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  1. Neurologist

    Neurologists diagnose, treat and manage conditions affecting the brain and spinal cord, and disorders of the nerves and muscles that activate movement and transmit sensations from around the body to the brain. 

    Training usually starts with a five year first degree in medicine. You’ll then complete two years of foundation training, two years of core training (CT1-2) and four years of specialty training (ST3-6).
    Doctors may work up to 48 hours a week. The working hours may sometimes extend beyond the normal working day including early mornings, evenings, weekends and on call. The basic salary ranges from £29,384 to £34,012. Once you start your specialty training as a neurologist 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.
    In 2020 there were 207 applications for 50 specialty training places. You could specialise or conduct research in areas such as stroke medicine, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis (MS), sleep medicine or pain management. You could teach medical or postgraduate students or get involved in research.
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