YOUR NEXT CHAPTER IN MEDICINE
A clear path to
your UK medical career.
Big ambitions. A lot of questions. Find your way from medical school or an overseas degree to practising in the UK, one well-explained step at a time.
Your future starts
with a next step.
- 01Choose your routeUK medical school or an overseas degree
- 02Prepare with purposeEntrance tests, PLAB and practical guidance
- 03Make it officialGMC registration and your first UK role
- 04Build the career you wantFoundation, specialty training and beyond
LATEST PLAB AND TRAINING NEWS
What’s new for doctors joining the UK.
Short, attributed summaries from official publishers. More PLAB and training news · All news, medical and new medicines
START WHERE YOU ARE
Three routes. Your own journey.
You don’t need to know every step yet.
Just choose the starting point that fits.
I’m considering
medical school.
From choosing your subjects to applications, interviews and life as a medical student.
I have an overseas
medical degree.
Understand English requirements, the PLAB exams, registration and finding your first UK role.
I want to train
in Ireland.
Irish residency and specialty training for EU/EEA graduates, Medical Council registration, the PRES exam, and the IMGTI and Forum of Training Bodies for non-EU doctors.
Still finding your bearings? Let’s work out your route →
YOUR PLAB COMPANION
Know what comes next.
Build your clinical knowledge.
Exam format, preparation advice and worked sample questions for the written assessment.
- Questions
- 180
- Duration
- 3 hours
- Exam fee
- £283
Put your skills into practice.
Clinical stations, communication frameworks and model approaches to help you prepare.
- Format
- Clinical OSCE
- Location
- Manchester
- Exam fee
- £1,036
Fees and formats can change. Explore exam centres and confirm details with the official sources in each guide.
SEE THE WHOLE JOURNEY
From first questions to specialist.
Start here
4 guides · Read in an evening
Get into UK medical school
8 guides · 1–2 years of preparation
Medical school and the licensing assessment
4 guides · 5–6 years
The PLAB route for overseas-qualified doctors
13 guides · 6–24 months, depending on preparation and appointment availability
The Foundation Programme
5 guides · 2 years
Specialty training and Royal College exams
9 guides · 3–8+ years
Super-specialising and “board” exams
7 guides · Years 6–15+ after medical school
Practising in the UK
5 guides · Throughout your career
Training and working in Ireland
7 guides · 1–3 years to register; 6–8 years of specialty training
A LITTLE CLARITY GOES A LONG WAY
Useful reads for the road ahead.
THE BOOKSHELFBuild your reading list.
Handbooks and textbooks for the exams and your first UK role.
Recommended books →
STUDY SMARTERGet to know UK guidelines.
Connect common exam topics to the national guidance behind them.
Explore the study map →
BEYOND THE TEXTBOOKFind the right words.
Frameworks for consultations and the conversations that matter.
Read the communication guide →STAY IN THE PICTURE
Updates worth knowing about.
Medical news
My 93-year-old mother waited 10 hours on the floor for an ambulance
Additional 178 cases of measles reported by US health authorities amid outbreak
Fitness became an addiction that left me anxious and sleep deprived
Boom in weight-loss drugs could lead to fall in beer sales, Heineken warns UK pubs
Explore this topic →New medicines and drug discovery
October 30, 2026: Dermatologic and Ophthalmic Drugs Advisory Committee Meeting Announcement - 10/30/2026
FDA Rare Disease Day 2027 - 03/05/2027
MHRA approves deuruxolitinib (Leqselvi) to treat severe alopecia areata in adults
MHRA approves new oral treatment for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis
Explore this topic →Short, attributed synopses. Always follow the link to the original source for the full story.