Website of the Department of Health

Medical Training Initiative

The Medical Training Initiative is designed to allow a small number of doctors to enter the UK from overseas to benefit from training and development in NHS services, before returning to their home countries. It can support the UK’s international development objectives and helps foster exchange programmes between NHS and overseas organisations.

The scheme operates under Tier 5 of the points based system for UK immigration. Tier 5 allows permission to enter the UK for overseas nationals coming to undertake exchanges or education and training initiatives sponsored by government departments. The Medical Training Initiative is the scheme operated in the NHS for doctors and is sponsored by the Department of Health.

The document below provides a general overview of the scheme; further details will appear on this page as they are finalised. Also further information may be obtained from NHS Employers website, as well as English Deaneries and Royal Colleges that run MTI schemes.
Colleges that administer the Medical Training Initiative, or similar schemes, include:

• Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
• The Royal College of Ophthalmologists
• The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
• The Royal College of Pathologists
• The Royal College of Physicians of London
• The College of Emergency Medicine

The Royal College of Anaesthetists and Royal College of Psychiatrists are undertaking reviews of their international sponsorship schemes and considering operating Medical Training Initiative or similar schemes.

There are also a number of other bodies that facilitate GMC registration for participants on their training programmes, and may be in a position to operate Medical Training Initiative or similar schemes. A list of these bodies is available on the GMC website.

• Download overview guide (PDF, 40K)
• General Medical Council: Sponsoring bodies in the UK (opens new window)