Bangladeshi doctors in UK

Though the three staged exam system for getting UK registration (IELTS - PLAB1 - PLAB2) is pretty expensive, many doctors tried to get through it with a dream of golden future. Some of them got training posts, some got part time jobs, called locum, whereas some other couldn't manage anything at all.

However, they were trying to find out a place in an already overcrowded job market. Suddenly, the UK government made a drastic change in its immigration rule by which overseas doctors are no longer having the rights of working in a clinical post without work permit, commonly known as Permit Free Training visa. Now they have to have a work permit like anybody else for working here, which is almost impossible. Moreover, from now on EU graduates will get preference, which means, even by scoring the highest mark in an interview, an overseas doctor wouldn't be able to get a job if there is an EU graduate present as a candidate for that post.

This overnight change put all overseas doctors in a miserable condition. Indian doctors' association arranged a protest rally on 21 April, 06 and their high commission is negotiating with the British government for their doctors (few days ago they made an educational agreement with UK government). As usual, our high commission is unaware of our existence and our association is divided into two groups and doesn't dare to utter a single word against the new rule. This is the reflection of our own nation and there is nothing that we can do about it.

However, I heard from one of my junior friends, who came here recently with the same dream, that still similar reports and leaflets about 'Job opportunities for doctors in UK' can be seen in Dhaka which is definitely not true. I want to make all Bangladeshi doctors aware of this new and changed situation, and I would suggest them to think twice before spending time and money for a false hope.