The bottom line is that few people are suitable to become a doctor in the UK. In excess of 5 years academic and practical training doctors have specific personal attributes that many people in other industries do not require.
Getting on with all types of people, calm with medical employees and patients is a start, long shifts and unsocialable hours also apply. Yes, a good salary and benefits when you become a doctor, although qualifying today costs a considerable amount of money. Eventually you can specialise in a certain area of medicine, although throughout your training to become a doctor your will require to generalise.
Very good decision making and following medical guidelines are key for obvious reasons.
Medical schools
There are a number of UK medical schools to choose from including:
University of Aberdeen, School of Medicine
Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry
University of Birmingham, School of Medicine
Brighton and Sussex Medical School
University of Bristol, Faculty of Medicine
University of Cambridge, School of Clinical Medicine
Cardiff University, School of Medicine
University of Dundee, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing
University of Edinburgh, The Faculty of Medicine
University of Glasgow, Faculty of Medicine
Hull York Medical School
Imperial College School of Medicine, London
Keele University, School of Medicine
King's College London School of Medicine (at Guy's, King's College and St Thomas' Hospital)
University of Leeds, School of Medicine
University of Leicester, Leicester Medical School
University of Liverpool, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (Postgraduate Medical School)
University of Manchester, Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences
University of Newcastle, Newcastle Biomedicine, The Medical School
University of Nottingham, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
University of Oxford
Peninsula Medical School
Queen's University Belfast, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
University of Sheffield, School of Medicine
University of Southampton, School of Medicine
University of St Andrews, Faculty of Medical Sciences
St George's, University of London
Swansea University, School of Medicine
University College London, University College Medical School
Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia
University of Warwick, Warwick Medical School
Practical training in hospitals is an integral part of your training and to building up medical skills and knowledge.
To become a doctor in the UK and be qualified full membership of the British Medical Council BMA is required, and only then you are qualified.
You should already know to check all courses for doctor training, applications date and so on.
Personal skills required
Wide ranging the following helps:
Calm manner
Sympathetic
Enquiring
Interest in others
Concern for others
Open minded
Decision maker
Task completer
Others
Academic entry requirements
For obvious reasons only people with A’s and above will gain a place on a medical school degree course. There will also be exceptions with people with a B. Depending on the course provider medical schools offer accelerated entry courses for graduates and credit for prior learning. In addition, universities offer fast track, graduate entry training taking 4 years.
Science based Biology and Chemistry at Advanced Higher or A Levels as well as English and mathematics are basic entry requirements. AS or highers for entry at 17 years old for Scottish universities.
With no formal science based qualifications (Or required grades) you may have an option to take a one year pre-undergraduate course.
Graduates with other degrees can train to become a doctor following the 6 years at least required.
Yes, places to become at doctor at every stage are competitive.
There is also a face to face interview to gain a place on a university course.
Qualification for a doctor
First stage is an undergraduate Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery degree leading to a BA qualification from one of: MBBS, MBBS/BSc, MBChB, MBBCh, or BMBS.
Medical degree courses differ and medical schools.
Length of time to qualify
Undergraduate 5 or 6 year course.
Fast tract 4 years for graduates with certain sciences based degrees.
Foundation degree that includes pre medical course 6 years.
Funding training
Undergraduate loans for maintenance grants and fees in England and Wales are available and at present in Scotland there are no fees.
In year 5 and 6 you will require to obtain your own funding, such as a Career Development Loan from one of the high street providers or alternative funding.
You only get loans for one degree and graduates retraining for to become a doctor require to provide their own funding for the entire 5 or 6 years.
NHS bursaries are available for qualifying students.
Written by: Education Tay RCB
