Got Your GMC Registration? How to Apply for NHS Jobs as an IMG
Updated: Oct 24
Congratulations, you have your GMC registration. For many International Medical Graduates (IMGs), this is the moment the confusion starts. Where do I apply? Do I send a CV? Which jobs should I even look at?
This guide answers those questions step by step. By the end, you will know how to apply for NHS jobs, where to find them and which job titles match your experience.
Quick answer
After GMC registration, create accounts on NHS Jobs (and Trac), plus the Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland sites if you'll apply there. Set alerts, and apply for non-training posts that match your experience, such as junior clinical fellow, SHO or specialty doctor. Tailor the supporting statement to each person specification.
Step 1: Know where to apply
The UK has four health services, one for each nation. Each advertises its jobs on an official website:
England (NHS England): NHS Jobs. Many trusts also use Trac.
Wales (NHS Wales): NHS Jobs. Many health boards also use Trac.
Scotland (NHS Scotland): NHS Scotland Jobs
Northern Ireland (Health and Social Care): HSC Jobs
What to do now:
Create an account on each website you are interested in.
Save your personal details, education and employment history once, so future applications are faster.
Set up job alerts for your specialty and grade, so new posts come straight to your email.
Do not limit yourself to one region. Applying across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland gives you far more opportunities, especially for your first NHS post.
Step 2: Understand the application form (no CV needed)
This surprises many IMGs: most NHS jobs do not ask for a CV. Instead, you fill in an online application form on the job website. Every section is read and scored by the shortlisting panel, so each one deserves care.
The form usually includes these sections:
Personal details: contact information and right to work in the UK
Professional registration: your GMC number and registration type
Education and qualifications: medical degree, postgraduate exams (such as PLAB, MRCP, MRCPsych) and courses
Employment history: every post with dates, grade, specialty and main duties; explain any gaps
Clinical skills and procedures: procedures you can perform competently
Audit and quality improvement: projects you led or contributed to, and what changed
Teaching: sessions you delivered, to whom and how often
Research and publications: papers, posters and presentations
Supporting statement: your evidence against the person specification
References: usually two or three recent clinical supervisors
The supporting statement is the most important part. It is where shortlisters check whether you meet each criterion in the person specification. Read our step-by-step guide: How to Write an NHS Supporting Statement as an IMG Doctor.
Step 3: Choose the right job titles for your experience
The biggest mistake new IMGs make is applying for the wrong level. Apply too high and you will not be shortlisted. Apply too low and you may be told you are overqualified. As a general guide, match your post-qualification clinical experience to these levels.
2 to 3 years of experience: junior (SHO-level) roles
If you worked as a medical officer or equivalent in your home country for around 2 to 3 years, look for junior-level posts. In the UK these are often advertised as:
Junior Clinical Fellow
Senior House Officer (SHO)
Foundation Year 2 (FY2) equivalent or Trust Grade FY2
Clinical Fellow at CT1 level
These are non-training posts employed directly by a trust. They are the most common entry route for IMGs and help you gain UK experience, supervision and references.
More than 4 years of experience: middle-grade (registrar-level) roles
If you have more than 4 years of experience, including time in your chosen specialty, you can look at middle-grade posts:
Specialty Doctor
Senior Clinical Fellow
Trust Grade Registrar or Clinical Fellow at ST3+ level
Senior Registrar
These roles carry more responsibility, such as leading on-call shifts and supervising junior doctors. Panels will expect strong evidence of senior clinical experience, so read each person specification carefully.
A note on training posts
National training posts, such as Core Training (CT1) and Specialty Training (ST1 and ST3), are recruited through a separate national process, not individual trust adverts. They are competitive and have their own eligibility rules. Most IMGs gain a year or two of NHS experience in a non-training role first.
Tip: always check the person specification. If you meet all the essential criteria, apply, even if your exact job title back home was different.
No UK experience yet? A clinical attachment can give you NHS exposure and a UK reference. Read our complete guide to clinical attachments in the UK.
Quick tips on how to apply for NHS jobs
Apply early. Popular posts can close before the advertised date once enough applications arrive.
Tailor every application. Change your supporting statement to match each person specification.
Apply widely. Your first NHS job matters more than the perfect location.
Keep a record of every post you apply for, its closing date and the outcome.
Prepare your referees early. Delays in references can hold up an offer.
What's next: building your portfolio
The application form asks for audit, teaching, courses and research. A strong portfolio makes these sections easy to fill and helps you stand out. In our next blog, we will explain exactly how to build your portfolio as an IMG.
You can start building that evidence now. Our free online CPD courses for doctors cover the sections NHS application forms ask about, including teaching, clinical audit and QIP and research. Each course gives you a verifiable certificate of completion for the courses section of your form, and a model paragraph showing how to describe it. To see how shortlisters score these sections, read NHS Person Specification Explained.
In the meantime, read Why NHS Job Applications Get Rejected: 9 Lessons from 3,000+ IMG Applications.
Need help with your first application?
Our NHS job application support service reviews and rewrites your Trac application, including a supporting statement targeted to the person specification. Request our free 24-page NHS Supporting Statement Guide, or email cvreviewexperts@gmail.com to get started.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I apply for NHS jobs after GMC registration?
On NHS Jobs for England (many trusts manage applications through Trac), NHS Scotland Jobs, NHS Wales Jobs and HSC Jobs in Northern Ireland.
Which NHS jobs should an IMG apply for first?
Non-training posts that match your experience: junior clinical fellow, SHO or trust grade with about 2–3 years' experience; specialty doctor or senior clinical fellow with 4+ years including your specialty.
Do NHS jobs need a CV?
Most do not. You complete an online form, and the supporting statement is scored against the person specification.
What if I have no UK experience?
Apply anyway for posts where you meet the essential criteria, and consider a clinical attachment to gain NHS exposure and a UK reference.
Last reviewed: October 2026. Read how we research and update our guides.
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