General Medical Council (GMC) figures show that there are about 210 000 registered doctors in the United Kingdom, of whom 80 000 are in hospital practice. Each year 13 000 doctors register for the first time with the GMC. Of these, 40% are from UK medical schools, 15% are EEA (European Economic Area) nationals with EEA qualifications, and 45% are non-EEA doctors or overseas doctors—now called international medical graduates (IMGs; J Mullin, personal communication, 2004). IMGs come to the United Kingdom for further training and specialisation, and eventually about 25-30% join the medical workforce permanently, either as GPs, specialists, or consultants. Some royal colleges, such as the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, have schemes such as the Overseas Doctors Training Fellowship scheme (ODTF) and the Double Ended Sponsorship Scheme (DESS), which accept around 200 IMGs each year for postgraduate training and return to their native country. The vast majority of IMGs come to the United Kingdom without any sponsorship or scholarship. This may be in response to reports of a shortage of doctors here, but the paradox is that the United Kingdom is short of consultants and GPs, not junior doctors. The average number of applicants for a new F2 foundation post is 400 and for a standard senior house officer post is 200.1 Only accredited specialists from the EEA can become UK GPs and consultants without further training. A clinical attachment is one of the best ways an IMG can learn about the NHS and UK clinical practice. It boosts confidence and enhances the chances of passing exams, …