The Association of International Medics UK (AIM UK) is a non-profit initiative established in 2021 by a group of international medical students training in the UK. AIM UK was started because we saw a gap in the support provided by institutions for international medics. 

 

We understand how tough it is to start medical training in a foreign country, and on top of that, how varied the backgrounds of people can be. This is evidenced by data from March 2021 which reports 8.7% of NHS hospital doctors in England being from the EU, and over 1 in 5 doctors reporting a non-UK and non-EU nationality, representing more than 200 nationalities. The same report from March 2021 also found that the distribution of international NHS doctors varied geographically, with London having the greatest proportion of non-British NHS staff at 27%, and the lowest proportion being in the Northeast of England and Yorkshire at 9%. (1) The Office for Students target intakes for medical courses in England also project a variation in the geographical distribution of the number of international students entering a course in 2022/23, (2) indicating the need to ensure that international medical students and doctors in the UK are represented, even more so in locations where numbers may be low locally. 

 

As such, AIM UK aspires to bridge that gap in support around professional development and advocate for international medical students and doctors in the UK, without a focus on their country of origin or place of prior education.   

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Our Vision

We believe that no international aspiring medic, medical student or doctor in the UK should be disadvantaged for not knowing someone further along the journey they are on.

 

What We Do

We believe that supporting international medics involves empowering individuals with information on personal/professional progression while providing role models following a similar path. We aim to build a platform containing information on medical training in the UK for international medical students and doctors. We share the experiences of our contributors on a range of topics all the way from applying to medical school to becoming a consultant in the form of weekly blog posts on our website. We are also working to produce an international med student guide and launch a national research network to generate evidence about the experience of international medical students in the UK. 

  

Since our inception, our blog posts have amassed >300 views and we have established an advisory board consisting of academics from the Medical Schools Council (MSC) EDI Alliance and DIMAH (Diversity in Medicine and Health). We are also members of the fourth cohort of HLA:IDEAS, an incubator programme of the Healthcare Leadership Academy where we receive support from the programme faculty to make our work sustainable. 

 

How can I get involved?

1. Follow us on social media and let your network know about us! We are on: 

   1. Instagram: @aim_uk_ 

   2. Twitter: @aim_uk_  

   3. LinkedIn 

2. Write a blog post for us! Please fill in this form to express your interest and the team will get in touch with you shortly.  

3. Join the team! There will be various opportunities for enthusiastic individuals to join our team throughout the year, including the opportunity to join the team producing the international med student guide. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact us at contact.aimuk@gmail.com.  

 

References

1. Baker C. NHS staff from overseas: Statistics - House of Commons Library [Internet]. UK Parliament. House of Commons ; 2021 [cited 2022Nov20]. Available from: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-7783/  

2. Office for Students. Medical and dental target intakes [Internet]. Office for Students. Office for Students; 2018 [cited 2022Nov20]. Available from: https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/funding-for-providers/health-education-funding/medical-and-dental-target-intakes/