Searching for steps on how to become a Radiologist in the UK? Are you interested in science, the human body, and the concept of X-rays? Or do you want to practice your dream career as a Radiologist in the UK?
Then hold on to this article as it provides the necessary information on what to know about radiology and how to become a Radiologist in the UK.
To become a Radiologist, critical medical knowledge is certainly necessary to give you a solid insight into the role and what it entails.
As a technologically dependent career, Radiology is one of the most interesting specialties in medicine.
What Is Radiology?
Radiology is the use of imaging techniques such as ultrasounds, X-rays, CTs, PETs, and MRIs to diagnose disorders and diseases.
These scans are conducted closely with Radiographers.
Who Is A Radiologist?
Before we talk about how to become a radiologist in the Uk proper, who is a radiologist?
Radiologists are qualified doctors who specialize in the use of imaging techniques to analyze, diagnose and treat a variety of clinical conditions and diseases.
In most cases, they may share little or no communication with their patients, but share their diagnosis with referring physicians and doctors. They also must coordinate radiological assistance with other medical activities.
Duties of a Radiologist include:
Radiologists have responsibilities to carry out efficiently and they could be held accountable for misconduct and negligence.
Here are some duties of a radiologist listed below:
- Proper recording of patients’ medical history.
- Working with other experts in the field to instruct and monitor and carry out procedures.
- The use of duly maintained and properly working computerized machines in the detection or diagnosis procedures and also interpreting images.
- Documentation of results.
- Treating patients with the use of medical radiation if needed.
- Assessing the need for further diagnosis to be taken, and discussing or suggesting possible treatment options.
Skills / Traits Of A Radiologist
Radiologists are required to have certain traits and skills to work efficiently and offer professional services to patients. Some of these include:
- A Good Clinical Knowledge:
A good understanding of general medicine and certain medical specialties like anatomy, physiology, and pathology is essential for certain roles.
- A Good Analytical Mind:
A radiologist needs to be good at analyzing details and also have good observational skills for problem-solving and be a strong logical thinker.
- The ability to multitask:
The ability to multitask and work under pressure is essential as this specialty comes with a lot of such.
- Team Work:
The capacity to work well in a team and to manage others effectively.
- Good Communication Skills:
A good writing communication skill is necessary for accurate report writing and also outstanding verbal communication skills to converse with patients and advise other colleagues and clinicians.
A radiologist should be able to pay good attention to details.
- Flexibility:
A radiologist needs to have a flexible approach to work, and also the ability to adapt quickly to varying conditions.
- Excellent motor skills and dexterity.
- The ability to operate medical equipment used to interpret images with care and with caution, and a systematic and careful approach to handling procedures.
- The ability to coach subordinate medical staff and assist with the necessary research.
- The capacity to work with surgeons while performing minimally invasive techniques
Now, let’s dive into the steps on how to become a radiologist in the UK.
Steps On How To Become A Radiologist In the UK
- Earn A Medical Degree
- Become a member of the British Society of Interventional Radiology
- Undergo A 2-Year Foundation Programme
- Apply for GMC registration
- Enroll In The Radiology Specialty Training Programme
- Apply For Consultant Post
- Gain Work Experience
- Practice Your Dream Career
- Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
More details on how to become a radiologist in the UK:
1. Earn A Medical Degree
To become a radiologist in the UK you must study and earn a medical degree.
This usually takes between five to six years to complete. If you have a degree in another course other than medicine (science-related and with high academic performance ), you can undergo a four-year medicine program to get your medical degree.
The List of Medical Schools in the UK[Medical Schools Council of the UK]:
- University of Aberdeen School of Medicine and Dentistry
- Anglia Ruskin University School of Medicine
- Aston University Medical School
- Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry
- University of Birmingham College of Medical and Dental Sciences
- Brighton and Sussex Medical School
- University of Bristol Medical School
- University of Buckingham Medical School
- University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine
- Cardiff University School of Medicine
- University of Dundee School of Medicine
- Edge Hill University Medical School
- The University of Edinburgh Medical School
- University of Exeter Medical School
- University of Glasgow School of Medicine
- Hull York Medical School
- Imperial College London Faculty of Medicine
- Keele University School of Medicine
- Kent and Medway Medical School
- King’s College London GKT School of Medical Education
- Lancaster University Medical School
- University of Leeds School of Medicine
- University of Leicester Medical School
- University of Liverpool School of Medicine
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
- University of Manchester Medical School
- Newcastle University School of Medical Education
- University of Nottingham School of Medicine
- University of Nottingham – Lincoln Medical School
- University of Oxford Medical Sciences Division
- Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry
- Queen’s University Belfast School of Medicine
- University of Sheffield Medical School
- University of Southampton School of Medicine
- University of St Andrews School of Medicine
- St George’s, University of London
- University of Sunderland School of Medicine
- Swansea University Medical School
- University of Central Lancashire School of Medicine
- University College London Medical School
- University of Warwick Medical School
- Brunel University London, Brunel Medical School
- Ulster University, School of Medicine
- University of Chester Medical School
2. Become a member of the British Society of Interventional Radiology
This is to keep you informed about developments in the field of radiology. You could also take a project and elective in radiology as part of your undergraduate medical degree.
