As a medical appraiser working with many international medical graduates (IMGs), I’ve noticed some common pitfalls that can cause unnecessary stress, delays, or even risk to a doctor’s licence to practise.
About 80-90% of the doctors we appraise through our service are IMGs, and the majority of these will be undertaking their first appraisal, whilst hoping to secure their first UK job.
I hope you find this article helpful as you prepare for your appraisal.
Written in Collaboration with Dr Appraisals
This article was a collaboration between MedCourse and Dr Appraisals.
We try to be transparent, so it's important to say that no money has changed hands in this collaboration, and this isn't a sponsored post. We simply want great content from experts at MedCourse, and Dr Christopher Boyson agreed to write this article, in exchange for a couple of plugs for his service at the end.
We hope you get good use from the article!
1. Choosing the wrong type of Appraiser
Make sure you choose a GMC-compliant appraiser. To be an independent appraiser, you need to meet the GMC’s strict criteria, which can be found on their website: https://www.gmc-uk.org/registration-and-licensing/managing-your-registration/revalidation/guidance-for-doctors-requirements-for-revalidation/additional-requirements-for-doctors-without-a-connection
2. Thinking you don’t need an appraisal if you’re not employed
An appraisal is an annual requirement of the GMC if you have a license to practise. Whether you are employed or not, in the UK or abroad, it is irrelevant – if you have a license to practise, you must have a yearly appraisal. I regularly see IMGs assume they can “pause” their appraisal and revalidation process until they secure employment — this is not the case.
From Dr Appraisals
No designated body? Locum? Working from outside the UK? Not currently working? Private work?
DrAppraisals.com is the most affordable GMC-compliant medical appraisal provider for UK and international doctors.
3. Leaving it too late
If you don’t book and complete your appraisal and, in the case of those without a designated body, submit your annual return on time, then the GMC may start the process of withdrawing your licence to practise. The GMC will send reminders that an appraisal and annual return are due.
Make sure your contact details are up to date on your GMC Online account, so as to avoid missing these important emails. An absence of a GMC-compliant appraisal will trigger steps to remove a doctor’s license to practice. That is why we offer a 24 Hour and Fast-Track service to help those doctors who have left things to the last minute. We all do it!
4. Not reflecting on CPD
Simply producing just a named list of CPD is not enough. You must reflect on what you learnt, and how this has influenced your practice.
5. Focusing only on clinical CPD
You don’t just have to stick to clinical based CPD. It can be useful to use CPD opportunities to develop your professional based skills as well, for example, in leadership, teaching or even human factors training.
6. No UK-focussed CPD
Many IMGs submit CPD (or CME) that they have collected from outside of the UK, often where they are currently practising.
There is a key sentence on the GMC website that is often missed by IMGs and those working abroad:
“Only in exceptional circumstances will it be possible to maintain a licence to practise where supporting information is drawn wholly or significantly from overseas practice.”
The majority of your CPD should directly relate to UK guidelines, NICE standards, safeguarding, prescribing, or NHS systems.
7. Forgetting the value of informal CPD
Not all CPD needs to be certificated, as is often the case when attending conferences and workshops. Any learning outside of undergraduate education or postgraduate training that helps you maintain and improve your knowledge, skills, and performance may count as CPD.
Directed self-study, in-house teaching (that is not part of your training programme), e.g., journal club, and some relevant mandatory training may count as ‘internal’ CPD.
8. Not understanding what counts as Quality Improvement Activity (QIA)
It is a falsehood that you must do an audit every year. You must however do some form of QIA as part of your annual appraisal. An audit is just one example of how QIA can be achieved. It could be case reviews, learning event analysis or evaluating a health tool or policy. Though QIA opportunities might not be so common outside of the UK, the GMC will still expect it.
Final thoughts
For IMGs without a designated body, arranging an appraisal can feel daunting — but it doesn’t have to be. At DrAppraisals.com, we specialise in supporting doctors in exactly this position, offering affordable independent appraisals that meet GMC requirements.
We also offer IMG Observerships, so please do contact us if you are interested in this!
