Abstract
Although international medical graduates (IMGs) constitute considerable percentage of doctors in the National Health Service (NHS), they face several challenges in acclimatizing to the NHS health system. Communication skills, language subtleties, and career progression difficulties are among the most important challenges that overseas doctors face.Some resources are already available to support these doctors and several trusts across the UK have developed local interventions and educational programs to help their doctors bridge the gaps in their knowledge. However, there is no proof of the external validity of these programs and none are identified as effective on a national level.Senior IMGs are leading very popular and inspiring projects using digital platforms, especially social media. We identified several social media pages, groups, and websites subscribed to by hundreds of thousands of doctors in the UK and around the world, including doctors who are planning a future career in the UK. These platforms provide information, resources, support, and answers to questions posed by junior IMGs.Inspired by these projects and also by an Australian project that transformed a local IMG education program, we studied whether using digital platforms and transforming evidence-based local programs to national ones would be the best way forward to support IMGs.
Highlights
BackgroundInternational medical graduates (IMGs) are a very important group of doctors in the National Health Service (NHS) workforce
Most overseas junior doctors gain their General Medical Council (GMC) license to practice after successfully passing an English exam and Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB) tests
This eye-catching headline was the title of a study on difficulties faced by the European Economic Area (EEA) anesthetists working in a London hospital in the process of acclimatization to UK practice norms [20]
Summary
International medical graduates (IMGs) are a very important group of doctors in the National Health Service (NHS) workforce. According to the GMC website, from 2013 to 2018, over 11,000 doctors passed the second and last PLAB exams, allowing them to apply for GMC registration [2] These doctors add invaluable support to the NHS system. Starting a new job in a different health care system is not an easy task It is well documented in the literature that several challenges facing IMGs in the UK make their transition to the host health care system difficult. This article discusses the problems faced by IMGs, investigates some current interventions, and sheds light on the significant role that digital platforms, especially social media, play in helping IMGs. The surprising success of social media from this perspective should be inspiring for all medical educators in the future to consider producing online resources that can be used on social media and could be accessed around the.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
