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Specialist medical practitioners specialise in particular areas of modern medicine, diagnose mental and physical injuries, disorders and diseases within their specialism, prescribe and give treatment, recommend preventative action, and conduct medical education and research activities

Main tasks

  • Takes overall responsibility for, supervises and directs the implementation of care and treatment plans by other healthcare providers.
  • Prepares and delivers lectures, undertakes research, and conducts and participates in clinical trials.
  • Performs specialist medical tasks such as surgery, anaesthetisation and diagnostic or interventional radiology.
  • Provides specialist advice to generalist medical practitioners or other specialists.
  • Supervises patient’s progress and advises on diet, exercise and other preventative action.
  • Administers medical tests and inoculations against communicable diseases.
  • Diagnoses condition and prescribes and/or administers appropriate treatment/surgery.
  • Examines patient, arranges for any necessary x-rays or other tests and interprets results.

Source: Office for National Statistics.

Salary and earnings

Potential earnings

£142,397.71

Average earnings

£67,682.85

Source: Office for National Statistics' Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE).

Skills & knowledge

The top 5 most important skills and knowledge requirements relevant to this career.

Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Active Learning

Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Monitoring

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Medicine and Dentistry

Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

Psychology

Knowledge of human behaviour and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioural and affective disorders.

Therapy and Counselling

Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counselling and guidance.

Biology

Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

Customer and Personal Service

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

What course level do I need to study?

The level of study required will vary with each job, sector and company. The table below shows the level of study achieved by those currently working in this career choice.

Educational requirements: Honours, Bachelor's degree

Source: Office for National Statistics.

Level of study Percentage achieved
Level 0 1%
Level 1 2%
Level 2 1%
Level 3 2%
Level 4-5 (Higher Education) 1%
Level 6 (Bachelors) 49%
Level 7 (Masters or equivalent) 27%
Level 8 (Doctorate) 17%

Source: Labour Force Survey (LFS) data.

Economic data for careers is provided by Lightcast and also available through our Career Coach app. Job postings, employment and earnings information is represented at the regional level for the East Midlands.