Hospital doctor

Entry Requirements:

You can get into this job through a university course or an apprenticeship.

University

To become a hospital doctor, you'll need to complete:

• a degree in medicine recognised by the General Medical Council which takes 5 years
• a foundation course of general training which takes 2 years
• specialist training which can take between 5 to 8 years depending on the speciality

A medical degree normally takes 5 years to complete. Some courses have the option to include an extra year if you want to study a subject further. This is called an intercalated year.

You might be able to study a foundation year before starting a medical degree. This will depend on your circumstances or if you have not studied enough sciences. Check with the admissions department where you want to study.

If you already have a degree, you could take a 4-year graduate entry route into medicine. There’s lots of competition and entry requirements vary, so check with the admissions department where you want to study.

Entry tests

When you apply for a course in medicine, you could be asked to take the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT), BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) or Graduate Medical Schools Admissions Test (GAMSAT).

They test the skills you'll need on the course, like critical thinking, problem solving, data analysis, communication and scientific knowledge.

Work experience

Medical schools will also expect you to have some relevant paid or voluntary work experience. The British Medical Association provides information on how to find a placement.

Entry requirements:

• at least 5 GCSEs grades 9 to 7 (A* or A), including English maths and sciences
• 3 A levels, or equivalent, including biology and chemistry

Entry requirements:

Apprenticeship

From September 2024, you might be able to do a doctor degree apprenticeship which will take around 5 years to complete.

The apprenticeship is recognised by the General Medical Council .

You could then progress to the foundation course of general training before completing the specialist training.

Entry requirements:

Volunteering

You can gain valuable caring skills from volunteering in education, charity or social care settings. For example, you can:

• get advice about volunteering in the NHS
• find volunteering opportunities through The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) and Do IT

Required Skills:

Digital skills : to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Skills:

• knowledge of medicine
• science skills
• counselling skills including active listening and a non-judgemental approach
• sensitivity and understanding
• the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
• the ability to use your judgement and make decisions
• thinking and reasoning skills
• patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• analytical thinking skills
• customer service skills
• the ability to think clearly using logic and reasoning
• knowledge of psychology
• excellent verbal communication skills
• knowledge of English language
• the ability to read English
• excellent written communication skills
• concentration skills
• maths skills
• the ability to work well with your hands

What you'll do:

A hospital doctor diagnoses and treats illness and disease in patients admitted to hospital.

Your day to day tasks will depend on your medical speciality. You'll do some tasks common to most hospital doctors like:

• talk to, examine and treat patients in hospital wards or outpatient clinics
• carry out medical procedures
• write reports and keep confidential records
• supervise and train junior medical staff
• work with the wider medical team and update GPs about their patients

Location : You could work in an NHS or private hospital.
Environment : Your working environment may be physically and emotionally demanding.
Uniform : You may need to wear a uniform.

Salary:

Starter : £32,000
Experienced : £92,000

These figures are a guide

Working hours:

42 - 48 hours a week

Working Pattern is evenings / weekends / bank holidays on a rota

Career Path:

With experience you could:

• apply to senior or consultant roles once you're on the General Medical Council Specialist Register
• lead a team, manage a department or work in a private practice
• work in the Army , Royal Air Force or Royal Navy as a doctor or medical officer
• train medical students or other healthcare professionals
• move into clinical research