Christie International Fellowship Programme

There are a range of Fellowship opportunities at The Christie. This may include working as a trainee with one of our specialist clinical teams, or as a researcher within our world renowned clinical research facility. Medical Fellowships are generally advertised via NHS Jobs, but the Trust is able to work with individual organisations on bespoke programmes for a range of health care professionals – including nurses, scientists, radiographers, etc. Please contact the Trust for further details.

The Christie offers a wide range of learning opportunities for fellows looking to develop their specialist knowledge and skills in oncology. Depending on the specialty and level of training, Fellows may need to take an Out Of Programme Experience (OOPE) to complete the fellowship. For more information, please discuss this with your training programme director (TPD) or the supervisor for the fellowship you are considering applying for.

The Christie welcomes international trainees and we have a vast amount of experience of working with Fellows from across the globe.  Employers and individual practitioners are able to see the benefits that a working placement at The Christie can bring.

There are some requirements for working in the UK that you should be aware of, please see the links below which will guide you on your next steps. The application and agreement process for arranging a fellowship is complex and depending on the position, we suggest allowing 3-6 months to make the arrangements before the proposed starting date.

To work in the UK, you need to be registered with the General Medical Council (GMC). If you are from the European Union, you are eligible for full registration with the GMC. If you are from outside the European Union, you need to have passed the PLAB (Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board) Tests, or get an exemption. This is the test the GMC uses to ensure international doctors have the basic medical competence and communication skills to practice in the UK.

Overseas doctors applying for GMC registration also need to demonstrate satisfactory knowledge of the English language. To do this they must meet certain requirements in the academic version of the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

If you currently live outside the UK, you may require a work visa. Information on this can be obtained from the Home Office website.

In addition to the above you may also require the following documentation:

• Passport
• Visa
• A Letter of Good Standing from local Constabulary or Ministry of Justice Department
• An up to date Police Check from home country or country of employment/study
• Reference from current employer

There are a number of ways that Fellows can undertake their placement at The Christie – with many directly sponsored by their current employers.  Where fees may be applicable to a Fellowship programme, these will be discussed with potential Fellows.

It should be noted that all costs associated with obtaining a licence to work in the UK must be met independently by the Fellow or through a sponsoring organisation.

The Christie encourages enthusiastic fellows to apply for their own funding. Some potential funding opportunities are shown below (other options may also be available to you in your country of nationality):

• European School of Oncology (ESO) 
• European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO)
• Manchester Cancer Research Centre (MCRC)
• Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute
• Medical Training Initiative (MTI)
• Union of International Cancer Control (UICC)
• Country specific fellowships (country of nationality)
• Canon research fellowships (Sponsor Canon Foundation)

For laboratory research-focused clinical fellowships and clinical fellowships working towards a PhD, MD or MRes, posts are often advertised with the funding attached. Opportunities are advertised on the NHS jobs website. Masters in Research and PhD positions are also advertised via The University of Manchester.