How to become a Doctor. Have you ever thought about becoming a Doctor? As a GP you will need to have a desire to help people. You should always put your patients first. You will probably be busy all the time and work under pressure. You will also make very quick decisions which will be about people’s health. If you have those skills then you can be a doctor after five year degree and two year foundation programme.
Job Description
Doctors are persons who are responsible for the care of sick patients in the community and aftercare of surgery or hospitalised patients. They give medicines and advice to patients, monitor them, and give care orders to nurses. Doctors are generally expected to be confident, Level -headed and willing to work at short notice and long hours, and capable of remaining calm in stressful situations. The hours depend on the department you are employed within. Being a Doctor is a good job for many people, but the key traits to have are a sociable personality, strong teamwork skills, and ability to work under direction, a good sense of humour, calm under pressure and caring.
Entry Requirements
Many Doctors start their career by attending university. In this setting, you learn textbook skills, and apply them on placements in local hospitals. You then attain a degree. You can choose to build upon this by majoring in a specific field such as disabilities, paediatrics, geriatrics, mental health or community care, or a specific body part field such as Orthopaedics, Cardiac, renal etc. As these are all degree courses the entry requirements vary depending on establishment, but the usual entry requirements are 5 GCSE’s grades A-C including Maths, English and Science.
Responsibilities and Duties
Standard duties vary dependent on the environment in which you are employed. A GP is responsible for the routine consultations with patients, examining them and making diagnosis and offering treatment. GP’s may find themselves in charge of minor procedures such as wart removal or suturing small wounds. A ward Doctor may find themselves charged with the care of sick or injured patients, or patients following surgery. Often hospital doctors may have to deal with patients with very little background information on the patient. Mental Health Doctors are in charge of ensuring patients with mental illness are properly cared for, diagnosed correctly and kept safe if they are threatening to harm themselves.
Working Hours
These may vary depending on the duties and job you are doing. Some wards work on 12 hour rotations; others are routine wards and may require standard set working hours such as 9-5. This is common in GP consulting where you are only expected to work during practice hours. Emergency doctors and ward doctors are usually required around the clock and therefore you can expect to be called upon during any required time.
Skills and Training Development
Doctors can expect to progress through their careers with improving skills and knowledge as well as time served. You may find yourself qualified as a GP Doctor, and decide to change dedication to another style of nursing. Furthering your education in the fields of Mental Health, Paediatrics, Geriatrics, Learning Disabilities, Physical Disabilities, Rehabilitation or Obstetrics could offer you career progression. Promotion to higher ranks such as partner of a surgery or head of department is usually gained through time service.
Average Salary
The average salary for a Trainee Doctor is £26,000 PA.
The average salary for a Qualified Doctor is £30,000 PA.
The average salary for a Senior Doctor is £45,000 PA.
photo by: vandervllt uni
