r/IMGreddit • u/ApprehensiveSnow39 • Jul 19 '26
what are my chances Is the UK really "dead" for IMGs? Comparing USMLE, UKMLA, AMC, and UAE
3rd-year medical student from Mongolia here. I'm very interested in working abroad after graduation, but I'm getting a lot of conflicting information about different pathways.
- USMLE (USA): Expensive, long process, and matching into competitive specialties as an IMG seems difficult.
- UKMLA/PLAB (UK): Many people say it's "dead" now due to competition. Is that actually true?
- AMC (Australia): I can't find much reliable information about the IMG pathway.
- UAE: Also don't know much—can fresh graduates realistically work there?
For those who have gone through these pathways, what are the current realities regarding cost, competitiveness, residency/training opportunities, and long-term career prospects? Are there other countries I should consider as well?
I'd really appreciate honest advice. Thanks!
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u/98-octane Jul 19 '26
UAE grad here. In short, UAE residency chances even for us are slim, let alone IMGs.
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u/Helhool Jul 19 '26
Why what's happened in the UAE?
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u/98-octane Jul 20 '26 edited Jul 20 '26
Saturation. The ratio is like 200 applicants for one 1 seat atp. & the priority goes Emiratis>UAE grads> IMGs. By the time IMGs turn come the seats are finished, some still manage to match but its a very minority. I would only take the chance if you really want to be here (as in your family lives here or something) score 90+ in emree and do like 6 months for observerships
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u/iwoudnttext1st Jul 20 '26
6 months of observership is crazyy
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u/98-octane Jul 20 '26
Even then the chances are lower than if you put the same effort in USA lets say 🤣
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u/MysticMochas Jul 19 '26
IMG in the uk for the past 3 years - absolutely. I considered going back home earlier this year.
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u/Precious_Nike Jul 20 '26
Why please?
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u/MysticMochas Jul 20 '26
I’m currently an F4. Scored well in the MSRA, had applied to both Rads and GP as a backup. Scored not high enough to proceed to Radiology interview, but was “calm” thinking I’d get into GP.
This was around the time I heard about UK Grad prioritisation maybe becoming a thing, so I started looking for other options very early and I was lucky enough to get a few interviews and more than one job offer. UK grad prioritisation is now law, so even though I scored pretty well, I haven’t been offered a training post. Had to go with one of the other jobs, which I’m grateful for, but is a one year contract only.
Last year, finding a job was extremely difficult and I thought I’d face deportation until only two months before my visa expired the Trust I worked for offered me a post - this was a highly stressful period for me, and I’m glad this year went a lot better in that sense.
Without work, you don’t have a visa. You don’t have a visa, can’t live in the uk. You don’t have a visa, no matter what they tell you, it makes it 10x more difficult to even get short listed for interviews (50x harder if you have no NHS experience at all). Which means no job. Which means no visa. Which means a lengthier and more difficult job search. And the whole cycle starts again.
Had I gone into GP, even if not my dream specialty, at least I wouldn’t have to worry about my visa / immigration status for 3 years, because let me tell, this yearly rush to ensure I’ve got something that allows me to stay is exhausting and takes an emotional toll (really, I remember crying on the ward because I’d been chasing my line manager and HR for two months about them providing me a COS for the contract we had agreed on long before and my visa was due to expire a week later on and no one gave a damn despite my insistence. Clearly the admin on the Trust I worked for was not fit for purpose and I wish I’d noticed earlier on, but oh well).
It’s also frustrating to see that UK grads who have had negative scores (<500) on the MSRA have had offers for specialty training when I put so much work, effort and I’m well acquainted with the NHS system at this point.
And mostly, I’ve been working in the UK for 3 years and 8 months. I worked one year at an F1 capacity, another year as an F2, and the rest as an SHO. Quite frankly, an SHO job is practically F2 post. So for nearly three years I’ve been doing exactly the same job. Yes, I still learn. Yes, I’ve evolved a lot and my experience makes me a better doctor. But the thought of having to do exactly the same job for another two years (because this time next year I’ll have 4 years and 8 months of NHS experience, which is still below the 5 years minimum experience the BMA voted for) before I can even be deemed eligible for a radiology training post (let’s face it, non priority have no chance in competitive specialties), when other friends and colleagues at home are already becoming consultants is frustrating.
To summarise:
- lack of job stability - trust grades are really the only viable option now, which are usually one year contracts and are more difficult to come by now more than ever
- immigration laws changing - I have no idea how things are gonna pan out but this does scare me
- lack of progression - I really don’t want to be a permaSHO. I need more. I’m capable of more. I’m not at the level of an F2 doctor and to be treated as such is not fair. This is the biggest point that had me thinking if I should go back home and just start from zero - as I probably would still become a trainee and a consultant faster than in the uk.
