Surgeons diagnose and treat disease or disorders in patients that need surgical treatment in hospital. They specialise in different types of surgery dealing with specific parts of the body such as the heart and lungs or the brain and nervous systems.
The main areas of surgical specialty are:
You could be:
As of April 2024, in most junior posts (Foundation Year 1) you would earn a basic salary of £31,082 a year, increasing to a basic of £38,553 a year in Foundation Year 2. In specialist training salaries start at £40,995, rising to a maximum of £64,461 a year (depending on the length of training).
Training salaries increase between 20% and 50% with supplements, depending on the number of extra hours and intensity of work involved. A doctor in the new specialty doctor grade earns between £58,198 and £90,688 a year.
A consultant's salary ranges from £96,963 to £128,841 a year.
Workforce Employment Status
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To qualify as a hospital doctor you need a degree in medicine and surgery (SCQF Level 10) which is recognised by the General Medical Council (GMC).
Other requirements:
After your degree you do a 2-year foundation training programme, which gives you registration with the GMC, which you need to work as a Surgeon (see 'Training' below). You can find work as a surgeon with both the National Health Service (NHS) and in private hospitals.
Workforce Education Levels (UK)
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Employment
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You need to have:
You also need to be:
If you want a taste of what it is like to be a doctor have a look at the Medic Insight programme. This is a week long programme aimed at fourth and fifth year pupils in Scotland who are interested in becoming doctors. It is run by Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee universities. See the university website for details.
For more information have a look at the You can be a Doctor website which will give you all sorts of information about how to get into medicine.
Courtesy of NHS Education for Scotland
The following organisations may be able to provide further information.
British Medical Association (BMA) (Scotland)
Tel: 0131 247 3000
E-mail:
BMAScotland@bma.org.uk
Website:
http://www.bma.org.uk/
Twitter:
@TheBMA
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/TheBMA
General Medical Council (GMC)
E-mail:
gmc@gmc-uk.org
Website:
http://www.gmc-uk.org/
Twitter:
@gmcuk
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/GMCUK
Graduate Medical School Admissions Test (GAMSAT)
E-mail:
gamsat@acer.org
Website:
https://gamsat.acer.org/
Twitter:
@GAMSAT_ACER
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Gamsat-ACER-Graduate-Medical-School-Admissions-Test-252785548206744/
NHS Scotland Careers
Website:
http://www.careers.nhs.scot
Website (2):
https://jobs.scot.nhs.uk/
Twitter:
@NHSScotCareers
University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT)
Tel: 0161 855 7409
Website:
http://www.ucat.ac.uk
Twitter:
@UCATofficial
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/UCATofficial