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Hospital doctor

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Hospital doctors examine, diagnose and treat patients with a range of illnesses, diseases and injuries who've been referred or admitted to hospital

As a hospital doctor, you'll apply your medical knowledge and clinical skills to diagnose, treat, manage and help prevent disease and other medical conditions. You'll typically divide your time between wards and outpatient clinics and will work closely with a range of other healthcare professionals, including nurses, radiographers, pharmacists, physiotherapists and other doctors.

Most hospital doctors work in the public sector (NHS), although opportunities also exist in private hospitals.

Types of doctor

There are around 60 specialties to choose from. Some of the more common areas include:

Explore the range of roles and specialties.

Responsibilities

Specific tasks depend on your specialty. However, as a hospital doctor, you'll usually need to:

  • examine, assess and talk to patients to diagnose and manage their medical conditions
  • order, interpret and act on diagnostic tests and investigations
  • provide general and specialist care to patients on wards, in theatres and in outpatient clinics
  • develop and review treatment plans, prescribe medicines and carry out procedures or operations
  • maintain accurate, confidential electronic patient records
  • work collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams to provide high-quality care
  • communicate clearly with patients (and their families and carers where appropriate) about their illness, condition and treatment
  • teach, supervise and assess resident doctors and medical students
  • participate in clinical governance, audit and quality improvement initiatives to enhance patient safety and service delivery
  • at senior levels, contribute to leadership, service planning and research.

Salary

  • The basic salary during foundation training in England is 拢38,831 to 拢44,439. Salaries for doctors starting their specialist training range from 拢52,656 to 拢73,992.
  • As a speciality doctor, you'll earn between 拢61,542 and 拢99,216. Salaries for specialist grade doctors range from 拢100,870 to 拢111,441.
  • Salaries for newly qualified consultants start at 拢109,725, rising to 拢145,478, depending on the length of your service.

Resident doctors (formerly known as junior doctors) will earn a basic salary, plus pay for any hours over 40 per week, a pay enhancement for working nights, a weekend allowance and an availability allowance if you're on call.

High-cost supplements are available to doctors working in London. You'll automatically be enrolled in the NHS pension scheme, but you can opt out.

Consultants in England and Wales may apply for local Clinical Excellence Awards and national Clinical Impact Awards. You should also be paid more if you take on extra responsibilities in, for example, management or education. In Scotland, you can apply for discretionary points.鈥疌onsultants are also able to supplement their salary by working in private practice.

Figures relate to the pay and conditions of medical doctors within the NHS, which is the largest employer of surgeons in the UK.

Salary bands differ across the four countries of the UK. Pay negotiation happens annually at different times, so salaries will change when each country agrees their new pay award. Check your country's pay scales for doctors for the most up-to-date NHS salary information on the BMA.

Income data from NHS Health Careers - Pay for doctors. Figures are intended as a guide only.

Working hours

Working hours can be long and include nights, weekends and on-call shifts as part of a rota, although the pattern varies depending on your specialty. Once qualified, flexible working options may be available.

What to expect

  • Settings include hospital wards, outpatient clinics, operating theatres, laboratories and specialist units such as A&E or intensive care.
  • Posts are available across the UK in most cities and large towns. Some doctors combine NHS work with private practice.
  • The work can be mentally and physically demanding but can also be highly rewarding when patients recover or improve.
  • Travel may occasionally be required to other hospitals or to attend meetings or conferences. On-call duties can involve staying overnight or responding to emergencies at short notice.
  • There are also opportunities to work or volunteer abroad through global health or research initiatives or charity work.

Qualifications

To become a hospital doctor, you must complete:

  • a degree in medicine recognised by the General Medical Council (GMC)
  • the two-year UK Foundation Programme of general medical training
  • specialty training in your chosen area of medicine.

Medicine degrees usually take five years. However, if you already have a degree (usually a 2:1 or above in a science-related subject), you can apply for a four-year graduate-entry medicine programme (GEP). The British Medical Association (BMA) provides advice for鈥�graduates applying to medical school.

Some universities offer medicine degrees with an integrated foundation or gateway year to widen access for students who show strong potential but don't meet standard entry requirements. For more information, see the Medical Schools Council (MSC).

