Where Can You Practice with a UK medicine degree? ( Hong Kong )
Thinking of practicing in HK after graduating in the UK? Start here—your concise roadmap to exams, training, and licensing in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong has specific pathways for overseas-trained medical graduates to obtain a license. In 2021, Hong Kong introduced a Special Registration pathway to address doctor shortages, which benefits graduates of certain recognized universities:
Hong Kong Medical Council Recognized UK Medical Schools (Exemption List):
Hong Kong’s Medical Council maintains a list of “recognized medical qualifications” (overseas medical schools and programs) eligible for Special Registration. If you graduate from a recognized UK program, you are exempt from the Hong Kong Licensing Examination. Instead, you can apply for special registration to work in Hong Kong’s public healthcare system.
List of Recognized UK Medical Qualification for Hong Kong:
- Imperial College London
- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (6-year programme)
Newcastle University- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (4-year programme) Graduate Entry Only
- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (5-year programme)
Queen Mary University of London- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (4-year programme offered at London Campus) Graduate Entry
- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (5-year programme offered at London Campus)
The University of Edinburgh- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery; Bachelor of Medical Sciences (6-year programme)
University College London- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (6-year programme)
University of Birmingham- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (5-year programme)
University of Bristol- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (5-year programme)
- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (6-year programme) Not Available to International Applicants
University of Cambridge- Bachelor of Surgery; Bachelor of Medicine (4-year programme) Graduate Entry Only
- Bachelor of Surgery; Bachelor of Medicine (6-year programme)
University of Glasgow- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (5-year programme)
University of Leeds- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (5-year programme)
University of Leicester- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (4-year programme) Discontinued for 2026 Entry
- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (5-year programme)
University of Liverpool- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (4-year programme) Graduate Entry Only
- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (5-year programme)
University of Manchester- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (5-year programme)
- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (6-year programme)
University of Nottingham- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery; Bachelor of Medical Sciences (5-year programme)
University of Oxford- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (4-year programme) Graduate Entry Only
- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (6-year programme)
University of Sheffield- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (5-year programme)
University of Southampton- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (4-year programme)
- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (5-year programme)
- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (6-year programme) Not Available to International Applicants
University of Warwick- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (4-year programme) Graduate Entry Only
King’s College London- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (4-year programme offered at London Campus) Graduate Entry Only
- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (6-year programme) Not Available to International Applicants
- Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (5-year programme)
Special Registration Pathway:
Under the Medical Registration (Amendment) Ordinance 2021, eligible non-Hong Kong local graduates can be hired in public institutions (Hospital Authority hospitals, Department of Health, or teaching hospitals at HKU/CUHK) without first passing the local licensing exam. After obtaining an approved post, you must undergo supervised practice and postgraduate training in Hong Kong. Typically, this means doing internship/residency in Hong Kong’s public hospitals, and subsequently a period of service: for example, obtaining a specialist qualification and then working five additional years in public service. After fulfilling these requirements (usually totaling about 5+ years post-residency), you can apply for full registration in Hong Kong, which allows private practice. In short, recognized graduates skip the exam but must “serve time” in the public system (approximately 5 years after training) to get full licensure.
Source: Hong Kong Hospital Authority
Non-Exam Exempted Overseas Medical Schools:
If your UK medical school is not on the Hong Kong recognized list, you will follow the traditional pathway. This requires you to pass the Medical Council of Hong Kong’s Licensing Examination. The licensing exam consists of multiple parts (written exams in professional knowledge, clinical competency exams, etc.), and you must also complete a period of supervised internship in Hong Kong. Only after passing all parts of the exam and the clinical internship can you register as a doctor. The exam is known to be challenging, so attending a recognized school is a significant advantage. (Hong Kong applicants are strongly advised to choose a UK medical school that is on the recognition list to avoid this hurdle.)
Source: The Medical Council of Hong Kong
Note: The special registration scheme in Hong Kong initially targeted Hong Kong ID holders (residents) returning from overseas, but it is generally open to any eligible overseas graduate who secures a public sector job. High competition and Cantonese language skills may be factors to consider. Those not exempt via the recognition list must take the local licensing exam to practice.