Structure of Training
This page provides a brief introduction to the structure and various levels of medical training in UK. If you are already aware of this please move to next page.
- House Officer
- Senior House Officer
- Specialist Registrar
- Consultants
- The Firm
- Appointment procedures
- Curriculum Vitae
- Referees
House Officer :
This is a 1-year compulsory training undertaken immediately after medical school. It can be several 3months/ 6 months in various medical/surgical sub-specialties. Appointment is by open competition.
Senior House Officer (SHO) :
Otherwise known as basic surgical training. The duties of SHO include admission of elective/ day case patients and pre and post-operative work-up. The operative experience involves basic surgical aspects.
Appointment is by open competition. The current MRCS regulations require 3 years of basic surgical training to be eligible to sit the exam. It can be multiple postings of 6 months or a 3-year rotation involving A&E, orthopaedics, general surgery, related surgical specialties (breast, GI, colorectal, vascular, paediatric surgery).
Often the trainee develops an interest towards the end of this posting. Those interested in a particular speciality (i.e. urology) often spend 6 months in that. Most of the person specifications for higher surgical training often have these as desirable criteria.
Careers