3. Undergo A 2-Year Foundation Programme
During this specialty radiology training, you will take examinations to gain entry into the Fellowship of The Royal College of Radiologists (FRCR), and at the end of this practice, you’ll obtain a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) which will get you qualified for the GMC Registration.
On successful completion of the program, you’ll be awarded a Foundation Programme Certificate of Completion (FPCC).
In this training program, you get to work and learn from other experienced doctors who are experts in the field, in different specialties which may include radiology.
Please visit the UK Foundation Programme for more details (https://foundationprogramme.nhs.uk/ )
4. Apply for GMC registration
You can apply for registration as a doctor with the GMC, after the completion of the first year of foundation training.
Attaining this level of registration is a necessity if you want to practice your profession as a doctor (radiologist) in training in the UK.
5. Enroll In The Radiology Specialty Training Programme
This program takes at least five years to complete (stages S1 – S5), or a further year of training (ST6) for interventional radiology specialty.
It includes three years of training in general radiology, alongside two years of special interest training (or three for interventional radiology ).
6. Apply For Consultant Post
As a consultant, you’ll gradually gain more clinical knowledge and take on more administrative responsibilities. You may then move to senior consultant roles and larger departments. This would help you take on responsibility for your subspecialty or imaging technique.
7. Gain Work Experience
You are expected to gain work experience, either paid or voluntarily, in areas relevant to medicine and your specialty. This could be done at a hospital, surgery or nursing home, and more.
Gaining work experience shows and proves your commitment to becoming a professional in the field of radiology and it trains and gives insight into the physical and emotional demands necessary for working in the field of medicine.
8. Practice Your Dream Career
As a Radiologist in the UK, there are a lot of job opportunities to work in the private sector and government agencies, as well as scientific organizations.
9. Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
Continuing Professional Development is very fundamental if you want to remain on your GMC registration. Radiologists are expected to continue learning throughout their careers. This is to enable you to continue to develop your proficiency in your area of specialty and explore new techniques.
This can be achieved through; advancing your knowledge through the study of courses in related fields, attending conferences, meetings, workshops, and more.
Is Radiologist In High Demand?
Before checking the steps on how to become a radiologist in the UK, checking the demand for radiologists is very important.
Due to the rising healthcare demands, more medical students especially in the field of radiology are required in the UK.
And also a licensed radiologist is an attractive prospect for employers given the good reputation in the UK medical and healthcare sector.
What Do Radiologists Do?
Radiologists are medical doctors that specialize in diagnosing and treating injuries and diseases with the use of medical imaging techniques such as X-rays, nuclear medicine, computed tomography (CT), ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and positron emission tomography (PET).
Is a radiologist a doctor in the UK?
Radiologists are medical doctors. They attend medical school to attain basic medical practice and qualifications.
In the United Kingdom, they are required to complete two foundation years in general medical training.
How long is a medical school in the UK?
Medical degrees in the UK take at least five years to complete.
The course involves a variety of basic medical science training, as well as clinical knowledge in hospitals.
What is the difference between radiology and radiography?
While Both deal with issues regarding patient diagnostics and testing, Radiologists usually do not perform the imaging tests; they are generally doctors that are specialized in reading and interpreting imaging scans, while radiographers are the medical technicians that perform the diagnostics imaging tests.
Is it hard to get into radiology?
Just like every other medically inclined course or specialty, becoming a radiologist isn’t easy.
It demands a lot of dedication and hard work. That is why it is so important to venture into this sector with a passion-driven mind.
At what age do you become a doctor in the UK?
In the UK, Students must be 18 years of age at the start of a medical degree program.
Conclusion:
Those are the steps to take on how to become a radiologist in the UK. Radiology is a broad, and rewarding career field in medicine.
Becoming a radiologist in the UK is an excellent career choice for anyone who wishes to specialize in performing radiotherapy and imaging techniques to treat patients.
All the steps outlined to become a Radiologist in the UK may be overwhelming and difficult initially but it doesn’t have to be. Early preparation is important if you want to venture into this medical specialty.
However, it is important to understand what radiology is all about and how to become a radiologist in the UK. In this article, we have outlined this including what radiologists do, their skills, and even more.