Medical Colleges - A Doctor's Career

The career path of a doctor

The following illustration gives a general outline of the career structure with the typical time frame for a doctor's career progression and the various training stages that a doctor will undertake. The undergraduate course provides you with some exposure to the different specialities within medicine. It involves practical clinical tasks and seeks to develop attitudes and behaviours appropriate to the medical profession, as well as the skills of independent learning.

Pre-registration house officer (1 year)
The pre-registration house officer (PRHO) year in undertaken by all doctors. At this stage basic clinical training in medicine and surgery, and possibly general practice is undertaken. PRHO's are provisionally registered with the GMC. However, on successful completion of this year, full registration with the GMC may be gained, which enables you to practise independently as a doctor.

Senior house officer (2 to 3 years)
At this point doctors train in a number of different specialties and it would be usual to begin to consider what eventual career path you would like to follow. For example, whether to become a GP or a hospital consultant in a specific specialty.

Specialist registrar (4 to 5 years)
This is a period of specialist training in an area you have chosen. By the end of this stage you should have  completed the relevant medical royal college exams for your chosen specialty.   
                                                                                   


  
                                                                                                  

Consultant

GP registrar (1 to 2 years)
For GPs this period of specialist training is usually community based and is shorter than that for hospital based specialties. Further exams/assessments will have to be successfully completed before you become a GP principal.

GP principal

On successful completion of postgraduate training in whatever chosen specialty, you will then be able to apply for a career grade post - a consultant or a GP principal. Whilst these are viewed as career pinnacles, all doctors are expected to continually demonstrate their fitness to practise medicine and so learning continues throughout a doctor's career.

When considering medical colleges, do your research - be sure that this demanding career is for you. Some useful references are listed under Useful contacts and resources, which may be helpful. Alongside the need to demonstrate a long-term commitment to medicine to reach a career grade, there are other factors to consider such as the financial impact of training. Information about funding to study medicine is provided later.