidation-resources/revalidation-licence-to-practise-withdrawing-giving-up-restoring-appeals/holding-registration-without-a-licence-to-practise" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">give up your license but still retain your name on the register</a>. This means that you will remain on the medical register without a license to practice while still holding an entry on the UK registry. This is a good option for doctors who no longer work in the UK but would like to show a good standing with the GMC. </p>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/09/shutterstock_187520780-1.jpg" alt="Doctors UK GMC" class="wp-image-12194" title="Doctors UK GMC" srcset="https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/09/shutterstock_187520780-1.jpg 1000w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/09/shutterstock_187520780-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/09/shutterstock_187520780-1-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>
<h2>The Different Types of Registration</h2>
<p>The GMC maintains the UK’s Medical Register, where the general public can search for a doctor’s record. Anyone can see whether a doctor is registered <a href="https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/join-the-register/provisional-registration" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">provisionally</a>, has <a href="https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/the-medical-register/a-guide-to-the-medical-register/full-registration" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">full registration</a>, is a <a href="https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/the-medical-register/a-guide-to-the-medical-register/gp-registration" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">General Practitioner</a> (GP), or has a <a href="https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/the-medical-register/a-guide-to-the-medical-register/specialist-registration" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">specialization</a>.</p>
<ul><li><strong>Provisional Registration</strong> – This is for UK medical degree graduates who need to complete a Foundation 1 (F1) programme. Medical degree holders who graduated outside the UK and passed the <a href="https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/join-the-register/plab" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) test</a> but have yet to complete their internship can apply for provisional registration. Doctors who hold temporary registration can only take service posts under an approved UK F1 programme.</li><li><strong>Full Registration</strong> – Doctors from the UK who have completed the F1 programme can apply for full registration. Overseas doctors who hold an <a href="https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/join-the-register/before-you-apply/acceptable-overseas-qualifications" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">acceptable medical degree</a> and can prove that they have <a href="https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/join-the-register/before-you-apply/acceptable-overseas-qualifications/medical-training-requirements" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">enough clinical experience</a> can also apply. If an overseas doctor has an <a href="https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/join-the-register/before-you-apply/list-of-approved-sponsoring-bodies" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">approved GMC sponsor</a>, they can also apply for full registration.</li><li><strong>GP or Specialist Registration</strong> – Medical degree holders who have completed their internship and have proven that they have enough clinical experience can apply for GP or Specialist registration, depending on their qualification and experience. The <a href="https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/join-the-register/registration-applications/application-registration" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">GMC has an interactive tool</a> that will determine which path is best for you.</li></ul>
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<h2>GMC Accepts a PSV Report from TrueProfile.io</h2>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/09/shutterstock_176650139-1.jpg" alt="Doctors UK GMC" class="wp-image-12196" title="Doctors UK GMC" srcset="https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/09/shutterstock_176650139-1.jpg 1000w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/09/shutterstock_176650139-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/09/shutterstock_176650139-1-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>
<p>For <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/join-the-register/registration-applications/application-guides/full-registration-for-international-medical-graduates-with-a-postgraduate-qualification" target="_blank">international graduates</a> who have an <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.wdoms.org/" target="_blank">acceptable graduate and postgraduate qualification</a>, a Primary Source Verification report (<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.trueprofile.io/member/resources/what-is-a-trueproof" target="_blank">TrueProof</a>) from TrueProfile.io can be submitted to the GMC as <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/join-the-register/registration-applications/application-guides/full-registration-for-international-medical-graduates-with-a-postgraduate-qualification/your-postgraduate-qualification" target="_blank">evidence of your qualifications</a>. You just need to request a <a href="https://www.trueprofile.io/member/resources/how-to-transfer-your-trueproof-for-your-gcc-healthcare-license-requirement" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Report Transfer</a> to the GMC. You also need an <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.trueprofile.io/member/resources/ielts-101-know" target="_blank">IELTS</a> band score of at least 7.0 in each testing component (Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking) and an overall score of 7.5 <em>or</em> an <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.occupationalenglishtest.org/why-choose-oet/" target="_blank">OET</a> grade ‘B’ in each testing area as proof of your English language proficiency. Other documentation needed is your <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/join-the-register/registration-applications/application-guides/full-registration-for-international-medical-graduates-with-a-postgraduate-qualification/your-certificate-of-good-standing" target="_blank">Certificate of Good Standing</a>, your listed <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/join-the-register/registration-applications/application-guides/full-registration-for-international-medical-graduates-with-a-postgraduate-qualification/your-activities-for-the-last-five-years" target="_blank">activities for the last five years</a>, and your <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/join-the-register/registration-applications/application-guides/full-registration-for-international-medical-graduates-with-a-postgraduate-qualification/declaring-your-fitness-to-practise" target="_blank">declaration of your fitness to practice</a>. </p>
<h2>Your GMC Application</h2>
<p>Once GMC receives your <a href="https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/join-the-register/registration-applications/application-guides/full-registration-for-international-medical-graduates-with-a-postgraduate-qualification/how-do-i-send-my-documents" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">application</a>, they will email you a list of documents to scan and upload. The scanned documents should be emailed as one PDF document or zip file within 28 days of receiving the GMC email. <a href="https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/managing-your-registration/fees-and-funding" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Registration fees </a>depend on the registration route you will take and whether you are eligible for discounts or funding. GMC will assess the documents you submitted and will contact you if they need more information.</p>
<h4>Interested in becoming a doctor in the UK? Get your <a href="https://www.trueprofile.io/member/register" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">TrueProof</a> now!</h4>
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