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Training usually starts with a five year first degree in medicine. You’ll then complete two years of foundation training and two years of core training (CT1-2), followed by five years of specialty training (ST3-7). All trainees in geriatric medicine also undertake the training programme for general internal medicine, leading to a certificate of completion of training (CCT) in each field. This period of training will include your royal college exams. Length of training can vary according to your circumstances.

Doctors may work up to 48 hours a week. The working hours may sometimes extend beyond the normal working day to include early mornings, evenings and weekends. You'll also need to be on call. The basic salary ranges from £29,384 to £34,012. Once you start your specialty training as a geriatrician employed by the NHS, you can expect to earn a salary of at least £40,257, which can increase to between £84,559 and £114,003 as a consultant.

You'll need excellent communication skills to manage a wide range of relationships with colleagues, and patients and their families. You'll be emotionally resilient, have excellent problem-solving and diagnostic skills and work well in teams and under pressure. You'll also be very organised for the benefit of patients.

There are approximately 1,514 geriatricians working in the NHS in England. In 2020, there were 392 applications for 202 specialty training places. Once you’re a qualified geriatrician, you’ll have the chance to undertake an additional one-year training scheme in stroke medicine. Consultants are involved in managing geriatric services and you’ll be able to undertake research and teach. Most geriatricians enjoy looking after a wide range of conditions.