Overseas doctors or dentists who wish to work in the UK may undertake periods of clinical attachments or dental observation posts in order to familiarise themselves with UK working practices. These clinical attachments and dental observation posts are unpaid and involve observation only and not treatment of patients.

Overseas doctors and dentists can apply for leave to enter to undertake clinical attachment or dental observation posts. However, doctors who are already in the UK on leave to take the PLAB test, or on leave as postgraduate doctors, dentists and trainee general practitioners, can undertake clinical attachments or dental observation posts under their existing leave. They will only have to apply separately under the specific rules on clinical attachments or dental observation posts where their period of existing leave (to take the PLAB Test or as a postgraduate doctor/dentist/trainee general practitioner) is due to expire before the end of the clinical attachment or dental observation post.