The Student Room Group

Job in medicine?

So, I'm not entirely sure on what I want to be when I am older. I'm probably thinking about going into medicine however i,m quite sceptical about the long working hours and the fact that you may have t study for 10 years just to be a doctor. Does anyone know any jobs concerning medicine that seem interesting and manageable. I'm in year 11 and for my A-Levels I am thinking of taking Maths, Biology and Chemistry.

I was thinking of becoming a paediatrician, but what are the exact steps needed to become one? Can someone explain please.
Original post by amypops
So, I'm not entirely sure on what I want to be when I am older. I'm probably thinking about going into medicine however i,m quite sceptical about the long working hours and the fact that you may have t study for 10 years just to be a doctor. Does anyone know any jobs concerning medicine that seem interesting and manageable. I'm in year 11 and for my A-Levels I am thinking of taking Maths, Biology and Chemistry.

I was thinking of becoming a paediatrician, but what are the exact steps needed to become one? Can someone explain please.


A paediatrician is a doctor and therefore you'd have to go through all the training to be a doctor to become one, and have long working hours, which is what you don't want...
Reply 2
Original post by amypops
So, I'm not entirely sure on what I want to be when I am older. I'm probably thinking about going into medicine however i,m quite sceptical about the long working hours and the fact that you may have t study for 10 years just to be a doctor. Does anyone know any jobs concerning medicine that seem interesting and manageable. I'm in year 11 and for my A-Levels I am thinking of taking Maths, Biology and Chemistry.

I was thinking of becoming a paediatrician, but what are the exact steps needed to become one? Can someone explain please.


What do you mean by studying 10 years to become a doctor?
You study 5 or 6 years at Uni and then you learn 'on the job'
If you're not a 100% then don't do it - medicine requires a huge ammount of commitment, and if that's not something you want, then you'll hate every second. How about a pharmacist or biomedical researcher or something related but without the long hours?
Original post by popo111
What do you mean by studying 10 years to become a doctor?


You do your Primary Medical Qualification (MBBS, MB ChB, BMBS, MB BChir etc) and then when you graduate, you go through the NHS training pathway for medics, which consists of your foundation training, speciality training, and then eventually, you become a consultant :biggrin: The whole process does take a while, and I think 10 years is about right?

My knowledge is a bit basic on this - I considered applying for medicine so I did a bit of basic research on the career beforehand.

Original post by Potato456
If you're not a 100% then don't do it - medicine requires a huge ammount of commitment, and if that's not something you want, then you'll hate every second. How about a pharmacist or biomedical researcher or something related but without the long hours?


Pharmacy careers are looking.. let's say a bit bleak.
(edited 6 years ago)
Unless you are absolutely 100% sure, do not go into medicine. It is not one for the half arsed. It is ridiculously hard to get in. It is very hard to learn. It is very hard, exhausting and challenging to be one. You can't even be arsed to work long shifts. Next career path!
Reply 7
Original post by Blue_Cow
You do your Primary Medical Qualification (MBBS, MB ChB, BMBS, MB BChir etc) and then when you graduate, you go through the NHS training pathway for medics, which consists of your foundation training, speciality training, and then eventually, you become a consultant :biggrin: The whole process does take a while, and I think 10 years is about right?

My knowledge is a bit basic on this - I considered applying for medicine so I did a bit of basic research on the career beforehand.



Pharmacy careers are looking.. let's say a bit bleak.

I think you meant consultant but wrote doctor.
Original post by amypops
So, I'm not entirely sure on what I want to be when I am older. I'm probably thinking about going into medicine however i,m quite sceptical about the long working hours and the fact that you may have t study for 10 years just to be a doctor. Does anyone know any jobs concerning medicine that seem interesting and manageable. I'm in year 11 and for my A-Levels I am thinking of taking Maths, Biology and Chemistry.

I was thinking of becoming a paediatrician, but what are the exact steps needed to become one? Can someone explain please.


A medical degree is 4-6 years long, not 10.

If you want to be a paediatrician you would need to go to medical school (if you go straight from sixth form that's 5 or 6 years at university). Once you graduate you are a qualified and registered doctor. You then complete the two year Foundation Programme where you work in (usually) six different specialties for four months each. You are employed by the NHS and get a salary, annual leave etc. After you've completed the Foundation Programme you can apply for paediatrics specialty training, which takes eight years to complete. During this period, you work in different subspecialties of paediatrics and sit the MRCPCH exams. The duties and responsibilities you have will increase as you progress through the training programme and once you've completed all the outcomes needed, you can apply for consultant jobs.

Paediatrics (at least while you're training) is an acute speciality, so there will be long hours, night shifts etc. But the most important thing at this point is to firstly decide whether or not you want to be a doctor (irrespective of speciality), and go from there, because there are specialties which have more regular hours, you can't really decide on a specialty in year 11 anyway.

The best thing to do is to try and arrange some hospital work experience so you can see what the job is actually like. Your work experience doesn't necessarily have to be in paediatrics, so long as you're shadowing a doctor in clinical practice e.g. a GP, a physician, a surgeon etc, that will give you an idea of whether or not the work is likely to be suited to you.

That's a very brief overview, you can find more info about work in the NHS and applying to med school here:

https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles

http://www.medschools.ac.uk/Students/howtoapply/Pages/default.aspx

https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Medicine
Original post by TraineeBMS
Unless you are absolutely 100% sure, do not go into medicine. It is not one for the half arsed. It is ridiculously hard to get in. It is very hard to learn. It is very hard, exhausting and challenging to be one. You can't even be arsed to work long shifts. Next career path!


It's completely normal to have doubts or uncertainties as a year 11 student - I'd be more worried about the student who got into medicine without considering and asking about the realities of the job beyond "saving lives".
Original post by Democracy
It's completely normal to have doubts or uncertainties as a year 11 student - I'd be more worried about the student who got into medicine without considering and asking about the realities of the job beyond "saving lives".


Unfortunately, and it wasn't too long ago I was in his shoes, they have to make the decisions at a very young age. Medicine is hard work and many go down it expecting a great pay day, a glamorous job title and the honour of being referred to as 'Dr.' The courses are saturated and would remain so even with the inclusion of an extra 10 Universities providing the course.

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