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Surgeon
Hours
Variable
Starting salary
£33,300 + per year
If you are interested in a challenging career in medicine, this could be perfect for you.
To become a surgeon, you will need to complete a degree in medicine, recognised by the General Medical Council. You will also have to do further training that would last another ten years.
A surgeon needs to put people at their ease and inspire trust and confidence. They also need to work under pressure and make quick, accurate decisions.
WorkDesc
The work
Surgeons specialise in caring for patients who may need an operation. This could be, for example, if the patient has been injured, has a disease or has a condition that is getting worse.
As a surgeon you would use your in-depth knowledge of physiology, biochemistry, pathology and anatomy to work in one of nine surgical specialities. These are: cardiothoracic surgery; general surgery; plastic surgery; ENT; paediatric surgery; trauma and orthopaedic surgery; urology; neurosurgery; and oral and maxillofacial surgery.
Patients would be referred to you by other hospital doctors and GPs, and through admission to accident and emergency. Your key duties would involve:
- making a diagnosis
- deciding on the most appropriate course of action
- operating on patients
- monitoring patients after an operation.
You would also be responsible for training and supervising junior doctors and other healthcare professionals in the hospital. In addition, you may carry out research and write papers for publication.
As a senior or consultant surgeon, you would see patients in outpatient clinics, lead a team during surgery, and see patients on wards before and after an operation. You would keep patient records and write to GPs about their patients’ condition and treatment.
HoursDesc
Hours
You would work long hours including nights, weekends and being on call. European legislation has reduced the number of hours worked, but you would still be expected to work unsocial hours and as part of an out-of-hours rota system.
You would work in an operating theatre, on hospital wards and in consulting rooms.
IncomeDesc
Income
Foundation house officers (junior doctors) can earn between £33,300 and £41,300 a year. Doctors in specialist training can earn up to £69,400 a year, and consultants can earn between £74,500 and £180,000 a year.
Salaries for doctors in training include an additional amount based on the average hours of overtime worked, time spent covering unsocial hours, and workload.
Surgeons working in private sector hospitals may obtain higher fees.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
EntryRequirementsDesc
Entry requirements
To become a surgeon, you will need to complete:
- a degree in medicine, recognised by the General Medical Council (five years)
- a foundation programme of general training (two years)
- core training (two years)
- specialty training (five to six years).
See the Training and Development section below for more details.
Each medical school has an individual approach, so it is important that you research each one and choose a course that will best prepare you for a career in surgery. See the Royal College of Surgeons of England website for advice, and check the General Medical Council (GMC) website for a list of degree courses.
To do a degree in medicine, you will usually need:
- at least five GCSEs (A-C) including English, maths and science
- plus three A levels at grades AAB in subjects such as chemistry, biology and either physics or maths.
If you do not have qualifications in science, you may be able to do a six-year degree course in medicine that includes a one-year pre-medical or foundation year. You will need to check with individual universities.
If you already have an honours degree in a science subject (minimum 2:1) you may be able to get on to a four-year graduate entry course. Some universities will accept non-science graduates. See the Medical Schools Council website for details of course providers.
When you apply for a course in medicine, you may be asked to take the UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT). This is used to check your suitability for a career in medicine by testing your mental abilities and behavioural characteristics, rather than your academic achievements. For details see the UKCAT website.
If you trained as a doctor overseas, you will need to contact the GMC to find out about registering and practising in the UK.
TrainingAndDevelopmentDesc
Training and development
Once you have a degree in medicine, you will need to complete three further stages of training to become a senior (or consultant) surgeon:
- a two-year foundation programme. You will be known as a Foundation House Officer and work in clinical settings ranging from acute care to mental health. At the end of year one (known as F1) you can achieve full registration with the GMC. By the end of year two (F2) you will make your career choice to train in surgery. Applications are through The Foundation Programme website. See The Foundation Programme website
for more details
- core surgical training – this stage takes two years and includes sitting the Intercollegiate Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons general surgical exams. Applications are usually arranged locally by postgraduate deaneries
- specialty training – this can take between five and six years depending on your surgical specialism. You will work as a Specialist Registrar and sit specialty surgical exams leading to Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS). When you successfully complete this stage, you will be awarded the Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT)
When you are awarded the CCT, you will be eligible to join the General Medical Council (GMC) Specialist Register and apply for a licence to practise. For more information on licensing and a new system of revalidation, check the GMC website.
