Doctor

Introduction

Doctors apply medical knowledge and skill to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of human diseases, disorders and injuries. Initial training takes five years, followed by a 2 year foundation programme and specialist training for hospital or general practice work. Entry to training is very competitive.

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Work Activities

Doctors apply medical knowledge and skill to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of human diseases, disorders and injuries. They talk to patients to find out what symptoms they have, for example, whereabouts they feel pain, and look at notes which tell them which illnesses the patient has had before.

They try to find out as much as possible about the patient by taking their blood pressure, listening to their heart and taking many other different measurements to try and work out what is wrong with them. A doctor is really like a detective - piecing together lots of evidence in order to make a diagnosis.

When they know what is wrong with the patient, they decide on the best way to treat them. This may involve prescribing medicine, therapy or operating. Doctors are supported by a team of health care workers, such as nurses.

The specific work activities of a doctor depend on whether they have chosen to be a general practitioner (GP), surgeon or physician. For example, a GP may spend most of the day in a surgery, working through a list of patients who have fairly minor medical problems. A surgeon, on the other hand might spend hours performing a major operation.

Junior hospital doctors in particular work long and irregular hours. Part of every doctor's time is spent on call, in case of emergencies.

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Personal Qualities and Skills

You will deal with people from all walks of life, so you need to be able to communicate effectively with them, in a language they can understand. You will also need the ability to make rational and objective decisions, often while under a lot of pressure.

You may well find yourself in situations that demand great emotional detachment and the ability to cope with distressing situations is vital. Practical skills are also important. A steady hand is essential for delicate operations and examination.

A medical career involves a long period of academic and clinical training, which requires considerable physical and mental stamina.

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Pay and Opportunities

The pay rates given below are approximate.

In the NHS, hospital doctors are paid on a scale:
• foundation house officer: £22,000 - £31,000 a year
• senior house officer: £27,500 - £38,500
• specialist registrar: £30,500 - £46,000
• speciality doctor: £36,500 - £68,000
• associate specialist: £51,000 - £84,000
• consultant: £74,500 - £100,500
.

Employed GPs earn around £53,000 - £80,500 a year. These figures can vary depending on the Primary Care Trust that employs them, and the services they are expected to provide.

Hospital doctors' working hours can be long and irregular and include shift, weekend and public holiday work.

It is no longer mandatory for doctors to provide consultation outside office hours. However in April 2008 the Scottish Government introduced a scheme of financial incentives for GPs' surgeries to offer extended opening hours. By September 2008 52% of surgeries were participating in this scheme.

Most GPs work in group practices. A GP who works in a remote area, for example on one of the islands, often works alone, is on call virtually round the clock and when sick or on holiday has to personally arrange for a locum to take over.

Other than the NHS and private medical companies, employers are the armed forces, government departments, industry, research and teaching. Many GPs are self-employed.

There are opportunities for working in other countries, especially in Europe.

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Adult Opportunities

It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

If you do not have the usual academic qualifications needed for a degree in medicine course, you might be able to enter the course through:
• an Access to Medicine course
• one of the six-year 'widening access' courses set up to encourage people from disadvantaged backgrounds. Courses are available at thirteen universities throughout the UK.
• a 'pre-medical' or 'foundation' year, if you do not have science Highers.
• the three year BSc Hons degree in Medicine at St Andrews which leads on to a medical degree elsewhere.

Graduates with related degrees can be accepted for the standard medical degree course. Some medical schools accept arts or humanities graduates.

Shortened or fast track medical degrees, usually lasting four years, also exist for graduates with relevant medically related degrees.

Scholarships are available for the latter years of a medical degree from the armed forces.

Some scholarships and hardship funds from medical schools are also available. Several charities and trusts offer financial support, such as the BMA Medical Education Trust.

• 27% of doctors are self-employed.
• 17% work part-time.
• 2% have flexible hours.
• 15% of employees work on a temporary basis.

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Further Information

The School of Medicine at Cardiff University produces the 'UKMedSchool Guide' with information on all UK Medical Schools. The guide can be downloaded free from the UCAS website. The table 'Other qualifications' lists the Scottish entry requirements for 2009-2010.

The Taste of Medicine website developed by St.George's University of London, contains relevant interactive games and video profiles.

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