The Student Room Group

Working in UK Medicine as an IMG

I’m an img and I came to the U.K. before the pandemic. I didn’t complete an acceptable pattern of internship and I just recently started studying for plab. When I came to the U.K. life was very difficult for me and I looked for jobs to support myself but found nothing and when the pandemic hit I decided to accept a job as a hospital cleaner to support myself and my studies. Recently I was told that this will affect my ability to work as a doctor in the U.K. and taht i won’t be accepted for jobs as a doctor in the future and won’t be taken seriously. That has made me very depressed and anxious. I just want to know if that is true.
Reply 1
Original post by Essaclark23
I’m an img and I came to the U.K. before the pandemic. I didn’t complete an acceptable pattern of internship and I just recently started studying for plab. When I came to the U.K. life was very difficult for me and I looked for jobs to support myself but found nothing and when the pandemic hit I decided to accept a job as a hospital cleaner to support myself and my studies. Recently I was told that this will affect my ability to work as a doctor in the U.K. and taht i won’t be accepted for jobs as a doctor in the future and won’t be taken seriously. That has made me very depressed and anxious. I just want to know if that is true.

who told u? ( any thoughts?)
Original post by Essaclark23
I’m an img and I came to the U.K. before the pandemic. I didn’t complete an acceptable pattern of internship and I just recently started studying for plab. When I came to the U.K. life was very difficult for me and I looked for jobs to support myself but found nothing and when the pandemic hit I decided to accept a job as a hospital cleaner to support myself and my studies. Recently I was told that this will affect my ability to work as a doctor in the U.K. and taht i won’t be accepted for jobs as a doctor in the future and won’t be taken seriously. That has made me very depressed and anxious. I just want to know if that is true.

Not sure who told you this but there definitely isn't any stigma against non-medical jobs. Props to you for swallowing your pride and doing what you have to - and if anything, this will expand your life experience and understand the NHS from a whole new perspective.

On the contrary, anyone who thinks working as a cleaner or any non-medical job is "beneath" a doctor should really reevaluate their own lives. I'm sorry that you had to be subjected to such negativity.
Reply 3
Original post by 2mb
who told u? (@ecolier any thoughts?)

One of the nursing staff I spoke to on my break. They reacted with shock and horror and implied I was either lying about my qualifications or there was something wrong with me. They told me I had made a mistake and shouldn’t have been there. The whole thing has caused me a lot of anxiety and I’ve developed insomnia and panic attacks because of the implication that I won’t be able to work as a doctor in the future. I’m not familiar with how things work here and I’ve honestly avoided asking anyone about it because I still feel terrible. I just want to know if what they said was true and if that is the reaction I should expect from interviewers and employers in the future.
Reply 4
How did you get the job as a cleaner? Did they ask you for your past experiences? Working in a non-medical capacity will not affect your application for registration with the GMC or your ability to work as a doctor. It is better that you are working as the GMC does not like long gaps of not working.
Original post by Essaclark23
One of the nursing staff I spoke to on my break. They reacted with shock and horror and implied I was either lying about my qualifications or there was something wrong with me. They told me I had made a mistake and shouldn’t have been there. The whole thing has caused me a lot of anxiety and I’ve developed insomnia and panic attacks because of the implication that I won’t be able to work as a doctor in the future. I’m not familiar with how things work here and I’ve honestly avoided asking anyone about it because I still feel terrible. I just want to know if what they said was true and if that is the reaction I should expect from interviewers and employers in the future.

I think this reflects their own prejudices towards cleaning staff more than anything.
Reply 6
I know I have to provide evidence of good standing from all non medical work, so I guess now all I want to know is whether the gmc care about what type of work it was?

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