This is the most direct route through surgical training and covers most specialties. For help with choosing your specialism, see the NHS Medical Careers website.
Throughout your career you will be expected to continue learning and developing your surgical skills. The Royal College of Surgeons' website has information on all aspects of training and continuing medical education for practising surgeons.
SkillsAndKnowledgeDesc
Skills and knowledge
To become a surgeon, you will need to have:
- a genuine desire to help people
- an interest and ability in science, medicine, anatomy and physiology
- excellent communication skills
- the ability to put people at their ease and inspire trust and confidence
- leadership and management skills
- the ability to work under pressure and make quick, accurate decisions
- the ability to always work to high professional standards
- a keen interest in your specialist field
- the ability to keep your skills up to date
- excellent hand-eye co-ordination and practical skills
- the ability to train, teach and supervise staff.
MoreInformationDesc
More information
Royal College of Surgeons of England
35-43 Lincoln’s Inn Fields
London
WC2A 3PE
Tel: 020 7405 3474
www.rcseng.ac.uk
UKCAT, UK Clinical Aptitude Test
www.ukcat.ac.uk
Health Learning and Skills Advice Line
Tel: 08000 150850
British Medical Association (BMA)
Tavistock Square
London
WC1H 9JP
Tel: 020 7387 4499
www.bma.org.uk
General Medical Council(GMC)
Regent's Place
350 Euston Road
London
NW1 3JN
Tel: 0845 357 3456
www.gmc-uk.org
OpportunitiesDesc
Opportunities
Competition for promotion through the various training grades can be strong, as places on core surgical training and specialty training programmes are limited. Once you qualify you may need to relocate in order to take up more senior positions.
As a surgeon you will find work opportunities in the NHS and private sector. With experience, you may go on to lead a team or manage a department.
Specialist publications like Hospital Doctor may be useful for vacancies and general reading. You could also check the following (links open in new window):
Job profiles are based on the latest information supplied to us by industry bodies, such as Sector Skills Councils. Please be aware that with the introduction of the Qualifications and Credit Framework there has been, and will continue to be, changes to vocational qualifications. For more information, please check with industry bodies directly.
We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.
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Related industry information
Industry summary
The health sector is represented by Skills for Health Sector Skills Council, which comprises three sub‐sectors:
- National Health Service (NHS)
- Independent Healthcare Sector (such as private and charitable healthcare providers)
- Third Sector (healthcare) (such as small local community and voluntary groups, registered charities, foundations, trusts, social enterprises and co‐operatives)
The health sector is made up of hospitals, doctors’ surgeries, dental practices, the ambulance service, nursing homes, residential care homes, complementary medicine and a huge range of other health related activities, from sight tests in opticians to research in medical laboratories. Most people in the health sector work in the publicly funded National Health Service (NHS), which includes:
- primary care (organisations which the public goes to first) – Doctors/General Practitioners (GPs), NHS Walk in Centres, NHS Direct, Out of Hours Emergency Care
- secondary care (organisations which the public are referred onto) – Ambulance Trusts, NHS Trusts/hospitals, NHS Foundation Trusts/hospitals, Mental Health Trusts, Care Trusts (provide joint health and social care activities)
NHS policy in England is directed from the centre by the Department of Health. Local organisations, known as Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), are in charge of providing and commissioning services, controlling the majority of the budget. PCTs are overseen by 10 regional organisations called Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs).
The independent sector includes companies and charities that offer hospital and specialist services usually after referral from a doctor. Operations and other work are carried out in private hospitals, independent treatment centres, mental health units and hospices.
Key facts:
- The health sector is the largest employer in the UK, representing 5.5% of the working age population of the UK and 7.3% of the working age population that are currently in employment.
- It is estimated that the sector employs over 2 million people, including:
- over 1.5 million people in the NHS (72%)
- over 0.5 million people in the Independent Healthcare sector (26%)
- almost 40,000 in the voluntary sector (2%)
- 56% of the workforce has a higher education qualification (or equivalent).
