Can you become a doctor with biomedical science?

I wouldn't say that's the case. If you do an accredited course and get your portfolio done, you can earn anything up to £40k within ten years. That's roughly equivalent to what you'd be on after the same time doing GEM. There is room for further earnings depending on what you do exactly as a career. You could lecture part time, or move into research, or work in the pharmaceutical industry.

Being a BMS doesn't mean you have to spend your entire life in a crap job in a dark lab room. There are loads of jobs you can move into.

Finally, you kind of made my point. Whilst future earnings is an important part of a career choice, I'd argue enjoyment and quality of life are more important. Working in research can be great; stressful at times but also quite laid back at other times. If financial incentive is your primary motive for studying graduate-entry medicine I'd suggest you'd be better of doing something legal or financial.

Or do something in the medical profession?

For me when i decide a career two factors come into play: the money and the job itself
If I went into banking/consulting/legal/financial then the money is good, but the job itself isn't satisfying
Medicine on the other hand the pay is decent (less than the above but still good) but the job satisfaction is immense and outweighs the salary consideration. In other words I'd happily earn less money if I loved my job
With biomed I'm not interested in working in a lab or anything to do with a biomed career path and the salary isn't good. I had a look at NHS banding for biomed scientists and it's nowhere near that of a consultant doctor or even speciality doctors who can go and locum. Which kinda brings me back to my original point - if I did biomed and didn't get into GEM then it's been a complete waste

I know several BMS/clinical scientists who earn above 70k pa. It is doable, and I wouldn't say it was more difficult than becoming a consultant or less difficult. Both require very dedicated lifestyles but in different ways. As I mentioned above you can also head into pharmaceutical research, where the money can potentially be a lot better.

You say you wouldn't enjoy biological research but that's also quite a large part of being a doctor further down the line in your career. Not so much as a junior doctor (though you could do some academic work), but certainly as a specialist trainee and a consultant you will be engaged in clinical and non-clinical research.

I've had a look at the pharmaceutical industry and all the big money is over in America.

I'm sure AstraZenica and GSK would like to have a word with you. There are dozens of smaller companies which pay well in the pharmaceutical industry. Wouldn't rule it out!



If you want to be a consultant, you'll have to do a research degree on top of medical school at some stage. Normally after CT/ST1. Have a look at the path to becoming a consultant for different specialities, you can find person specifications online.



Fair enough, I wouldn't do BMS then. That was the point of my original post :P



Yes it's competitive, but no more so than going for specialist posts in a lot of popular medical specialities. You will face competition regardless of your career and very few people reach the top of their fields without significant hard work and competition.

The STP runs yearly, you gain experience and try and get in. If you don't you get more experience and reapply. You're not exactly jobless whilst that process goes on.

I'd do a fellowship to continue into consultancy e.g clinical dermatology fellowship

You wont get any funding for any second undergraduate degree (apart from a maintenance loan). You could consider applying to join the armed forces. They have a bursary scheme that would pay a lump sum each year after year 2 (about 10 grand I think) then a lump sum of approx 45 grand when you finish your army medic training) You would join as an officer and have to spend 8 years in the army, Not bad pay - good experience and an army pension!! Might be worth looking into

I know several BMS/clinical scientists who earn above 70k pa. It is doable, and I wouldn't say it was more difficult than becoming a consultant or less difficult. Both require very dedicated lifestyles but in different ways. As I mentioned above you can also head into pharmaceutical research, where the money can potentially be a lot better.

You say you wouldn't enjoy biological research but that's also quite a large part of being a doctor further down the line in your career. Not so much as a junior doctor (though you could do some academic work), but certainly as a specialist trainee and a consultant you will be engaged in clinical and non-clinical research.

what are the differences between a biomedical scientist and a clinical scientist and what routes do you do to get from being a biomedical scientist to a clinical scientist? I ask as I am studying a biomedical science degree.

You know a few BMS who earn over 70K? That's crazy. I thought band 8b was the highest you could go in BMS which is about 57k? Do you know what disciplines they are in out of curiosity?

Micro, with private work additional to 8a salaries.

Micro, with private work additional to 8a salaries.

What sort of private work? I know biomeds can go up to 8c and perhaps further if they ever roll out consultant biomedical scientist roles as well. I personally think its a good career but others notsomuch.

I think it's pretty rare for biomedical scientists to go beyond band 7, but I could be wrong. A high level clinical scientist, on the other hand, could get band 8-9 pay.