A medical doctor is a licensed healthcare professional who promotes, maintains, or restores health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease and injury. They evaluate symptoms, order and interpret diagnostic tests, prescribe medications, perform procedures, and manage both acute and preventative medical conditionsTo become a doctor in the UK, you must complete a recognised medical degree (5–6 years), a two-year Foundation Programme, and then pursue specialty or GP training.
The path from secondary school or a previous degree involves the following core steps:
1. Earn a Medical Degree
- Undergraduate (Standard Entry): For school leavers, this 5-to-6 year Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB or MBBS) requires top A-Levels (usually A*AA or AAA, with Chemistry and Biology). You will also need to pass the UCAT Admissions Test.
- Graduate Entry Medicine (GEM): If you already hold a relevant undergraduate degree, you can take an accelerated 4-year medical program. This typically requires a 2:1 degree and passing the UCAT or GAMSAT Exam.
2. Complete Foundation Training
Upon graduating, you enter the UK’s integrated two-year Foundation Programme.
- Year 1 (FY1): You receive provisional registration with a license to practise from the General Medical Council.
- Year 2 (FY2): Upon full registration, you will make critical career choices, deciding whether to train as a General Practitioner (GP) or in one of 60+ hospital medical specialties.
3. Specialty or GP Training
Depending on your chosen career path, further postgraduate training takes another 3 to 8 years:
- GP Training: Typically takes 3 years post-foundation.
- Hospital Consultant: Specialty training takes 5 to 8 years.
International Medical Graduates (IMGs):
If you hold an overseas medical degree, you must have your primary qualification verified by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates, pass the PLAB (Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board) or achieve another approved postgraduate exam, and demonstrate English language proficiency to register with the GMC.
