Sponsorship of Overseas Qualified Doctors for the purpose
of Exemption from the PLAB Test and granting of Limited Registration
Thank you for your enquiry concerning the College Sponsorship Scheme for
limited registration with exemption from the PLAB* test.
It is important to understand that in normal circumstances overseas
qualified doctors should obtain limited registration with the General Medical
Council by sitting the PLAB test.
In special circumstances where the applicant is of exceptional ability
this College may recommend exemption from the PLAB test by agreeing to
sponsor the applicant for a period of training or research in the United
Kingdom.
This Sponsorship Scheme requires the applicant to have the support of
a UK consultant who holds a substantive or honorary National Health Service
appointment and who is a Fellow of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists.
The applicant also requires an overseas sponsor who must be known personally
to the UK consultant and who should be a Fellow of the College or a distinguished
ophthalmologist.
The candidate should demonstrate his or her ability to read, write,
speak and understand English by passing module B, medical component, of
the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) to a minimum
of band 7.0 in all four categories (this test can be taken under the auspices
of the British Council in any of the one hundred and eighty centres in
the one hundred and ten countries). The College requires the result of
this test before the application can be processed.
The UK consultant must be able to offer the applicant a post which is
recognised by the Royal College of Ophthalmologists for training. This
post must be in the unit of the UK consultant or, if the post is part of
an established training rotation, it must include a period in the unit
of the UK consultant. Approximately three months notice is required to
process applications at the Royal College of Ophthalmologists.
The UK consultant must apply formally to the College for sponsorship
on behalf of the applicant. Full details and application forms will be
sent to the potential UK consultant sponsors on request.
*PLAB (Professional and Linguistic Assessments
Board) is a test of medical knowledge and use of English. Details may be
obtained from the General Medical Council, 178-202 Great Portland Street,
London, WIN 6JE. |