Timeline

The Royal College of Physicians has always been involved with helping doctors train and excel in their medical careers. In 2011 this is as true as ever, and we wanted to reemphasise for members, non-members and visitors alike - that the RCP is an excellent source of information and guidance during a career in medicine. Our timeline provides resources, links and insight taking you from leaving school and considering a career in medicine, to the later stages as a senior doctor. It is a way to understand the work we do, what RCP membership can do for you, and how the various stages of a physicians' career fit together.

	School leavers Planning a career in medicine starts here, with the right choice of A-levels and engagement in extra-curricular activities such as work experience.
	Medical students The undergraduate degree provides the clinical and academic foundations for medical training, through UK universities and teaching hospitals, and leads to provisional registration with the General Medical Council.
	Foundation doctors The two-year foundation programme marks the first stage of employment for a doctor, during which they are trained in clinical and non-clinical competencies across a range of specialties.
	Core and specialty trainees This stage allows doctors to determine their career path. Through extensive training in a particular specialty, doctors work towards a certificate of completion of training (CCT).
	Fully qualified doctors With specialty training complete, a doctor can apply for a job as a surgeon, GP, hospital physician, psychiatrist, or a whole host of other senior doctor posts, depending on their training path
	Consultant physicians This is a senior post for a doctor who has completed training in a medical specialty. Physicians work mainly in hospitals, diagnosing conditions, and giving advice or prescribing treatment.
	Retired doctor Many retired doctors choose to remain in touch with the profession, either through voluntary clinical work or social activities.