Clinical Attachment

What is a Clinical Attachment?

A clinical attachment is a period of time when a medical graduate or doctor is attached to a hospital or clinic to gain experience. It is particularly useful for international medical graduates as it provides an opportunity to gain a UK reference, improve your CV, and perhaps gain full employment through acquiring relevant NHS experience. It allows insight and overview of medical processes in the NHS by observing senior doctors or consultants in a relevant speciality at work.

Our clinical attachments are unpaid, and depending on your placement site, you may be asked to carry out the following tasks:

• Observing consultations

• Taking patient histories (under supervision)

• Physical examinations (under supervision)

• Observing procedures and surgery

• Participating and carrying out clinical audits

We are currently running our attachments for 4 weeks.

When should I apply?

Most international medical graduates (IMG) participate in a clinical attachment during the period where they have passed PLAB 1 or PLAB 2. 

The current advice for visas for IMG from outside the EEA is to apply for a Standard Visitor visa (https://www.gov.uk/standard-visitor). Most applicants use this opportunity to sit for the PLAB 2 exam and complete a clinical attachment in the UK. 

Our advice is to undertake the clinical attachment right after the PLAB 2 exam.

What is available?

Palliative Care clinical attachment at a Hospice in Harlow for 4 weeks

Expectations from this placement can be found here

Start dates: 
1 September 2025
29 September 2025

More dates and specialities will be added as they become available.

How much does it cost?

We charge £1000 for each clinical attachment. This is paid to the relevant clinic/hospice/hospital for the duration of your placement, which includes a £200 admin fee.

Terms and Conditions can be found here

How can I apply?

Step 1:

Choose your start date and email us at hello@plabable.com to check for availability
(We have limited spaces per intake)

Step 2:

Download and complete the submission checklist. Return this to us along with all of the required documents in ONE email. The checklist is to be completed by you, and the immunisation declaration form is to be completed by a healthcare professional.

Download the forms here

Note: By giving us this information, you consent to the information being added to our database and to be sent to the hospital/hospice/clinic that you have applied

• Letter of Good Standing/Criminal records certificate (with translation, if applicable) and/or Disclosure and Barring Service (if working in the UK)

• Copy of passport as proof of identity

• IELTS (overall 7.5) or OET (minimum grade B in all components) or an equivalent level of English that can be demonstrated

• Copy of medical degree certificate (with translation, if applicable)

• Updated CV

• Proof of passing the PLAB 1 exam

• Copy of a valid UK visa (usually a Standard Visitor visa)

• Two references from recent posts, either paid employment or voluntary work

Occupational health documents

• Plabable Immunisation Declaration Form AND the following:

• Tuberculosis (date of BCG vaccination or BCG scar verification or Mountoux/IGRA test within the last 5 years)

• Hepatitis B (Hepatitis B vaccinations AND booster or a positive Hepatitis B antibody test result)

• Measles and Rubella (MMR vaccination dates or blood test results for measles and rubella)

• Varicella (declare history of chickenpox or blood test results showing that you have had chickenpox or evidence of vaccination)

• Covid-19 vaccination record

Step 3: 

Make a payment to secure your place.

We will send you a link for payment once all the required documents have been submitted and checked. Applications without all the necessary paperwork will not be considered.

Step 4:

Turn up for your clinical attachment and enjoy!

Where can I do my blood tests for the occupational health requirements?

You can obtain the blood test results in your own country. The report must include your full name, date of birth, test type, result and the hospital/laboratory details.

You may have to obtain evidence of these privately. Here are some of the phlebotomy services that we work closely with:

www.phlebotomy-services.co.uk

https://www.medicalexpressclinic.co.uk/private-blood-tests-pricing

The tests required are:

• Hepatitis B Immunity

• Measles Antibodies (IgG) Immunity (if MMR vaccination status unavailable)

• Rubella Antibodies (if MMR vaccination status unavailable)

• Varicella-Zoster Antibodies (if unable to provide a history of chickenpox or proof of vaccination)

You can use Medigold which is a private Occupational Health service for your blood test and assessments too:

https://www.medigold-health.com/

Are accommodation and travel reimbursement provided?

Unfortunately, no. The hospital, hospice or clinic will not provide accommodation or logistics.
You are responsible to organise your own travel arrangements, accommodation and logistics for the duration of your clinical attachment.

More questions?

Email us at hello@plabable.com

Please do NOT contact the hospitals, clinics or hospices directly.