Being employed in the NHS

At least during the beginning of a career in medicine you will be working in the NHS. To find out information about the NHS organisation, how it is set up and what it is like to work within it visit:

Which organisations are important for a career in medicine?

Protecting your career

Training structure

Modernising Medical Careers (MMC) interactive career diagram

See “The Gold Guide” – A guide to postgraduate specialty training in the UK published June 2007

Working hours

Key information regarding working hours surrounds the following legislation

  • The New Deal (BMA and Government)
  • European Working Time Directive

Pay

BMJ Careers provides information on salary scales

Junior doctors can find simple and clear information on pay in Welcome to the Medical Team - this contains information on

  • Sick pay schemes
  • Paternity and maternity pay

Pay, redundancy, locum rates and terms and conditions of service can be found here

NHS Pension Scheme - find out how you can support your retirement

Professionalism

A key document outlining professionalism is: Royal College of Physicians. Doctors in society: medical professionalism in a changing world. London: Royal College of Physicians; 2005. 

Surviving being a doctor

Berger A. Surviving (and even enjoying) medicine. BMJ Career Focus. 2000; 320: S2.

  1. Make sure you do things other than work
  2. Create your dream work schedule
  3. Learn to say ‘no’ without feeling guilty
  4. If you need help, ask for it
  5. Seek peer support

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