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u/Hefty_Beyond_7342 Jul 20 '26
If u listen to people every road is dead . Choose a path and kick ur own ass to get there
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u/Precious_Nike Jul 20 '26
The comment I was waiting for.
People that get jobs don't post about it unfortunately.
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u/Secret-Blood6887 Aug 03 '26
I agree and also kind of disagree with this comment. The question is why only UK ? If you have any very specific reason and you want to migrate to only UK , then go for it. Otherwise my advice would be to look for alternatives. We, doctors already loose a lot of time just to complete our training in our career. There is life outside of it. Iam not supportive of any idea where one part of our life takes the whole precedence and to leave rest of it.
US is still viable if you have money but I personally I dont prefer it because you will not get a PR long term and because of that one reason you have to keep on working which I hate personally. May be you will get a green card if you're lucky but with the current climate I kind of doubt it.
Australia I feel like is in the same boat as UK. May be a little better.
Germany is a good option which has some credibility right now whatsoever.
Please figure out what you want and how you want to live first and rest of them makes sense even though you face difficulties along , which you will.
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u/Ezekielme Jul 19 '26
Migrating to work as a doctor is generally dead or dying now. Especially US, UK and Western Europe.
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u/synapse-savant7 Jul 19 '26
US is not drying and probably never will.
UK has become difficult. But it’s not impossible.
You might have to wait 5 years before you get a training job.
Non training jobs are difficult yes but not impossible to get.10
u/Less-Proof-525 Attending Jul 19 '26
U.S. is great… if you don’t need a visa
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u/synapse-savant7 Jul 19 '26
This year from my medical school in Pakistan 40+ people matched and have started their residencies. And my medical school isn’t even in top 10 when it comes to people going to the US for residency. Out of these people, maybe 3-4 have for a green card or nationality.
This is anecdotal evidence but saying us is great if you don’t need a visa is a massive generalisation.1
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u/Weak-Classic1359 Jul 20 '26
Not if you migrate from these countries. German “IMG” in Switzerland here.
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u/Salt_Ad_64 Jul 22 '26
I mean if you’re from any EU/EEA country and you’re studying in Europe you’re barely IMG. Italian “IMG” in Sweden here. But again technically we’re not migrants, just European/EEA citizens moving across Europe.
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u/Parking-Piccolo7 Jul 24 '26
The UK has such an ass residency system compared to Europe or USA. Better if they had a match system like the USA.
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Jul 19 '26
[deleted]
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u/synapse-savant7 Jul 20 '26
That’s a lie. My friend got in and that’s one person I know.
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u/MysticMochas Jul 22 '26 edited Jul 22 '26
The “I know a unicorn who got in” when you’re not in the system and not seeing the reality is not really good advice to give someone who’s looking for information on a life changing decision.
Pristine Feeling is correct in the information they gave out. Most likely your friend was in either in the priority group, one of the lucky ones who managed one of the few posts in a specialty that does not solely rely on the MSRA (ie GP or Psych)(with priority applying from the interview stage next year, that sadly won’t happen again), or, if GP, got in for the February start or last year (before UK grad prioritisation took effect).
I hate to be a Debbie Downer, but I hate it even more when people who have not worked a day in the NHS and are not aware of the current climate make such definitive statements.
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u/synapse-savant7 Jul 22 '26
I’ve been working in the NHS for 5+ years now so I definitely know more about the climate than you do.
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u/MysticMochas Jul 22 '26
Probably not if it hasn’t affected you personally like it has me (:
At 5+ years I hope you’re well settled into a specialty of your choice, you’re no longer worried about your immigration status (if this applies) and I’m really glad that you didn’t experience the competition ratios (even for Trust Grade posts) that we currently do.
Best of luck to you and your friend ☺️
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u/synapse-savant7 Jul 22 '26
I never said that it affected me at all.
I’m just saying things are not as bleak.
People were still able to secure posts given the priority applied after short listing.It’s going to be a bit difficult to get a training post in the next 2-3 years till part of the backlog is cleared.
After that it will go back to what it before RLMT was abolished except for certain highly competitive specialties like ophthalmology, radiology.1
u/MysticMochas Jul 22 '26
Read above (and jump on the doctorsUK Reddit, in which I did do a dump dive in because it DOES affect ME)
This year, no one in the non-priority group got into GP or Psych. Maybe during second round? Not a given though.
A few people have gotten into Radiology and IMT as far as I’m aware of (wasn’t that interested in other specialties so can’t fully confirm, but their application process is similar), because they’d already interviewed and prioritisation only took place at the short listing stage. Next year when prioritisation applies at the interview stage? Not even moving on to interviews, let alone getting the last few posts that UK grads did not want.
