RCP Global

With 30% of our members based outside the UK, the RCP's global team listens to, learns from, and supports our doctors, who are located in 141 countries worldwide.

Improving medical standards worldwide

Our work spans high, middle, and low-income countries, ranging from accreditation work and guideline development in the Middle East to delivery of clinical skills workshops in rural East Africa. We develop and coordinate the globally-recognised MRCP(UK) exams as part of the Federation of the Royal Colleges of Physicians, and deliver a wide range of projects aimed at strengthening health systems and improving medical standards across the globe.

Our work is vital in maintaining high standards of education, training and professionalism for postgraduate physicians, but our presence in a particular country will sometimes raise important questions. It does not mean that we endorse the actions of any government, or that we do not condemn human rights violations, but rather that any concerns are outweighed by the potential benefits of improving medical care and health which is our core mission.

Wherever we work around the world, we are there to support the doctors and people of the country not their rulers. The safety of all of those involved in delivering international work is an important consideration.

The Federation of Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK runs examinations for some 25,000 doctors in over 100 countries, on behalf of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow and us here at RCP. If an exam diet cannot proceed due to security concerns, the Federation will attempt to minimise the impact on candidates by increasing capacity in nearby countries.

Learn more about some of our current and past projects:

Jeelani Drabu Palliative Care Programme

Kindly funded by the Drabu family, this programme is intended to support the development of palliative medicine as a speciality and palliative care as an integral element of healthcare provision in Pakistan and the Jammu and Kashmir region.

RCP-COPM Tuanku Nazrin Travelling Fellowship

RCP and our partners at the College of Physicians Malaysia (COPM) and the Malaysian Advanced Acute Internal Medicine and Ultrasound Society (MAAIMUS), are pleased to announce the launch of the RCP-COPM Tuanku Nazrin Travelling Fellowship.

Supporting the establishment of the East, Central and Southern Africa College of Physicians

RCP is supporting the East, Central and Southern Africa College of Physicians (ECSACoP) in its efforts to double the number of physicians being trained in the region by 2030.

Building oncology/neurology capacity across East Africa

The METAF Programme is a partnership with the British Council aimed at reducing the burden of cancer and neurological disorders across East Africa.

Delivering doctor-patient communications skills courses

RCP delivers intensive 2-day communications skills courses overseas designed to provide doctors of all levels with the opportunity to refresh and develop essential verbal and non-verbal communications skills.

Overseas-trained doctors

Medical Training Initiative (MTI)

Our Medical Training Initiative (MTI), a scheme that enables resident doctors from all over the world to work and train in the UK for up to two years, while giving trusts a longer-term alternative to using locums to fill rota gaps.

The scheme facilitates General Medical Council (GMC) registration and visa sponsorship for Government Authorised Exchange visa.

General Medical Council sponsorship scheme

Temporary GMC registration for visiting specialists

Refugee physicians

The RCP is dedicated to creating a welcoming and supportive environment for refugee doctors who are physicians. Discover more about the support and opportunities on offer.

Latest global news

News

02/10/26

The future of the NHS depends on creating health, not just treating illness

RCP president Professor Mumtaz Patel recently presented at the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine (BSLM) annual conference where she discussed the future of medicine. Here, reflecting on work that’s being led by BLSM chair Dr Frances Elliot, she makes the case for a whole-government approach that creates the conditions for people and communities to thrive.

Blog

01/10/26

Beyond the Tobacco and Vapes Act: realising the smoke-free dividend

In a new article for Clinical Medicine (ClinMed), RCP special adviser on tobacco, Professor Sanjay Agrawal, explores why the next phase of tobacco control must focus not only on reducing overall smoking prevalence. Here he discusses why it’s so important to tackle the deep inequalities that continue to shape who smokes, who can quit and who experiences the greatest harm. Read Sanjay’s full article, Smoking, health and social justice, in Clinical Medicine.

News

01/10/26

RCP survey reveals growing patient safety risks as care struggles to keep pace with rising numbers of patients with multiple long-term conditions

New data from the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) reveals growing concern among physicians that NHS services are not keeping pace with the rising number of patients living with multiple long-term conditions, with two-thirds reporting they have seen poorer care or patient harm linked to fragmentation between specialties and services.

Associate global directors

Associate global directors (AGDs) are led by the global vice president and appointed on an honorary basis to guide RCP global activity within their specific regions of the world.

International advisers

International advisers (IAs) are RCP fellows who are appointed to represent an area of the world.

Our international priorities

Discover more about how we support our global network of members and fellows and to improve access to quality healthcare worldwide.

Our global strategy

Ethical, professional, reputational and practical considerations

The RCP is committed to supporting global engagement that strengthens clinical standards and improves patient care worldwide. We recognise that healthcare professionals operate in diverse contexts, each with unique challenges, and we are dedicated to providing guidance, education and professional support that is ethical, evidence based and patient centred.

We believe that collaboration across borders, through education, training and professional exchange, helps raise standards of care, fosters the sharing of best practice and empowers clinicians to deliver high-quality, safe and equitable care. Our engagement is guided by principles of medical ethics, human rights and professional integrity, ensuring that our activities do no harm, respect local contexts and contribute positively to health systems.

The RCP also acknowledges the complexities inherent in working in countries with significant political, social or human rights challenges. In all such contexts, we carefully assess risks, maintain safeguards for clinicians and patients, and strive to support individual fellows and members in ways that promote clinical excellence without compromising safety or ethical standards.

Through this approach, the RCP seeks to uphold its global mission: improving healthcare outcomes and supporting the medical profession wherever it operates, while fostering professional networks, knowledge exchange, and the highest standards of patient care. It does not mean that the RCP endorses the actions of any government, or that the college does not condemn human rights violations, but rather that any concerns are outweighed by the potential benefits of improving medical care and health which is the RCPs core mission.

Our international engagement is guided by a principled framework that prioritises medical neutrality, professional independence and patient safety. Where these cannot be assured, we will not operate institutionally, while continuing to support individual clinicians through alternative means.

Contact us

For more information on the RCP’s international work, or to get in touch with an international adviser in your country, contact us.

Get in touch