How to Become a Consultant Doctor in the UK: Training and What to Expect

The decision to pursue medicine as a career begins with a simple intention: to care for people. For many doctors, this intention evolves into a clear professional goal, which is to become a consultant doctor in the UK in their favourite area of speciality. 

A consultant doctor in the UK commands respect and has clinical authority, which naturally follows years of structured training. The long pathway to becoming a consultant in the UK is shaped by national standards, competitive milestones, and continuous professional growth. Let’s explore how to become a consultant doctor in the UK. 

What Does a Consultant Doctor Do in the UK?

A consultant doctor is a senior doctor who is responsible for delivering the highest standard of patient care in a leading role. A consultant doctor in the UK leads clinical teams and offers expert medical services in their area of expertise. Responsibilities of a consultant doctor are:

• Diagnosing, treating, and managing patients
• Mentoring resident doctors and supporting their growth and development
• Leading research and innovation to improve patient outcomes
• Playing the role of a clinical leader and following the best practices

Overview of the UK Medical Training Pathway

The General Medical Council (GMC) oversees the medical training pathways of prospective doctors. The journey to becoming a consultant starts from medical school, learning the basics in the foundation years to grow into a specialised hospital role. Let’s understand this multi-year journey. 

Entry Requirements and Key Exams You’ll Need

Medical training to become a consultant doctor in the UK starts with a medical degree. The basic entry requirement is getting an undergraduate medical degree, such as MBBS/MBChB, which is generally a 5-year degree. Students learn basic science and develop foundational clinical skills. 

For students who don’t qualify for a medical degree, a one-year foundation course may be taken before joining a medical degree program. 

A graduate entry option is available for individuals with a prior degree. They can take up a 4-year accelerated program if they meet the requirements. Often, students opt for intercalated degrees, where they explore a new area in depth for one year on top of the medicine degree. 

Foundation Training

Medical graduates start their training as a doctor through the two-year foundation training program (F1 and F2). They complete different speciality rotations, each lasting four months. Doctors who want to become consultants can then choose speciality training in their preferred core area. 

Speciality Training and Progression to Consultant Level

The training programs vary based on the specialty. The duration also depends on the chosen speciality training, which can last from 3 to 8 years. After completing the training program, doctors who want to become consultants in the UK must take Royal College Assessments to get their Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT). 

Depending on the chosen speciality, the training can be:

1. Run-Through Training:
   Candidates apply once after foundation training, and the institution recruits them for the entire duration of the speciality program.
2. Uncoupled Training:
   Many specialities offer uncoupled training, for which students can apply after completing the core training. The entry is not guaranteed, particularly for highly competitive specialities.
   1. Depending on the speciality, the training can be Core Training (CT) for 2–3 years.
   2. In 2019, core training was replaced by Internal Medicine Training (IMT) for internal medicine, which lasts for 2–3 years.
   3. ACCS (Acute Care Common Stem) is a 4-year uncoupled training where students rotate through six-month placements in Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Anaesthetics, and Intensive Care Medicine.

After completing CT, IMT, or ACCS, doctors who want to become consultants must take up Higher Speciality Training (HST), which is commonly called ST3/ST4+. Recruitment for HST requires a single online application, and recruitment is done based on the candidate’s preferred location and speciality. The HST may last for 4-5 years, again based on the speciality. 

Once HST is complete, consultant doctors get a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) after completing Royal College assessments. The CCT provides entry for consultant doctors as a GMC specialist or general practitioner. 

How Many Years Does It Take to Become a Consultant Doctor?

When you consider it from the start of medical school, it can take 12 to 14 years to become a consultant doctor in the UK. The breakdown is as follows:

• Medical school: 5-6 years
• Foundation training: 2 years (FY1 and FY2)
• Speciality training: 5-8 years (CT/IMT/ACCS plus HST)

What to Expect During Consultant Training

Consultant training is a paid residency program in the UK. Students rotate through different hospital departments in various settings. Based on the training program and speciality, each rotation can last for 4-6 months to gain broad experience. As one of the requirements to obtain CCT, trainees should maintain a portfolio documenting their clinical skills, audits, and teaching experience. 

What to Expect Once You Become a Consultant

Once a person becomes a consultant, the ultimate clinical responsibility for patient care lies with them. They lead multi-disciplinary teams with junior doctors, therapists, and nurses. Often, they make patient-centric decisions in high-risk and complex cases. 

Beyond patients, they are also responsible for managing departments, innovating to improve services, and mentoring the next generation of doctors. The basic salary for a consultant starts from £109,725 to £145,478 per year. If they wish, consultants can also work in private practice and supplement their salary. 

Career Options

As a senior doctor, consultant doctors in the UK can expect permanent consultant roles within the National Health Service (NHS). They also work with private consultations. Some consultant doctors pursue academic medicine and become deeply engaged in research and teaching. 

Consultant doctors can progress into management positions like clinical director or medical director. Doctors who want an alternative to a traditional consultant role can explore GP Locums Jobs in Wolverhampton, like Specialist, Associate Specialist, and Speciality SAS roles.