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Careers in Medicine

Undertaking a postgraduate degree in medicine is a well-established and sometimes necessary route into beginning or progressing a career in the medical profession. Students with an undergraduate degree in science will often follow this option, as a career working in medicine can offer up a fascinating area for study, as well as having the potential to be quite lucrative. There are a variety of options available for graduates with medical qualifications, and it is wise to consider which profession you would like to pursue before taking a course, as the degree you take can have advantages when it comes to certain career paths. 

How do you become a doctor?

The usual path to becoming a general practitioner is the 5 year MBChB medical degree, or the 4 year accelerated degree available to those who have already graduated in another subject area. This will often be followed by two years worth of training on the Modernising Medical Careers (MMC) training programme made up of Foundation Year 1 (F1) and Foundation Year 2 (F2).

Completion of the F1 leads to a full registration from the General Medical Council (GMC), which entitles doctors to practice within the UK. The F2 year allows candidates to sample a range of specialism such as psychology, immunology and general practice.

Following successful completion of the specialist/GP training programme, doctors will be eligible for entry to the Specialist Register or GP Register held by the GMC. Once on the register, doctors can apply for a senior medical appointment, such as a consultant post or a GP. Once qualified, all doctors are appraised annually for the rest of their career to ensure they continue to be fit to practice. They are expected to maintain a Personal Development Plan (PDP) and emphasis is placed on continuing professional development.

What are the salary expectations for doctors?

The salary for doctors has the potential to be lucrative, but the hours are long. In the most junior post (F1) a doctor has a starting salary of £29,384. This would increase in the second year (F2) to £34,012.

A speciality doctor can earn a basic salary of £50,373 to £78,759. Salaried GPs earn approximately £65,000 to £98,000. Consultants can earn £88,000-£119,000, depending on their length of service and payment of additional performance related supplements.

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How do you become a dentist?

On qualifying, dentists must be registered with the General Dental Council, the profession’s regulatory body, before they can practice in the UK. Most dentists, after graduating, opt to work as general dental practitioners (GDP), providing dental care to the general public. They may practise under the National Health Service (NHS) or privately – most GDPs see a mixture of NHS and private patients.

GDPs are self-employed and can therefore choose where they work and the hours they keep. Although being self-employed is demanding and running your own business can be risky, it can be very rewarding.

Later on, a dentist may often become a practice owner. Only registered dentists and doctors can own dental practices. As well as treating patients, practice owners are responsible for managing the business and keeping it viable. There is no formal career structure, so dentists can develop at their own pace and pursue the dental specialist areas that interest them.

Dentists can also work part-time in hospitals, teach dental students, or can find work as clinical assistants.

Hospital practice is highly specialised and covers oral surgery, restorative dentistry, children’s dentistry and orthodontics. Hospital dentists tend to see fewer patients than GDPs, but their treatment is usually more complex as they have generally been referred by a GDP or doctor. Patients may be referred with complex medical conditions, congenital abnormalities, complex facial injuries or oral facial disease. Unlike GDPs, hospital dentists receive a salary and generally work as part of a team.

What are the salary expectations for dentists?

Newly qualified dentists in foundation training can earn a salary of £34,728. An NHS salaried dentist may earn between £44,000 and £96,000, depending on working arrangements. Consultants in dental specialities earn between £88,000 and £119,000, depending on the length of service and payment of additional performance related supplements.

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How do you become a nurse?

The fundamental role of nurses is to care for patients and support their treatment and recovery. They also give support and advice to patients' families and those who care for them as well as promoting good health. Nurses will work closely with other members of a healthcare team and may also liaise with other professionals such as social workers and teachers to ensure their patients get all the support they need. Such is the variety of nursing jobs available that the location of work - and types of duties - may vary enormously.

Nurses must hold a degree or diploma in nursing as recognised by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) – a pre-registration programme. Courses such as these are offered at a number of universities and colleges across the UK. Only when they are on the NMC’s register will they be allowed to practice as a nurse in the UK and apply for job vacancies.

Graduates with a relevant degree (e.g. health-related or biology-based) can apply for an accelerated training programme leading to a diploma, postgraduate diploma or a master’s degree. These programmes usually last at least 24 months or longer if studied on a part-time basis.

Nurses will train in one of the four branches of nursing in the UK (adult nursing, children's nursing or mental health nursing). Once nurses are registered, they can specialise or move into other areas of care such as health visiting, mental-health nursing, midwifery, community work and social work.

What are the salary expectations for nurses?

NHS nursing salaries are structured around different bandings, with newly qualified nurses beginning at Band 5, with a starting salary from £27,055 a year. Senior nurses are in Band 6, with a salary starting at £33,706. Roles in nursing continue up to Band 8 and Band 9, with Band 8 roles starting at £48,526 and Band 9 roles starting at £95,135. Nursing jobs in these latter bands are usually chief nurses and consultants.

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