Glossary of terms for acceptable overseas medical qualifications

Term

Meaning

Acceptable qualifications not currently listed on the World Directory of Medical Schools

A qualification that isn't listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools because it is in a country/territory not recognised by the United Nations OR the institution that awarded the qualification no longer exists or no longer delivers medical education, AND has been assessed by the GMC as acceptable and is listed on the ‘Qualifications not listed in the World Directory of Medical Schools’ chapter of this guide.

Allopathic medicine

Allopathic medicine refers to the practice of traditional or conventional Western medicine. The term allopathic medicine is most often used to contrast conventional medicine with alternative/complementary medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic medicine or homeopathy.

Awarding body

The institution, usually a university, which confers your qualification. This is sometimes the same as your medical school/college but not always.

Clinical rotations

Clinical rotations undertaken as part of your primary medical qualification or during a pre-graduate internship (where applicable) which have provided you with appropriate clinical experience.

Clinical rotations must have been of an acceptable duration, including sufficient in person interactions with patients and other healthcare colleagues

The GMC will consider how the duration and in person/virtual split of your clinical rotations compares to UK PMQs, and whether you have undertaken sufficient in person interactions during your clinical rotations, by assessing:

  • the duration and in person/virtual split of individual clinical rotations
  • the overall duration and in person/virtual split of clinical rotations within your PMQ
  • if there is a general increase in the duration, in person clinical interactions, and responsibility of clinical rotations as you progress through the programme.
  • if there is experience in a range of specialties and settings, with a range of patient groups representative of the country in which you are training.
  • if clinical rotations provide you with sufficient practical experience to achieve the learning outcomes.
  • if in person interactions with patients and other healthcare professionals are sufficient for you to achieve the learning outcomes. Where you have not undertaken any, or have insufficient in person clinical rotations as part of your programme, your application will be considered to increase the fairness of the decision-making process.
  • if your clinical rotations are of sufficient duration to enable you to become a member of the team, and to allow team members to make reliable judgements about your abilities, performance, and progress.
 

Course credits

Credits to pass each academic year, in order to graduate and obtain a MBBS qualification or equivalent.

Directory or directories specified by the GMC

Currently the World Directory of Medical Schools.

GMC registration

Registration required to obtain a licence to practise and work in a medical capacity in the UK.

Institution

Medical schools and colleges, awarding bodies, universities, and places of study.

Justifiable reasons for why it has not been possible to complete your qualification at one institution

If the circumstances are outside your control, for example:

  • conflict or political unrest
  • the impact of events such as a pandemic or extreme environmental conditions
  • where the reason preventing you from completing your PMQ at one institution arises from your disability 
  • bullying or whistle blowing
  • closure of the institution you attended

Your personal circumstances, for example:

  • relocation of family, job, or marriage

You can contact us if you require further information, or are unsure if the reason for not completing your qualification at one institution will be considered as justifiable.

Listing

A listing in the GMC’s specified directories must include, as a minimum: 

  1. name and country of institution (or, where different)
  2. name and country of awarding body/place of study, and
  3. sufficient contact details for verification.

MBBS

Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery.

Medical school/college

The institution where you undertook your medical studies. This is sometimes the same as your awarding body or it may be an affiliated medical school/college which teaches your courses under the authority of the university which grants your qualification.

Outside the country that awarded the qualification

Any study or clinical rotations undertaken physically outside the country that awarded the qualification, even whilst under the auspices of the awarding body. This includes taking part in lectures etc. via webinars, online classrooms as well as electives or rotations under taken overseas, etc.

Overseas medical qualifications we do not accept

The list of qualifications/medical schools maintained by the GMC which are not acceptable for the purposes of sitting the PLAB test or for applying for GMC registration.

Overseas medical qualifications we may accept

The list of qualifications/medical schools maintained by the GMC which may be acceptable for the purposes of sitting the PLAB test and applying for GMC registration but which require more in-depth assessment to establish their acceptability.

PLAB

Professional and Linguistics Assessments Board. Two part test set and assessed by the GMC for the purposes of ascertaining the level of medical knowledge and skill of a potential applicant for GMC registration.

PMQ/Primary medical qualification

Medical qualification awarded following a course of study providing a basic grounding in the core areas of medicine and physiology required for undertaking a practical period of training in order to gain entry to the medical profession. Please refer to the full criteria to understand the basic minimum training requirements your PMQ must meet.

Programme of study

The course of study leading to your qualification and does not include study at an institution:

  • where you were considered unsuitable to qualify as a doctor
  • where you were refused graduation
  • where you were offered an alternative degree title
  • that isn’t acceptable to us
  • that wasn’t acceptable to us at the time of your studies there.

Qualification

The satisfactory completion of an acceptable course of study at a relevant institution leading to the award of your degree entitling you to practice medicine as a doctor.

Qualification cannot have been undertaken entirely virtually

Delivery of your primary medical qualification may be partly through virtual teaching/ learning, however it cannot all be virtual.

REQ/Relevant European qualification.

A medical qualification awarded in the EEA or Switzerland may be classed as a REQ/relevant European qualification.

Self-directed study

Self-directed study includes revision (wherever it is undertaken), studying for exams or any study or learning where the scope is defined by you rather than a tutor. Self-directed study is not included in calculations of clock hours as there is no robust way in which the learning or the number of hours undertaken can be objectively substantiated.

Standard duration of the qualification

The standard length of the course of study leading towards your qualification - for example the course of study as detailed in the medical school's listing in a directory or directories specified by the GMC.

Study where considered unsuitable to qualify as a doctor and refused graduation or offered alternative degree

Qualifications will not be acceptable where you have been removed from a course of study, refused graduation with a medical qualification or offered an alternative degree title (such as a BSc for example), and any of this study has been included in the programme leading to the award of your primary medical qualification.

World Directory of Medical Schools

The World Directory of Medical Schools (WDoMS).


[1] Disability under the Equality Act 2010 is defined as a physical or a mental condition which has a substantial and long-term (meaning lasting 12 months or more) impact on a person’s ability to do normal day to day activities.