Re-training refugee and other overseas doctors: re-qualification through the United Examining Board examination

The Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board test is well suited to overseas doctors who have migrated for reasons of career development but less so for groups such as refugees who have not had time to prepare for migration and may not speak English. We describe a 12-month structured clinical course leading to re-qualification, for 70 refugee and other overseas doctors. Between 1996 and 2003, 69 of the 70 overseas doctors on the course (27 of whom were refugees) re-qualified through the examination of the United Examining Board. We report on early and later outcomes of these 69 doctors who, by achieving provisional registration, were entitled to pre-registration house officer posts. Of the 69, 33 are now principals in general practice or GPs in training; a further 32 are in NHS hospital posts. Opportunities for disadvantaged overseas doctors to re-train are severely lacking; yet in the UK there are significant numbers who warrant special help. A very modest investment of resources could help them re-qualify and contribute to the health and economy of the nation.