GMC & registration
GMC English language requirements: IELTS, OET and the exemptions
Which test to sit, the scores you need, how long a result stays valid, and the routes that let some doctors skip the test entirely.
8 September 2026 7 min read
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GMC & registration
GMC registration step by step: documents, EPIC and timelines
The order to do things in, the documents that hold people up, and realistic timelines for getting registration with a licence to practise.
8 September 2026 7 min
Exams
PLAB 2 in Manchester: the practical guide to your OSCE trip
Seats, visas, flights, accommodation and how to practise for a 16-station OSCE that rewards structure over knowledge. Everything to plan before you fly.
7 September 2026 8 min
Exams
PLAB 1 in 2026: booking, study plan and what the exam really tests
A practical, no-nonsense guide to booking PLAB 1, building a study plan that fits around clinical work, and understanding what the examiners are actually testing.
7 September 2026 8 min
Jobs & interviews
Trust grade or training post: which first NHS job is right for you?
A clinical fellow post you can start in eight weeks, or a training number that may take a year to win. The honest trade-offs for your first NHS job.
6 September 2026 7 min
Jobs & interviews
NHS job applications for IMGs: how to actually get shortlisted
Most IMG applications are rejected before a human reads them properly. Here is how NHS shortlisting really works and how to write an application that survives it.
6 September 2026 7 min
Money & visas
The real cost of moving to the UK as a doctor in 2026
Exams, registration, visas, flights and three months of living before your first full payslip. A line-by-line budget for IMGs, including the costs people forget.
5 September 2026 9 min
Guides
Building an NHS portfolio that stands up at interview
A portfolio is not a folder of certificates. It is an argument that you meet a specification. Here is what to collect, how to structure it, and the gaps that sink applications.
4 September 2026 9 min
NHS life
Your first six months in the NHS: what nobody tells you
Clinically you will be fine. What catches new IMG doctors out is the documentation, the escalation culture, the money and the loneliness. Here is the honest version.
3 September 2026 8 min
Jobs & interviews
What NHS interviewers actually ask IMGs — and how to answer
The questions are more predictable than you think. Here are the ones that come up in almost every NHS interview, what the panel is really assessing, and the structure that scores.
2 September 2026 8 min
Guides
PLAB or Portfolio Pathway: how to choose your route into the NHS in 2026
Two legitimate routes to full GMC registration, two very different timelines and costs. Here is how to work out which one actually fits your CV, your budget and your specialty.
1 September 2026 9 min