Entry into medicine is competitive, and your motivation and commitment are rigorously assessed. Most medical schools expect you to take one of the following admissions tests:

Once you've completed your medical degree, you must apply for provisional GMC registration. You can then apply for the two-year paid鈥�UK Foundation Programme, which involves a series of work placements in different medical and surgical specialties:

  • Foundation Year 1 (F1) - working under supervision and leading to full GMC registration
  • Foundation Year 2 (F2) - remaining under clinical supervision but with greater responsibility for patient care and clinical decision making.

On completion, you'll receive the Foundation Programme Certificate of Completion (FPCC) and can apply for specialty training. To help you explore options, the BMA has created a specialty explorer tool.

Entry to some specialties is highly competitive, with more applicants than training places. This means that not everyone who applies for specialty training will secure a post. Find out more about competition ratios.

Specialty training can be:

  • run-through - apply once and progress continuously through your training
  • uncoupled - complete two or three years of core training before reapplying for higher specialty training.

Training length varies by specialty and can take up to eight years. Full details are available at Medical Specialty Recruitment.

Successful completion leads to the award of the Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT), allowing you to join the GMC Specialist Register and apply for substantive consultant-level posts in your specialty.

Not all hospital doctors become consultants; some choose to work as鈥�specialty doctors or associate specialists (SAS). For these roles, you'll need GMC registration and at least four years of postgraduate training, including two years of specialty training.

Find out more about training in鈥�Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Skills

You'll need to have:

  • compassion, emotional resilience and commitment to caring for others
  • strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to listen, empathise and explain complex information clearly
  • teamworking and leadership skills
  • sound clinical judgement and decision-making skills
  • the ability to manage time, prioritise competing demands and perform under pressure
  • problem solving and analytical skills to assess situations, plan treatment and anticipate potential complications
  • adaptability and flexibility, responding effectively to changing clinical priorities or environments
  • integrity, professionalism and respect for patient confidentiality
  • digital literacy, using electronic patient records and clinical systems accurately and efficiently
  • motivation for lifelong learning and continuous professional development.

Work experience

Entry to medical school is competitive, and admissions tutors expect applicants to demonstrate they understand what a career in medicine involves. This isn't limited to clinical placements - most medical schools value a wide range of experiences that show caring, communication and teamwork skills.

Experience can be gained through paid or voluntary work in hospitals, GP practices, hospices, care homes or community organisations, ideally involving direct contact with patients. Shadowing doctors can also be helpful - contact your local hospital to ask about opportunities.

Virtual work experience accepted by medical schools is available through Medic Mentor, which also offers free mentoring. You can also learn more about the profession by watching documentaries, listening to podcasts or reading articles about healthcare. What matters most is reflecting on what you've learned about patient care and the realities of medical work.

At medical school, choose modules in the area of medicine you would like to specialise in, join a relevant student society and consider doing an elective placement. During foundation training, make the most of networking opportunities by attending conferences and events.

Find out more about the different kinds of work experience and internships that are available.

Employers

The NHS is the largest employer of hospital doctors, but opportunities also exist in private hospitals and the armed forces. Qualified doctors may work overseas with aid agencies or international health organisations.

Experienced consultants may combine private work with working for the NHS.

Look for job vacancies at:

Jobs are also advertised on the websites of private healthcare providers, specialist recruitment agencies and individual trusts.

Professional development

You'll be expected to continue learning and developing throughout your career. Continuing professional development (CPD) is required to maintain your licence to practise and GMC registration.

CPD activities include attending courses, conferences and workshops, as well as participating in audits, contributing to teaching or engaging in research and quality improvement projects. Your royal college or professional body will provide guidance on the type and amount of CPD required each year.

If you're interested in combining teaching with clinical work, you could complete a postgraduate qualification in medical education. For an academic or research-focused career, you'll usually need a PhD in an area of original research.

Search postgraduate courses in medical education.

Career prospects

You can apply for consultant roles up to six months before completing your CCT, although additional experience or research may be needed for competitive posts.

As a consultant, you'll gain take on greater responsibility, with potential to progress into leadership roles such as lead consultant, clinical director or medical director. The availability of consultant and specialist posts depends on current and future service needs. Gaining additional postgraduate qualifications can enhance your skills and career prospects.

Many consultants teach or supervise junior doctors and may become educational supervisors, training programme directors or directors of medical education. Doctors wanting to pursue a research or academic career usually begin during Foundation Training through an academic clinical fellowship or a PhD.

Specialty and specialist doctors mainly focus on patient care but may also contribute to teaching, research and committee work.

Many hospital doctors develop portfolio careers, combining NHS work with education, research, leadership or private practice. Some work overseas in research, global health initiatives or humanitarian medicine.

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