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Medicine and Dentistry

It’s an exciting time to be working in the health care sector as AI, Big Data and advancing technologies revolutionise patient outcomes.  Once degree qualified, there are a wealth of options for those with a medical degree. Different aspects of medicine will appeal to different people. Roles, responsibilities and opportunities also vary between career paths. Typical working activities include clinics, ward rounds, operations, emergencies, research, advisory roles, leadership and organisation. 

It is essential for all medical practitioners (doctors and dentists) to have a medicine or dentistry degree and to undergo further foundation and speciality training. (see further study and recommended reading for detail of the medical conversion option). 

Recommended reading 

  • British Medical Association provides a breadth of advice, about working and getting into a medical career; ideal for keeping up to date with news in this sector. 

Medicine 

Dentistry 

  •  NHS: Dental team includes a breakdown of types of dentists, dentist training and your career after dental school 

Job Profiles 

Medicine 

Dentistry 

If you are interested in these roles, you might also be curious to read about:

Skills employers look for

Different doctors are good at different things. This can determine what type of job might suit you best, although nearly all jobs will require the skills below: 

  • compassion, resourcefulness, stamina, motivation and perseverance
  • the ability to develop a rapport and develop relationships
  • the ability to work within a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals
  • excellent listening and communication skills for dealing with patients
  • the ability to work under pressure and deal with different demands
  • good IT skills for keeping patient records
  • excellent time management skills to balance appointments with admin work
  • a flexible approach to work and the ability to manage change
  • empathy, patience and tact
  • verbal and written communication skills, including skills in listening, observing, taking notes and record keeping
  • organisation skills to plan and deliver activities
  • creativity, energy and enthusiasm
  • cultural awareness and respect for the religious and cultural diversity of patients
  • an understanding of confidentiality and safeguarding issues
  • health, safety and risk awareness. 

To become a dentist in the UK, you too need good concentration, the ability to work long hours, often under pressure, and manual dexterity. 

Read more about the skills of a trainee doctor Skills for foundation doctors | Health Careers 

To develop these skills, remember Career Zone also offers a range of Personal and Professional Development sessions which are available to book on Handshake and run at least once per term.  Please also read through the sections about Gaining Experience and Further Study and Professional Development to discover how you can develop your skills through experience and by gaining further knowledge or qualifications.

Gaining Experience

As well as maintaining a high academic standard in your studies you will also need to demonstrate to any medical school admissions team that you have committed to developing relevant experience and skills, and that you understand the demands of the profession. 

This experience does not need to be clinical any experience involving mentoring, tutoring, hospitality, scientific research, volunteering within the community, public outreach, humanitarian aid, working with the homeless, helping at food banks, etc., are all excellent ways to demonstrate your skills and attributes. 

However, it is worthwhile finding some experience within a clinical setting, even if it is just observing clinicians doing their job (e.g., at a GP surgery or on a ward round at a local hospital or outpatients’ clinic) or doing clerical work as a medical secretary / receptionist.  For more hands-on clinical work experience, some students find casual part-time work in local nursing homes or as porters or Health Care Assistants (HCAs) in local hospitals. 

NHS Royal Devon & Exeter Staff Bank and Open Days website - the ‘Staff Bank’ provides opportunities for students to work flexible hours around their studies as a Health Care Assistant or similar. Periodically, the Royal Devon & Exeter (RD&E) hospital runs Open Days, where you can talk to clinical staff about opportunities for work experience. 

Further sources for gaining experience 

Clubs & Societies 

Search Exeter Students Guild for opportunities to reflect your interests. You may wish to enquire about:  

Plus, many more. 

Professional Bodies 

Being a member of a professional body is voluntary however, it can be valuable for developing networks, continuing professional development, and generally keeping up to date with what's happening in the sector. This list isn’t exhaustive, and you may find others of interest at Gov.UK professional bodies. 

Medicine 

Dentistry 

Finding advertised graduate roles, placements and internships

For qualifying doctors who have completed the MBBS (Medical Degree) and are looking for your two years of foundation training, you will apply in September of your last year. See the BMA website for more information on applying to the foundation programme. The Foundation Programme  a two-year training programme between medical school and specialist/general practice training 

Similarly, for your year of dental foundation training, applications tend to open in August and close in September of your last year of study. See the Dental Hub website for information. 

Other healthcare roles tend to be immediate start graduate jobs. These can be available all year round. You are more likely to apply for these towards the end of your studies.  

