Testimonials

Katarzyna Broad

Polish GP working in an NHS practice in Lincoln

My recruitment process began with a simple email and language assessment which lasted for about an hour. A few weeks later, I was invited to take part in the next recruitment step in Lincolnshire, where I had a chance to see the area. Subsequently, I was offered a training at Paragona Campus in Warsaw, which usually means 12 long weeks of hard studying. My first year in the UK was very intense. It involved a lot of training and lectures. In the second year, the focus was more on practice than theory, because we were expected to pass the exam and carry on with the job by being more and more independent. Now, I am expected to be able to work on my own, but I work with a fantastic team of people. There is always a lot of support from others and they would not make me feel like I am alone. What is more, my patients are the best patients I have ever had. They are the most kind and lovely people you can imagine. It is a pleasure to help them.

Dargiris Beresnevicius

GP from Lithuania working in an NHS practice in Louth

The greatest advantages of Paragana are that you do not have to worry about seeking a job all by yourself and that the company supports you financially during the training. Naturally, the training is time-consuming and demanding. I spent 3 months learning the language and medical jargon. Nonetheless, it was quite good because if you wish to do it yourself, it is very difficult and tricky. The training takes place at Paragona campus in Warsaw. Teachers are full of passion and, extremely helpful, and focus on things we actually use in our everyday life and work. The work in the UK is not only about money; it is also about opportunities. If you want to develop your skills in some field, you can do it. An NHS practice has everything – from babies to the elderly, from mental health to dermatology, from gynaecology to urology, and more. Family? Of course, the first couple of weeks were challenging with language and things like that, but now my children are very happy at their schools and speak English at home.

Dr. Kieran Sharrock

Medical Director, Lincolnshire LMC Limited

The European GPs that have been recruited by Paragona are excellent. They have all passed a rigorous assessment process and completed a campus-based preparatory training program in Warsaw to prepare them for life and clinical work as a GP in the UK. The GPs have integrated well into practices and become invaluable members of practice teams. Their clinical competence and communication skills are appreciated by patients and colleagues, and they are now truly a part of our communities. Inevitably it takes time to adapt to the life and institutions of a new country, and particularly to a complex healthcare system like the NHS. The GPs have different clinical experience and that determines the time it takes for them to adapt to the practice way of working. However, with the extensive support program that Paragona and the practices provide, the GPs adapt really well. They help us treat patients and reduce painfully long waiting lists.  They have also provided insights into how family medicine is practiced outside the UK.  Their enthusiasm has reinvigorated struggling teams.

Find more at http://www.paragona.com