- The age profile for the sector shows an older than average workforce, which is due in part to the fact that it takes some professions a long time to train and can mean that people enter the sector later.
There is a varied list of jobs in the sector ranging from a diverse number of clinical roles, to support and infrastructure staff, for instance: Allied Health Professionals (AHPs); Ambulance Staff; Dental Staff; Doctors/Medical staff; Nursing staff; Midwifery Staff; Healthcare Scientists; Health Informatics Staff; Management; Wider Healthcare Team; Complementary Therapists.
National and regional data
High proportions of the health sector workforce are located in:
- London
- South East
- North West
East Midlands - The health sector employs 131,515 people, which accounts for 7% of all employment in the region.
- The East Midlands employs 8% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 29% of all employment across the sector or 41,200 employees.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 133,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
East of England - The health sector employs 164,720 people, which accounts for 7% of all employment in the region.
- The East of England employs 9.8 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 30% of all employment across the sector or 52,300 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 14% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 103,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
London - The health sector employs over 249,524 people, which accounts for 6% of all the employment in the region.
- London employs 15% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 33% of all employment across the sector or 78,500 employees.
- Vacancies in health and social work account for 12% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 146,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
North East - The health sector employs 89,201 people, which accounts for 8.7% of all employment in the region.
- The North East employs 5.3 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 25% of all employment across the sector or 23,800 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 12% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be almost 46,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
North West - The health sector employs 251,960 people, which accounts for 8% of all employment in the region.
- The North West employs 15% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 23.5% of all employment across the sector or 59,200 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work account for 11% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 133,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
South East - The health sector employs 264,071 people, which accounts for 7.1% of all employment in the region.
- The South East employs 15.7% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 23.5% of all employment across the sector or 59,200 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 12% of all Industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 164,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
South West - The health sector employs 182,187 people, which accounts for 8.2% of all employment in the region.
- The South West employs 10.8 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 30% of all employment across the sector or 60,700 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 12% of all Industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 105,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
West Midlands - The health sector employs 168,746 people, which accounts for 7.2% of all employment in the region.
- The West Midlands employs 10% of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 25% of all employment across the sector or 43,000 employees.
- Vacancies in the health and social work sector account for 9% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 108,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
Yorkshire and the Humber - The health sector employs 182,848 people, which accounts for 8.2% of all employment in the region.
- Yorkshire and the Humber employ 10.9 % of the total health sector workforce for England.
- The private sector accounts for 24% of the total health care workforce or 42,000 employees.
- Vacancies in health and social work account for 11% of all industry vacancies.
- Between 2007 and 2017, the total requirement for workforce will be approximately 97,000 people. This is the total of the predicted expansion plus replacement demand.
Northern Ireland - The health sector employs 61,300 people.
- Northern Ireland employs 3% of the total health sector workforce.
- 81% of the workforce is female.
- 26% of the workforce is aged 35‐44 years.
- 96% of the workforce is white.
- 10% of the workforce reports a disability.
- 48% of the workforce is in Associate Professional and Technical occupations.
- 23% of organisations in the health and social work sector report vacancies.
Scotland - The health sector employs 201,500 people.
- Scotland employs 10% of the total health sector workforce.
- 78% of the workforce is female.
- 30% of the workforce is aged 45‐54 years.
- 95% of the workforce is white.
- 14% of the workforce reports a disability.
- 39% of the workforce is in Associate Professional and Technical occupations.
- 23% of organisations in the health and social work sector report vacancies.
Wales - The health sector employs 114,900 people.
- Wales employs 6% of the total health sector workforce.
- 74% of the workforce is female.
- 34% of the workforce is aged 45‐54 years.
- 94% of the workforce is white.
- 18% of the workforce reports a disability.
- 40% of the workforce is in Associate Professional and Technical occupations.
- 27% of organisations in the health and social work sector report vacancies.
[N.B. Data derived from Labour Force Survey, 2008‐2009, Annual Business Inquiry, 2007, and Northern Ireland Census of Employment, 2007]
Career paths
Further sources
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