IMG Doctors Resources
IMG Doctors Resources: Supporting you throughout your Medical Career
This page has been designed for IMG doctors working in Scotland—including those in specialty training, Clinical Fellow roles, SAS grades, Consultant posts, or GP positions. It also supports supervisors, managers, Health Boards, and GP Practices by bringing together national guidance and Board-specific materials.
If you're considering postgraduate training in Scotland, we recommend visiting the Scotland Deanery and Scottish Medical Training websites for more information.
What You’ll Find Here
We’ve centralised key resources to promote good practice, continuous improvement, and consistent, high-quality support. This includes:
- Starting Your Career in Scotland
Guidance on induction, orientation, and settling into NHS Scotland. - National Support and Resources
Including wellbeing services, buddy schemes, and peer networks. - Royal College Resources
Information on training pathways and support from your relevant College. - General Medical Council (GMC) Resources
Access to licensing, ethical guidance, and professional development tools. - Medical Defence Union (MDU) Resources
Explore expert guidance on indemnity and medico-legal matters. - Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland (MDDUS) Resources
Explore a range of webinar resources to support your career. - Medical Protection Society (MPS) Resources
Discover a range of comprehensive resources offering guidance and support.
Our Commitment
No matter your grade or specialty—whether you're in a formal training programme or a locally employed role—we want you to feel welcomed, supported, and valued for the expertise you bring to Scotland. We’re glad you’re here and wish you a rewarding career in the NHS.
If you have questions or suggestions for additional content, please contact the Centre for Workforce Supply at nes.cws@nhs.scot.
Starting Your Career in Scotland
Welcome to Scotland - Your Medical Career Starts Here
Thank you for choosing Scotland as the place to grow your medical career. Whether you're just starting out or joining us at a more advanced stage, we recognise how important a well-structured induction is to helping you thrive. That’s why we’ve brought together a comprehensive selection of national guides and resources to support your journey with NHS Scotland. These materials are here to help you get started and will continue to guide you throughout your time with the NHS.
National Support and Resources
Scotland Deanery IMG Resources
Get ready for life in Scotland and explore the education, training, and support available to IMG doctors who choose to pursue their medical careers here.
Royal College Resources
General Medical Council (GMC) Resources
The General Medical Council (GMC)provides a comprehensive selection of resources to support you at every stage of your medical career. Many of these are highlighted in the Welcoming IMGs to NHS Scotland guide, with additional useful materials signposted below to help you find what you need with ease.
The GMC Professional Standards are organised into 11 categories, providing a comprehensive framework for ethical decision-making across a wide range of scenarios. These standards apply to doctors, physician associates, and anaesthesia associates, supporting professionalism in clinical practice.
Good Medical Practice from the GMC is a framework of professional standards to support you in delivering patient care and collaborating effectively with colleagues. You can explore and test your understanding of this guidance through 60 interactive scenarios available on the Good Medical Practice in Action website.
The Ethical Hub: Racism in the Workplace resource reflects the GMC’s commitment to a zero-tolerance approach to racism. It offers practical guidance on applying the GMC’s principles of non-discrimination when tackling racism in the workplace. The approach is further reinforced by the Scottish Government, with public support from Neil Gray, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, who has pledged to embed anti-racism across the public sector.
The GMC plays a vital role in investigating concerns where a doctor’s ability to practise safely, or public confidence in doctors, may be at risk. Their website provides detailed information on how these investigations are carried out, along with guidance and support available for doctors undergoing the process.
Fitness to practise of doctors explained
During a doctor’s career, concerns may arise about their performance, behaviour, or health—any of which could affect their ability to practise safely. These concerns might be raised by the doctor themselves, their employer, or the General Medical Council (GMC).
The GMC provides clear guidance on how concerns are assessed, the principles it follows, and the support available to doctors throughout the process.
Outreach: Working Together to Improve Education and Practice
The GMC outreach team engages with healthcare professionals across the UK to promote understanding of our guidance and regulatory processes. By collaborating with local services, they help identify challenges and share insights that shape how we support the profession.
This close partnership ensures our approach to regulation remains informed, responsive, and aligned with the evolving needs of the UK’s health services.
If you’re practising in remote or rural settings and delivering unscheduled or urgent care, the GMC-approved Credential—developed by NHS Education for Scotland in collaboration across the UK—offers a structured curriculum and educational framework to support consistent learning. This credential enhances doctors’ skills in leading, delivering, and coordinating unscheduled and urgent care, and ensures a consistent approach to training 'extended generalists'.
Medical Defence Union (MDU) Resources
The resources below provide practical medico-legal guidance to support International Medical Graduates working in Scotland. Explore topics including communication, complaints, confidentiality, consent, reflective practice and patient safety to help build confidence and support safe, effective clinical practice.
| Topic | Description |
|---|---|
| Medico-legal awareness | Many of the medico-risks you'll face as an IMG are the same your UK-qualified colleagues, but some others might arise from being unfamiliar with the system or cultural differences. Understand common risks and challenges, including those unique to IMGs due to unfamiliarity with UK systems or cultural differences. |
| Patient communication | Learn strategies for managing difficult interactions, building trust, and avoiding misunderstandings. |
| Handling complaints | Guidance on responding professionally and effectively. |
| Confidentiality and consent | Explore UK standards, including patient-centred approaches to decision-making. |
| Reflective practice and revalidation | Develop habits that support professional growth and meet regulatory requirements. |
| Breaking bad news | Techniques for delivering sensitive information with empathy. |
| Record keeping and chaperone use | Understand best practices to ensure compliance and patient safety. |
| Communication pitfalls | Recognise how omissions or perceived rudeness can lead to complaints or investigations—and how to avoid them. |
Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland (MDDUS) Resources
Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland (MDDUS)
MDDUS provides medico-legal advice and professional indemnity cover for healthcare professionals across the UK.
Explore guidance, support and professional resources on the MDDUS website: 🔗 MDDUS.com
Medical Protection Society (MPS) Resources
Explore the International Medical Graduate Hub
