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Becoming a medical specialist in the UK?

*I am planning to go to Cambridge Medical school (Girton College) in the UK. After graduation, I wish to gain a specialist qualification in sports medicine and musculo-skeletal therapy. In the UK, how would this be possible? I cant find any medical specialist schooling facilities. Where would I go for each of the medical specialist groups? (eg opthamology, nephrology, cardiology)

*I am also deciding whether to become an orthopedic surgeon instead. In the US, i know this involves 5 years of training, 4 of which are spent as a registrar. How does the system of becoming an orthopedic surgeon work in England? And how many years, on average, would you be required to work as a registrar to become any type of surgeon?

Thanks very much!

1 Answer

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  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    Once you have obtained your 1st degree and provisional registration you then do a year as a JHO, 6 months medicine and 6 months surgery where you learn to look after patients and gain full registration. You apply for specialist training posts which in your case would be surgery. Make sure that the training includes a fair amount of orthopaedics and casualty, all of the rotas include general surgery but the specialisms vary. You will then begin the Fellowship examinations for the Royal College of Surgeons. You then apply for Registrar training which will be more specialised in orthopaedics but may include related topics like neurosurgery or vascular surgery depending on the rota. You will then finish the Fellowship examinations and at the end of this you will be able to apply for consultancies.

    If you want to specialise in sports medicine you should apply for posts in hospitals which have an interest in sports medicine and where you might have the chance to work with surgeons with an interest in this topic. Read the literature as you reach the end of your 1st degree/JHO year and take note of where the interesting authors are working.

    Good luck - I think it is currently 7-10 years post graduate training to become a consultant.

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