Acceptable overseas medical qualifications not listed in the Avicenna Directory

This page provides information on overseas qualifications that are not listed in the Avicenna Directory but are acceptable to the GMC.

Contents

1. 1. Background
2. 2. About the list of qualifications which are otherwise acceptable
3. 3. Qualifications which are ‘otherwise acceptable’
4. 4. My qualification is not listed here or in Avicenna
5. 5. Important notes

Background

There are some qualifications which meet the overseas qualification acceptability criteria apart from being listed in the Avicenna Directory. A school which is not listed in the Avicenna Directory for the reasons stated below but meets all the other criteria will be listed here. These qualifications are acceptable for applying to sit the PLAB test and for registration.

About the list of qualifications which are ‘otherwise acceptable’

Where a qualification is not listed in the Avicenna Directory it will be otherwise acceptable only where:

• the country awarding the qualification is not recognised by the United Nations, OR
• the qualification is a primary European qualification but the applicant is not a European national or entitled to be treated as such.

In either case, the qualification must satisfy all of the other criteria for an acceptable overseas qualification.

Qualifications which are otherwise acceptable

The following qualifications are currently ‘otherwise acceptable’ for the purposes of applying to sit the PLAB test and for registration:

• Italy
  • University of Udine
• Palestine
  • Al Quds University
  • An-Najah National University
  • Gumma University
  • Islamic University Gaza
• Taiwan
  • Chang Gung University
  • China Medical University (Formerly known as: China Medical College, Taichung)
  • Chung Shan Medical University (Formerly known as: Chung Shan Medical and Dental College)
  • Kaohsiung Medical College
  • National Defense Medical Centre
  • Taipei Medical University (Formerly known as: Taipei Medical College)
  • National Taiwan University
  • National Yang Ming Medical College

My qualification is an EPQ/from a non-UN recognised country but is not listed here

If your qualification is not listed above but you think it should be and you would like to apply to sit the PLAB test or for GMC registration, please contact us at: gmc@gmc-uk.org. Ensure you include your GMC reference number (if you have one) and full details of your medical school(s). Your enquiry will be passed to the team responsible for handling these queries who will contact you with further information.

Important notes

Where we need to undertake an assessment we try to deal with it as quickly as we can. However, assessments can take some time, especially where we need to get information from a third party such as the medical school.

Where a qualification or medical school is an EPQ or from a non-UN recognised country but is not listed here this does not mean that it will be acceptable. In all cases a qualification is only acceptable where it meets all of our acceptability criteria.

The information on this page is subject to change. You are advised to check these pages regularly for up to date information on qualifications which are not currently. Any application to sit the PLAB test or for registration will be assessed in line with the legislation, procedures and criteria in place at the time such an application is received.