Hospital doctor
A hospital doctor diagnoses and treats illness and disease in patients admitted to hospital.
In this guide
What you'll do
Day-to-day tasks
Your day to day tasks will depend on your medical speciality. You'll do some tasks common to most hospital doctors like:
- talk to, examine and treat patients in hospital wards or outpatient clinics
- carry out medical procedures
- write reports and keep confidential records
- supervise and train junior medical staff
- work with the wider medical team and update GPs about their patients
Working environment
You could work in an NHS or private hospital.
Your working environment may be physically and emotionally demanding.
You may need to wear a uniform.
Career path and progression
With experience you could:
- apply to senior or consultant roles once you're on the General Medical Council Specialist Register
- lead a team, manage a department or work in a private practice
- work in the Army, Royal Air Force or Royal Navy as a doctor or medical officer
- train medical students or other healthcare professionals
- move into clinical research
What it takes
Skills and knowledge
You'll need:
- knowledge of medicine
- science skills
- counselling skills including active listening and a non-judgemental approach
- sensitivity and understanding
- the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
- the ability to use your judgement and make decisions
- thinking and reasoning skills
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
Restrictions and Requirements
You'll need to:
Related subjects
Most relevant
- Biology - Hospital doctors need a deep understanding of how the human body works – from cells and organs to whole body systems. They use this knowledge every day when diagnosing conditions, understanding how diseases develop, and deciding on treatments.
- Chemistry - Hospital doctors need to understand how drugs interact with the body, how biochemical processes work, and how conditions like diabetes or kidney disease affect the body's chemistry. This knowledge is essential when prescribing medications and interpreting blood test results.
- Mathematics - Hospital doctors use maths when calculating drug dosages, interpreting medical statistics, and reading research data. They also need to understand probabilities when assessing risks and making decisions about treatment options for their patients.
- Psychology - Hospital doctors regularly support patients who are anxious, distressed, or dealing with life-changing diagnoses. Understanding human behaviour, mental health conditions, and how to communicate sensitively helps them provide better care and build trust with patients.
Also relevant
- Physics - Hospital doctors use technologies based on physics principles, such as X-rays, MRI scanners, ultrasound, and radiation therapy. Understanding how these work helps them interpret results accurately and choose the right diagnostic tools for each patient.
- English Language - Hospital doctors write detailed medical reports, keep accurate patient records, and explain complex conditions in plain language to patients and their families. Clear communication – both written and spoken – is critical for patient safety and effective teamwork.
- Sociology - Hospital doctors treat patients from all backgrounds and need to understand how factors like poverty, ethnicity, and social inequality affect health outcomes. This awareness helps them provide more equitable care and understand the wider causes of illness.
- Physical Education - Hospital doctors advise patients on recovery, rehabilitation, and maintaining physical health. Understanding how exercise affects the body – including the cardiovascular, respiratory, and musculoskeletal systems – helps them recommend appropriate activity levels during and after treatment.
How to become
You can get into this job through a university course or an apprenticeship.
To become a hospital doctor, you'll need to complete:
- a degree in medicine recognised by the General Medical Council which takes 5 years
- a foundation course of general training which takes 2 years
- specialist training which can take between 5 to 8 years depending on the speciality
A medical degree normally takes 5 years to complete. Some courses have the option to include an extra year if you want to study a subject further. This is called an intercalated year.
You might be able to study a foundation year before starting a medical degree. This will depend on your circumstances or if you have not studied enough sciences. Check with the admissions department where you want to study.
If you already have a degree, you could take a 4-year graduate entry route into medicine. There’s lots of competition and entry requirements vary, so check with the admissions department where you want to study.
Entry tests
When you apply for a course in medicine, you may be asked to take the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT).
It tests the skills you'll need on the course, like critical thinking, problem solving, data analysis, communication and scientific knowledge.
Work experience
Medical schools will also expect you to have some relevant paid or voluntary work experience. The British Medical Association provides information on how to find a placement.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- at least 5 GCSEs grades 9 to 7 (A* or A), including English maths and sciences
- 3 A levels, or equivalent, including biology and chemistry
More Information
You might be able to do a doctor degree apprenticeship which will take around 5 years to complete.
The apprenticeship is recognised by the General Medical Council.
You could then progress to the foundation course of general training before completing the specialist training.
Entry requirements
Employers will set their own entry requirements.
More Information
You can gain valuable caring skills from volunteering in education, charity or social care settings. For example, you can:
- get advice about volunteering in the NHS
- find volunteering opportunities through The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) and Do IT
Registration
- you'll need to register with the General Medical Council
Career tips
The General Medical Council has a guide on what it means to be a good doctor. You might find this useful when preparing for medical school interviews.
You can use online resources to find out more about the types of interviews you can expect to get into for medical school.
Professional and industry bodies
You could join the British Medical Association for professional development and training opportunities.
Further information
You can find out more about becoming a doctor and studying medicine from the British Medical Association and Health Careers.
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