Cardiology fellowship in the UK: posts, sponsorship and visas
What to check when you consider a cardiology fellowship or training post in the United Kingdom, with emphasis on separating the job offer from registration and immigration.
Different kinds of post
Listings for the United Kingdom include posts at NHS hospitals, clinical fellowships advertised by individual trusts, and centres named by a society directory. A society listing shows that a centre offers training in a field; it does not say that a post is currently advertised. Read the source behind each profile to see which kind it is.
Registration is separate from the offer
The General Medical Council is the regulator of doctors in the United Kingdom. Registration or licensing is a separate process from a job offer and has its own requirements and timelines. Check the regulator’s current rules for your qualifications and ask the hospital which registration it expects you to hold before you start.
Visa route
GOV.UK describes the Health and Care Worker visa as allowing medical professionals to come to or stay in the UK to do an eligible job with the NHS, an NHS supplier or in adult social care. It states that you must have a confirmed job offer, work for an employer approved by the Home Office, hold a certificate of sponsorship from that employer and be able to show knowledge of English. Whether a particular fellowship post is eligible is a question for the employer and the Home Office, not for this directory.
Observerships and short courses
Observation and short courses do not usually involve patient care responsibilities and are not the same as a sponsored clinical post. Ask the host which activities are permitted and which immigration category applies to a visit.
What to confirm in writing
Confirm the post title and start date, whether the employer will sponsor you, the salary band, the expected registration, the supervising consultant, and any examination or portfolio requirements. Keep written confirmation of each answer.