Find contacts through professional associations, institutes and trusts, and charities. See NHS authorities and trusts for details of specific trusts. E.g.  For ‘Bank jobs’ at the RD&E NHS Trust - Apply with an email outlining what you are looking for and what hours you can work to: rdetr.centralbank@nhs.net and  rdetr.centralbankapplicationforms@nhs.net 

For sector specific job listings, the following resources may be particularly helpful: 

Healthcare (general) 

Medicine  

  • British Medical Journal Careers - Recruitment organisation specialising in jobs within healthcare
  • NHS Jobs website - Opportunities advertised throughout the UK for jobs in nursing, medicine, graduate mental health work and psychological therapist roles
  • BUPA Jobs
  • SpecialistInfo - GP and consultants directory with free registration required for full access 

Dentistry 

Further sources of support 

For further advice on finding graduate opportunities, visit at our Finding a graduate job page. 

If you are an international student, visit our international webpages for help finding opportunities both in the UK and globally. 

To find opportunities outside the UK use GoinGlobal.

Further study and professional development

Graduate candidates for medicine normally need a first or upper second-class honours degree. Most graduate entry programmes require students to have their first degree in a science subject, but some medical schools also consider applicants with a first degree in an arts subject. Check with the medical school whether your first degree will be considered relevant before you apply. As a graduate you can also apply to enter undergraduate, non-accelerated medical courses. These are generally five years long. For five-year UG medicine programmes, because you are applying alongside school leavers, A level results are looked at. For further information read  Applying to medical school for graduates, mature and foundation students 

Graduate Entry Medicine (GEM) Programmes 

Almost all UK medical schools require applications from graduates to be made through UCAS. The entry requirements for Graduate Entry Medicine vary depending on which course you’re applying to, so you need to check with each Medical School first. In general, you need: 

  • At least a 2.1 science degree
  • GAMSAT, UCAT, or BMAT result - see University Clinical Aptitude Test for Medicine and Dentistry - 2025 Official Guide
  • Relevant work experience
  • Strong references
  • A compelling Personal Statement
  • Most GEM programmes do not look at A level results but just require a 2:1 degree and a relevant clinical aptitude test score
  • However, some medical schools also specify A levels in Chemistry and sometimes Biology, usually at C or B grade awarded within the previous 7 years. Search medicine conversion courses for more detail about entry requirements. 

Additional resources 

Entry routes to become a Dentist 

Dentistry courses in the UK generally last five years (six if a foundation year is required) and are demanding at both an academic and technical level. Dentistry students will study the cause, prevention, management and treatment of oral and dental disease. For additional information including where you can study, application advice and FAQs read: 

Writing a Personal Statement for Medicine 

Writing a good personal statement can make all the difference in securing that coveted place on a medicine programme, so make sure you take the time to prepare and gather your evidence. Remember, your personal statement is the only part of the application process where you get to tell medical schools why they should accept you onto their course.  Avoid generic, cliched, overly self-aggrandising statements. Keep it real, evidenced and authentic. Write in your natural style and proof-read. 

Your statement should include the following three components: 

  • Motivation — Why do you want to study Medicine?
  • Exploration — What have you done to learn about it?
  • Suitability — Why are you a great fit for it? 

Additional Resources: 

Funding Your Post-Graduate Studies 

This won't be cheap, and the financial implications can, unfortunately, pose a significant barrier to many graduates. There are ways and means of meeting the costs and always keep in mind that this is an investment in a fulfilling and (eventually) financially rewarding life-long vocation. 

The accelerated four-year graduate-entry medicine (GEM) is more affordable than completing the standard five-year undergraduate programme as a second degree. Although you will need to self-fund the first year of the programme (approx. £3.5K from you and the remainder as a tuition fee loan from Student Finance England), you can receive a bursary from the NHS that will contribute towards tuition fees (will cover about 50%) for the remaining 3 years (https://www.gov.uk/nhs-bursaries). If you are eligible for a tuition fee loan from Student Finance England, the remaining fees can be covered.  

For the five-year undergraduate medicine programmes, the NHS bursary will only cover Year 5. You will therefore need to fund years 1-4 yourself.  To cover living costs, you can apply to Student Finance England for a loan and other grants and allowances, according to your eligibility.  

Additional Resources: 

Advice 

If you are considering postgraduate or doctoral level study before entering your chosen sector, please visit our Postgraduate Study page for more information about choosing further study.