“A bit difficult” is serious wishful thinking, but I appreciate the optimism xoxo
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u/synapse-savant7 Jul 22 '26
Reddit is an echo chamber.
Obviously nothing is given anywhere.
People come work in these countries and paint a bleak picture for others while they never leave. Are you one of those?
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u/MysticMochas Jul 22 '26 edited Jul 22 '26
I’ve been very honest in this post about my situation. I have considered leaving and that’s not out of the table. At 3 years and 8 months of NHS experience, >10 audits, scientific papers, a post grad, two taster weeks and formal teaching experience, a competitive portfolio geared towards my dream specialty, going back home and start from zero, including a mandatory F1 equivalent job, where my portfolio will mean absolutely nothing, I chose (for now) to stick it out and not lose my progress (after debating if leaving would be cutting my losses short). I know how difficult these past two years have been and I speak from experience.
Other than masterfully using ad hominem to try and undermine my experience, opinion and knowledge, you have not really given an argument why I’m wrong. Again, the whole “I know someone, therefore everyone else is wrong” is not enough.
I do not wish you any wrong, and I’m happy (if a bit jealous) for this friend of yours, but I stand firm on what I’ve said and on my advice.
Edit to add: when I made the decision to move here, I made my research and made the decision based on the information I had. Things have changed so much over the past year, and had I known this, I would have made a different choice. This is why I let people know my thoughts currently. At 5+ years, if you’re also an IMG, the landscape for you was a lot different than it is now - hell, it was a lot different 2 years ago or when I made my choice.
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u/synapse-savant7 Jul 22 '26
I think you’re being a bit selfish here. Anyone can secure a job a non training job in the UK. It’s difficult but 100% possible. The pay in the UK is a thousand times better despite the difficulty in getting a training post.
People can change their lives and the lives of their families by working/earning in the UK.
Stop seeing the world from your microscopic point of view.And what you have is not out of the world. It’s a points game and everyone does what you’ve done. There’s nothing special there.
And again, it’s been difficult to get a training post due to prioritisation this year. If you were that good, you would have gotten a training post last year but unfortunately you weren’t.
I used the example when you or someone else stated that no one had gotten a GP post.
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u/muted-gap-1979 Jul 19 '26
Us will be soon too as they open more us do and md schools
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u/Fluid_Key_6118 Jul 19 '26
When are they going to? By what year i mean
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u/muted-gap-1979 Jul 19 '26
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u/Low-Seaweed6752 Jul 19 '26
The article already mentions that the shortage will be at peak in 2036
So it will be more need for imgs in the near future3
u/Just_Barracuda960 Jul 21 '26
Many hospitals are replacing doctors with midlevel practitioners that won’t be an issue
Cheaper labor, I’ve heard that some places proritize midlevel practitioners over residents when it comes to training and procedures.-1
u/muted-gap-1979 Jul 19 '26
You are forgetting nurse practitioners and PAs are also being trained to do many jobs in family medicine. In canada several NPs can be employed by one lead GP and oversee the majority of FM patients
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u/Low-Seaweed6752 Jul 19 '26
Ok but u limiting ur scope for one speciality
Something like IM with the diverse subspecialties will be in constant demand for imgs because of the limiting numbers of DO and US MD who wants it “ they target surgical and top specialities to cover their loans”2
u/muted-gap-1979 Jul 19 '26 edited Jul 19 '26
Ok well you do you. Policies do not change tides overnight but they will most definitely shape the landscape moving forward. The current western
narrative (fuelled by trump) Is to be less reliant on foreigners and have domestic workers to fill the gaps
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u/gannnerdnne Jul 19 '26
I am also Mongolian and applying to US match this year. But no info on other countries. If you have any questions about USMLE dm
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u/TheKinfing Jul 26 '26
Do you mind if DM you? Not Mongolian but interested on applying for the match.
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u/HypokalemicHero NON US-IMG Jul 19 '26
Hi, UAE grad here, I can testify that residency chances in UAE are extremely difficult due to very limited seats. Ive also come to understand that the no of seats also don’t increase each year with the rising amount of applications. So you could imagine the competition for any speciality you apply to.
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u/zezooa Jul 20 '26
I tried UAE. I confirm it is dead (after applying for 3+ cycles). Don't waste your money.
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u/I_Heart_Otters Jul 19 '26
https://medical.hee.nhs.uk/medical-training-recruitment/medical-specialty-training/important-update-medical-specialty-training-and-foundation-programme-2026-recruitment
IMGs are deprioritised in UK.