Clinical Attachments & NHS Jobs After PLAB (2026 Guide)
Clinical Attachments and UK Jobs Quick Summary
A clinical attachment lets you observe an NHS consultant for usually two to four months. It is not required for GMC registration, but it helps with PLAB 2 and with getting a UK reference. You are an observer only and cannot treat patients. After PLAB and GMC registration, most international doctors start in locally employed (non-training) NHS posts and need a Health and Care Worker visa sponsored by their employer.
What is a clinical attachment?
A clinical attachment, sometimes called an observership, is an unpaid placement in which you observe an NHS consultant and their team at work. It shows you how medicine is practised in the NHS before you start your first job. It is not part of the PLAB test and is not required for GMC registration, but the BMA notes that the experience is relevant to your GMC application and can lead to a valuable UK reference.
What you can and cannot do on an attachment
How to arrange a clinical attachment
- Plan early. There is no UK-wide system for attachments, so search NHS trust websites and their medical education pages, and use contacts who already work in the NHS.
- Choose your timing. The BMA suggests doing it shortly before PLAB 2 or after you have passed it, when it helps most with the clinical exam and your job search.
- Prepare your documents. Trusts usually ask for criminal record clearance, proof of identity, English language evidence (IELTS or OET at GMC level), occupational health clearance and references.
- Apply for the right visa. If you are from outside the EEA you will need a standard visitor visa. Home Office guidance allows visitors to take part in an unpaid clinical attachment, but not to be responsible for treating patients. See our guide to UK immigration rules for PLAB doctors.
- Make the most of it. Ask for feedback, get involved in audit or teaching where you can, and ask your supervising consultant for a reference before you leave.
Finding an NHS job after PLAB
Once you have passed both parts of PLAB, apply for GMC registration with a licence to practise; your application must be approved within two years of passing PLAB 2. Most international doctors then start in a non-training post, often called a locally employed doctor or trust grade post, advertised by individual NHS trusts on NHS recruitment sites. These posts give you NHS experience and references before you apply for specialty training.
Visa for your first NHS job
Doctors with a job offer from an approved UK employer and a certificate of sponsorship can apply for the Health and Care Worker visa. It has a reduced application fee, no immigration health surcharge, lasts up to five years and can be extended. You can apply up to three months before your job starts. When you begin, the GMC's free Welcome to UK practice workshop is a useful introduction to ethics and professional standards in the NHS.
Frequently asked questions
> Is a clinical attachment required for GMC registration?
No. A clinical attachment is optional. It can help with PLAB 2, give you NHS experience and a UK reference, but it is not a requirement for GMC registration.
> Can I treat patients during a clinical attachment?
No. You cannot make clinical decisions or give clinical advice. Under a named supervisor you may observe consultations, help with clerking, take histories and examine patients under direct supervision.
> Which visa do I need for a clinical attachment?
Doctors from outside the EEA need a standard visitor visa, which lasts up to six months. Visitors may do an unpaid clinical attachment but cannot be responsible for treating patients.
> Can international doctors still get UK specialty training?
Yes, they can still apply. Since 5 March 2026, the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act gives priority to UK graduates and certain other groups, so many international doctors first gain experience in locally employed NHS posts.
> Which visa do doctors use for NHS jobs?
Most use the Health and Care Worker visa, which needs a job offer and certificate of sponsorship from an approved UK employer. It has a reduced fee and no immigration health surcharge.
For more practical tips on moving from the exam to your first post, see from PLAB test to job, or contact us.
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