Hospital doctor

You'll need to complete:

• a 5-year degree in medicine, recognised by the General Medical Council
• a 2-year foundation course of general training
• 2 to 3 years of core medical training (CMT) or Acute Care Common Stem (ACCS) programme
• 4 to 7 years of specialist training, depending on your chosen area of medicine

If you already have a degree in a science subject (minimum upper second), you could take a 4-year graduate entry programme into medicine.

You may be able to join a 6-year degree course in medicine if you have no science qualifications. This includes a one-year pre-medical or foundation year.

When you apply for a course in medicine, you could be asked to take the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT) or BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT). They test the skills you'll need on the course, like critical thinking, problem solving, data analysis, communication and scientific knowledge.

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

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 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

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements
• student finance for fees and living costs
• university courses and entry requirements
• University Clinical Aptitude Test
• BioMedical Admissions Test

Registration

• you'll need to register with the General Medical Council

Professional and industry bodies

You could join the British Medical Association for professional development and training opportunities.

Further information

You can find out more about becoming a doctor and studying medicine from the British Medical Association and Health Careers.

You'll need:

• 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 able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

You'll need to:

• pass enhanced background checks

You'll examine, diagnose and treat patients. You'll specialise in a particular area like:

• surgery - care for patients before, during and after an operation
• medicine - treat general medical conditions and work in specialisms like cardiology, dermatology, ophthalmology, geriatrics and neurology
• paediatrics - manage health conditions that affect babies, children and young people
• pathology - investigate the cause of disease and the effect on patients
• psychiatry - work with patients experiencing mental health problems like depression, anxiety, personality disorders and addiction
• anaesthesia - give anaesthetics for surgery and medical procedures
• obstetrics and gynaecology - care for pregnant women and their unborn children
• oncology - treat patients with cancer

Depending on your role you might also:

• lead a team of medical staff
• manage a department
• teach and supervise trainee doctors
• write reports and keep GPs informed about the diagnosis and care of their patients

You could work in an NHS or private hospital.

Your working environment may be physically and emotionally demanding.

You may need to wear a uniform.