Supporting the growth of International Medical Graduates

Supporting the growth of International Medical Graduates

The number of International Medical Graduates (IMG) is rapidly expanding as more doctors are entering these roles. The number of IMGs has increased by 40% in the last five years and in 2020 alone, over 10,000 IMGs joined the UK medical workforce. This is more than both domestic and European Economic Area-qualified graduates combined. It is only recently that their voice, concerns and needs have been heard. As they continue to grow and play key roles in delivering medical care, it becomes more crucial than ever that support is made available to teach the skills needed to thrive.

Why do they need support?

By 2019, a sixth of all the medical workforce in the UK were IMGs. In 2021, 50% of doctors joining the workforce were also IMGs and if this trend continues, we can expect them to make up a third of the entire workforce by 2030. But conversely, if this rate returns to levels last seen before 2017, there will be 23,000 fewer doctors by the same date. If we do not create an accommodating environment now, we risk experiencing this avoidable shortfall in the future.

IMGs not only have to adapt to a completely new infrastructure, one that is infamous for its complex protocols and systems, but also living in a new country with a different culture. This makes the training they are afforded exceptionally important, especially as many become involved with aspects outside their wheelhouse such as clinical governance or appraisals. The environment that IMGs enter must recognise their needs and be able to provide for them to ensure that they are in the best, most effective place they can be, especially as they continue to make up such a significant portion of the medical industry.

What do we offer to act as an answer to the problems that IMGs face?

To act as an answer to the problems that IMGs face, we’ve tailored our own development courses specifically to offer the support needed for their professional and personal development. Our training covers a range of elements such as being assertive in the workplace, leadership and management skills, appraisal processes, teamworking and current challenges working as a clinician in the UK.

Webinars

We’ve also created a series of webinars aimed at IMGs covering:

  • An introduction to differential attainment which explains the gap in attainment levels between different groups of doctors, contributing factors and mitigating measures. We also cover NHS patient expectations such as communication, options for treatment, consent and decision making with an additional focus on the role in the UK of families, individuals and GPs.
  • NHS introduction which details not only its purpose but also reveals its complex structure and organisation such as how care is delivered and funded. The webinar also explains how NHS teams are formed, what roles make them up and how trainee doctors fit in with a focus on the common issues that may arise in multi-professional team working.
  • We also look at cultural identity for IMGs including the unique communication and linguistics native to the UK to help them understand the parlance better.
  • Our last webinar looks at the General Medical Council (GMC) and how it affects practitioners with a run-through of its remit and structure. This also includes GMC responsibilities and how trainees’ own duties tie in. We answer questions such as who can refer a doctor to the GMC and what process the GMC follows in that situation.

These webinars will be condensed into video summaries to be made available for those who wish to gain a greater understanding of what our expertise can offer.

Make sure your IMGs are afforded the development they need to not only thrive in their role but to overcome the unique challenges they face. To get in touch and book your own training, click here Contact – Miad Healthcare