Cypriot GP faces qualification recognition hurdle after UK training

Nicosia, Cyprus. A 34-year-old Cypriot general practitioner returned to Cyprus after completing mandatory supervised practical training in the United Kingdom but encountered obstacles in having her GP qualifications recognised. Her training began months after Brexit took effect.

Studies and return to Cyprus

Becoming a doctor requires years of demanding studies, internships and practical training. In Cyprus, many students move abroad for higher education, with the United Kingdom traditionally ranking after Greece among the leading destinations.

Anna, not her real name, studied medicine at the University of Nicosia before moving to Britain for her mandatory supervised practical training, or residency.

After completing her residency, she decided to return to Cyprus and launch her career as a general practitioner. She returned in August 2024 with her belongings, including her car and cat, and began looking for work.

Recognition issue

Anna said she found a GP position and began the required bureaucratic procedures.

“They didn’t recognise my GP training,” she told the Cyprus Mail.

She had started her practical GP training in the United Kingdom in August 2021, only a few months after Brexit came into effect. She said she had not known at the time that this would significantly affect the recognition of her qualifications.