Welcome to the South West School of Primary Care
Starting your GP training in the UK is an exciting step, but we recognise that moving to a new health care system, culture and workplace can also be challenging. Whether you are new to the NHS or have already gained experience, we are committed to supporting you throughout your training.
This page brings together the resources, programmes and support available specifically for International Medical Graduates (IMGs) training across the Southwest.
The Seven Seas an IMG must cross: “Seven Seas Video”
Our Support for IMGs
We recognise that every doctor’s journey is different. Our aim is to provide practical guidance, educational support and opportunities to connect with colleagues to help you thrive both professionally and personally.
Our dedicated IMG support includes:
- A comprehensive working in the Southwest handbook (update of this handbook is in progress)
- Enhance inductions Programme
- Educational resources
- Educational and pastoral support throughout training
Enhanced induction Programmes
We encourage all our new to NHS doctors to complete the GMC Welcome to UK Workshop. This is a free workshop, designed to help doctors new to the UK, by offering practical guidance about ethical scenarios you may encounter, and the chance to connect with other internationally qualified doctors.
E-Learning for healthcare also offer a self-directed induction programme for IMGs. You will need to register an account to access the NHS National Induction Programme for International Medical Graduates.
Your hospital will also offer an induction programme specific to their trust and your local GP VTS programme will offer their own induction to all new doctors joining their training programme.
Our Annual GP IMG Doctors Welcome Day this year will be on the Wednesday 30th of September 2026 and is a great opportunity to meet the education team, network with your peers and gain deeper insight into the GP training programme.
Educational Resources
Getting to know each other
The South West has created two toolkits to help you and your education team get to know each other and plan your educational journey.
The Personal Learning and Development Plan is a toolkit for you to complete at the beginning of the programme and review with your educational supervisor during your training.
The Getting to Know Your IMG toolkit helps your education team understand your needs and provide the right support throughout your training.
“Getting to know your IMG” by Isaac Franks
Additional Useful Resources
The ‘Power Hour’ Series: Thriving in GP Training:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBa_5nI4yf693XlsMzzYWBByFj7cmzvkb&si=exrpHmqH-MjKLylT
Pre-induction Resource List 2025
Frequently Asked Questions – (update in progress)
Additional educational and exam support can also be found through our Professional Support and Wellbeing team (PSW) and Support for Performance and Exams (SPEX) pages.
Educational and Pastoral Support throughout your training
Meet our Southwest Near Peer Fellows
Near Peer Fellows are based across our GP VTS patches and provide tailored support for IMGs throughout training.
They can help with:
- Training requirements, including portfolio management, exam preparation and communication skills.
- Settling into life in the UK, including visa processes, housing and obtaining a driving licence.
This highly successful programme has been recognised nationally for its positive impact on training experiences.
Dr Yasmin Safavi – Gloucestershire
Dr Seham Shabbir – Swindon
Dr Emmanuel Idenyi – Cornwall
Dr Mena Metry – Exeter
Dr Kevin Chatar – Bristol
Dr Hannah Lawday – Bath
Dr Kevin McEwan & Natasha Wood – North Devon
Dr Mavin Kashyap – Somerset
Dr Nicole Nation – Torbay and S Devon
Dr Khaled Khader – Plymouth
Dr Silvana Romero Brown – Associate Dean ED&I and IMG Support for Primary Care Southwest.
The ‘Get-to-know-your-IMG’ chain:
