Using your degree: Medicine
Nearly all Cambridge Medicine graduates progress into Foundation Training, working as Junior Doctors. The 2 year foundation training programme combines work in a number of medical specialities with additional training.
During the second year of the foundation programme you will choose your medical speciality. There are over 60 medical specialities with training programmes lasting three to eight years, during which you will take on additional responsibilities, support the training of Junior Doctors on their foundation programmes and have opportunities for promotion to Registrar and Consultant. The BMJ produce useful guides to over fifty of these specialisms
There are a number of clinical career opportunities for Doctors outside of the NHS, including private practice, working abroad for healthcare services or to support global health and development work and clinical research.
Some other paths open to Medicine graduates
Each year, 6-10 Medicine students complete the MBPhD programme between the third year of their undergraduate degree and clinical training (years 4-6), enabling them to move into research roles on completion of their studies if they choose.
Some Medicine graduates choose to undertake a PhD after the completion of their Medicine degree, or later in their career following their foundation training, enabling them to move into research or combine academic research with their clinical career.
Medical knowledge and experience is valued in a range of fields outside of clinical practice including:
- In pharmaceutical and biotech companies, undertaking research, working as a medical-science liaison or in sales roles.
- Science and Technology Consulting, particularly where firms work with organisations across the Life Sciences
- Management and strategy consulting, particularly for those with management or operations experience in healthcare
- Policy and strategy, including areas of work focused on the delivery and implementation of healthcare services