Working as a psychiatrist in the NHS gives you a real opportunity to change people’s lives for the better.
You will be at the forefront of improving the population’s mental health, you’ll have a strong career progression and the ability to shape your career pathway by trying out multiple sub-specialties within psychiatry.
Psychiatry is a complex and demanding specialty which is facing severe workforce shortages in the UK. Read on to find out how Remedium can help international psychiatrists to find a job in the UK healthcare sector.
What is the role of a psychiatrist?
Psychiatry is a branch of medicine devoted to an individual’s mental, behavioural, and emotional well-being. It involves diagnosing, preventing, and treating disorders relating to psychiatric disorder. It’s a specialty that lets you combine neuroscience, medicine, behavioural science, and high-level communication skills.
How do I get a job as an international psychiatrist in the UK?
The first step to becoming a psychiatrist in the UK is to get the required qualifications. You will need MRCPsych, PLAB or USMLE to work as a psychiatrist in the UK, along with recognised English language qualifications (OET or IELTS).
The next step would be to register with the General Medical Council (GMC). The GMC is the regulatory body responsible for maintaining the official register of all the medical practitioners within the United Kingdom. You cannot legally practice medicine or procure a job in the NHS as a doctor unless you are registered with the GMC. Therefore, international medical graduate (IMG) doctors who are looking to relocate to the UK and practice within the NHS will need to be registered with the GMC.
Which sub-specialties exist for psychiatry in the UK?
There are six sub-specialties in psychiatry that you can train in which are approved by the GMC:
- General adult psychiatry
- Forensic psychiatry
- Child and adolescent psychiatry (CAMHS)
- Old age psychiatry
- Medical psychotherapy
- Intellectual disability psychiatry
Remedium support international psychiatrists to secure roles across all these subspecialties. Register with us today to speak with one of our expert advisors to find out which subspecialty might be right for you.
Why choose the UK to work as an international psychiatrist?
In the UK, the work of a psychiatrist is varied. Therefore, working in the NHS means you may see patients or service users in clinical in or out-patient settings or out in the community. The NHS is of the most prestigious healthcare systems in the world. It is renowned across the globe for being at the forefront of technology and patient care in psychiatry. International doctors working in the NHS are offered a generous salary package, a great pension, and holiday entitlement.
Many international doctors move to the UK to work in psychiatry as the NHS is heavily focused on clinical work. Each doctor is allocated plenty of SPA time (Special Programmed Activity). This means the doctors get dedicated time to focus on their own personal interests. This can include research, courses, and even additional qualifications. A lot of clinicians get excited about the time away from direct clinical work to actually focusing on their passion.
The UK is also a fantastic place to live and work as a doctor, and if you work with Remedium, we’ll support you and your family with the entire journey, from getting an interview to landing your dream job and with the entire administrative process of making the move.
How can you procure a job in psychiatry?
To find a job within psychiatry as a psychiatrist you can register your details on our website. We will support you with any questions about interviews, postgraduate qualifications, GMC registration, visas, COS and much more.
Our onboarding executives will provide you with tailored advice according to your specific background and job preferences. Alongside this, you will have access to our award-winning Red Carpet Platform which will assist you will all aspects of your relocation to the UK.
To find out more about our team specialising in placing psychiatrists into psychiatry departments within the NHS take a look at our interview with Rosalyne Magnus-Oyewole.
