UK ENIC for Doctors

Are you planning to move to the UK and work as a medical doctor for the NHS? If so, you may be curious about how the translation of qualifications works. Qualifications don’t look the same in every country after all, and someone needs to determine whether the qualifications match up.

UK ENIC is a service designed specifically for that. It was previously called UK NARIC but changed in 2021 after the UK left the European Union. The reason for this was that UNIC was a network only in the EU, so the UK had to formally change the name. The good news is that the service has not changed.

What is UK ENIC?

UK ENIC is an agency used by international graduates and UK employers to understand the translation of qualifications, and it is done so on behalf of the UK government. So, basically, as an overseas doctor, UK ENIC will ensure your qualifications get recognised.

All of this is done by using a Statement of Comparability. With this statement in place, it proves that your overseas qualifications match up and hold the same amount of weight as the UK ones. For this reason, it’s helpful when applying for a professional career or educational course/degree.

As an IMG, you might use it to prove your PhD qualification if you plan on using that to get a job in the NHS. Also, you can use it to demonstrate your English language proficiency for a Visa.

Is My UK NARIC Statement Still Valid?

We mentioned that there was a name change back in 2021 after the UK left the European Union. If you got your Statement of Comparability before that, it would be named under UK NARIC rather than UK ENIC. The good news is that the only change is in the name. Whether you were issued the statement before 2021 or after, it still stands, and you can use it to prove your qualifications.

When Do I Need UK ENIC?

If you have an international qualification and want to move to the UK to study or work, UK ENIC can come in handy. You can use their Visas and Nationality services for Skilled Work: Health and Care to translate your PhD qualification.

Keep in mind that this service is only for international medical graduates whose primary medical degree was taught in English.

The Application Process

To apply for UK ENIC, you must apply online by creating an account and submitting your details, including your name, email address, date of birth, nationality, and field.

The English Proficiency service costs £140, and you will need the following documents:

• Final Certificate
• Official Transcript
• Medium of Instruction Letter (for English Language Proficiency)
• Translation of Documents (if not in English)

The PhD verification service costs £210, and you’ll need these documents:

• Final Certificate
• Official Transcript
• Passport/ID
• Translations of documents (if necessary)

After uploading all the necessary documents, you will receive a unique enquiry ID number. You can use this to track the progress of your application under your account (remember to keep checking the messages). Always upload the documents correctly the first time you apply to avoid delays.

It should take around ten days to process, and after that expect to wait a week for the UK ENIC confirmation to arrive by post (this depends on the type of courier service you choose at the end of the application).

How Long is it Valid?

Once you receive the UK ENIC certificate, it will be valid forever, so you can use it as and when you want to.

Do IMGs Need UK ENIC

While it can have its uses (particularly with translating PhD qualifications), IMGs do not necessarily need to use the UK ENIC service.

The general route for IMGs to work in the UK involves GMC registration, which visa applications accept as proof of your knowledge of English.

GMC Registration

Proving your English language skills for GMC registration is approved by the UK Home Office, which means you won’t have to use the UK ENIC service to do so. The GMC register is a register all UK doctors must be on to prove they can safely practice medicine. Here are the documents needed for GMC registration:

• Primary medical qualification
• Evidence of clinical experience
• Proof of English knowledge
• Certificate of good standing
• Last five years of activity

In terms of qualifications, you will either need to pass the PLAB test or have completed a GMC-accepted postgraduate qualification.

The most common way for IMGs to prove their English language skills for GMC registration is by either taking the OET or IELTS tests.

OET

The OET is an English language test specifically for medical graduates. The test involves 45 minutes of listening, 60 minutes of reading, 45 minutes of writing, and 20 minutes of speaking. It is available in over 40 countries.

IELTS

The IELTS test stands for International Language Testing System, and it tests your ability to listen, read, write, and speak English. It’s graded from 1-9, with nine being excellent.

Either of these tests will prove your English language skills, allowing you to get on the GMC register. This is the method used by IMG doctors looking to work for the NHS (rather than UK ENIC).

In Summary

UK ENIC – previously known as UK NARIC – is commonly used to compare international qualifications with their UK counterparts. It’s used for a wide variety of qualifications, including for international professionals to prove their proficiency in the English language.

As an IMG doctor, using UK ENIC is not necessary, especially if you’re taking the PLAB tests and an English Language test to get on the GMC register. The UK Home Office accepts GMC registration as proof of your English knowledge, so you don’t have to worry about proving it in any other way while applying for your Health and Care Visa.

The next article will focus more on life in the UK rather than qualifications. You will learn all about visiting Europe when living in the UK under the Health and Care Visa.