Work as a Doctor in the UK from Poland
As of July 2026, Polish-qualified doctors must be registered with a licence to practise from the General Medical Council (GMC) to work in the UK. Since Brexit ended automatic EEA recognition, the GMC assesses each Polish application individually.
A step-by-step guide for Polish-qualified doctors on GMC registration, English evidence, and the visa position after Brexit.
Which GMC route applies to you?
Answer two questions for a plain-English summary of the likely registration route and English-evidence options. This is general educational guidance only — the General Medical Council makes the final decision on every application.
The GMC route for Polish-qualified doctors
Polish graduates typically register through a GMC-assessed route — PLAB or a recognised postgraduate qualification — with the route confirmed by the GMC.
Poland has one of the largest medical-graduate populations in the EU, and many Polish doctors already work in the UK. Since the automatic EEA route closed in 2021, the essential first step is asking the GMC to confirm which route your Polish qualification and training support.
If you completed specialisation (specjalizacja) in Poland and hold the relevant specialist diploma, ask the GMC whether it supports specialist registration. Otherwise the GMC will usually direct you toward the PLAB examination or a recognised postgraduate qualification.
Keep certified translations of your Dyplom lekarza, your Prawo wykonywania zawodu (right to practise), and a Certificate of Good Standing from the Naczelna Izba Lekarska.
English-language evidence
Polish medical degrees taught in Polish require English evidence via IELTS Academic or OET. Some Polish medical schools run English-language programmes for international students — if yours did, the GMC may accept that as English evidence. Confirm the acceptable evidence on gmc-uk.org.
Your registration steps, in order
Confirm your GMC route
Contact the General Medical Council (gmc-uk.org) to confirm which registration route your primary medical qualification and any postgraduate qualifications support — the PLAB examination, a recognised postgraduate qualification, or specialist registration.
Meet the knowledge and skills requirement
Complete the route the GMC confirms — for example, passing both parts of the PLAB examination, or holding a postgraduate qualification the GMC accepts.
Evidence your English
Provide the English-language evidence the GMC accepts for your circumstances — usually IELTS Academic or OET, or evidence that your qualification was taught and examined in English. Confirm current thresholds on gmc-uk.org.
Gather Certificates of Good Standing
Obtain a Certificate of Good Standing (Certificate of Current Professional Status) from every medical regulator you have been registered with in the last five years.
Apply to the GMC and arrange the right to work
Submit your GMC application with your evidence. If you are not a UK or Irish citizen, secure the right to work — typically a Skilled Worker (Health and Care Worker) visa with a Certificate of Sponsorship from a UK employer (gov.uk).
What Polish-qualified doctors need
These are the obligations the GMC and, where relevant, UK Visas and Immigration place on applicants. Confirm the current detail on the official websites.
Hold a recognised Polish medical diploma (Dyplom lekarza)
Hold the Prawo wykonywania zawodu (right to practise medicine in Poland)
Provide a Certificate of Good Standing from the Naczelna Izba Lekarska covering the last five years
Confirm your GMC route (PLAB, postgraduate, or specialist) before booking exams
Evidence English proficiency and secure UK right-to-work
Certificate of Good Standing
You will need a Certificate of Good Standing (Certificate of Current Professional Status) from the Naczelna Izba Lekarska (Supreme Medical Chamber of Poland), plus one from any other medical regulator you have been registered with in the last five years.
Right to work / visa
Polish citizens with EU Settlement Scheme status can work without a separate visa; others generally need a Skilled Worker (Health and Care Worker) visa with a Certificate of Sponsorship — see gov.uk.
Practical notes for Polish-qualified doctors
- If you studied on a Polish medical school’s English-language track, that can simplify the English-evidence step — check with the GMC.
- A large Polish medical community already works in the UK, which can help with peer support and orientation.
Important: this is information, not recruitment
GeraClinic is a telemedicine platform operated by Gera Services Ltd. This page is free educational information for doctors who independently want to understand the UK registration pathway. GeraClinic does not place doctors into NHS jobs, is not a recruitment agency, and charges no fee to read this guidance. Registration, employment, and visa decisions rest with the General Medical Council, individual employers, and UK Visas and Immigration. Individuals may always apply directly, of their own accord. Requirements, fees, and timelines change — always confirm the current position on the official GMC website (gmc-uk.org) and gov.uk.
Frequently asked questions
Does an English-language Polish medical programme count as English evidence?
It may. Where a qualification was taught and examined in English, the GMC can accept that as evidence of proficiency. Because Polish schools run both Polish- and English-language tracks, confirm with the GMC which evidence your programme supports.
Can Polish specialists register as specialists in the UK?
Doctors who completed specjalizacja and hold the specialist diploma can ask the GMC whether it supports specialist registration. The GMC assesses this individually.
Do Polish doctors still get automatic recognition?
No. Automatic EEA recognition ended after Brexit. Polish qualifications are now assessed by the GMC through its international-application framework.
UK registration guides for other EEA doctors
Prefer to work remotely from Poland?
While you work through UK registration, you can keep practising as a remote telemedicine doctor with GeraClinic — see patients online, set your own hours and fee, and get paid within 3–5 business days.
Remote telemedicine jobs for doctors in PolandKeep earning while you plan your move to the UK
GeraClinic is free to join for licensed doctors. Work from home, set your own hours and fees, and see online patients — from wherever you are registered today.