Clinical radiology
Clinical radiologists use images to diagnose, treat and manage medical conditions and diseases.
Given the importance of imaging to modern medicine, you’ll play a vital role in the swift and accurate diagnosis of patients with a wide variety of conditions.
Life as a clinical radiologist
It’ll be your job to examine the anatomy, pathology and clinical history of a patient as well as their previous images to select the most appropriate technique for diagnosis while minimising a patient’s exposure to radiation.
You’ll form a close-knit team with radiographers and be expected to draw on your experience and expertise to collaborate with and guide colleagues as part of a wider multidisciplinary team.
You’ll use a wide range of imaging techniques, including:
- x-ray
- ultrasound
- computed tomography (CT) including multislice scanning
- magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- positron emission tomography (PET) coupled with CT or MRI to enable enhanced 3D images
- fluoroscopy – using real-time x-ray imaging to show internal structures of the body
- molecular imaging – CT perfusion, dual-energy CT, optical imaging
- nuclear medicine techniques
You’ll work at the forefront of minimally invasive techniques know as interventional radiology. These techniques are designed to reduce the risk of infection and aid recovery times.
You’ll perform many interventional techniques, including:
- oesophageal stents – a small flexible tube that is inserted into the oesophagus using imaging to assist the process. This technique is used to treat blockages of the oesophagus
- angioplasty – insertion of a balloon or stent to open a narrowed or blocked artery and allow blood to flow more freely
- angiography – x-ray of arteries and veins to diagnose blockages and other problems
- biliary drainage and stenting – insertion of a stent to open up blocked ducts and allow bile to drain from the liver
- needle biopsy
- treatment of internal bleeding by injecting a clotting substance
- treatment of arteriovenous malformations – blood vessel abnormalities that can lead to rupture. A substance is injected that blocks the supply of blood to the affected blood vessels
How much can I earn?
You’ll first earn a salary when you start your foundation training after medical school. Find out details of current salary ranges for foundation and specialty training, SAS doctors and consultants on the 'Pay for doctors' page.
How about the benefits?
- make a difference
- flexible and part-time working
- high income early in your career
- work anywhere in the world
- excellent pension scheme
- good holiday entitlement
- NHS discounts in shops and restaurants
Must-have skills
- excellent communication skills to manage a wide range of relationships with colleagues, and patients and their families
- emotional resilience, a calm temperament and the ability to work well under pressure
- teamwork and the capacity to lead multidisciplinary teams
- problem-solving and diagnostic skills
- outstanding organisational ability and effective decision-making skills
- first-class time and resource management for the benefit of patients
Entry requirements
Your first step is medical school. Typically, you’ll need excellent GCSEs and three A or A* passes at A level including chemistry for a five-year undergraduate degree in medicine. Many medical schools also ask for biology and others may require maths or physics.
If you already have a degree, you could study for a four-year postgraduate degree in medicine.
You’ll need to pass an interview and admissions test. You’ll be asked to show how you demonstrate the NHS values such as compassion and respect.
Some medical schools look to recruit a mix of students from different backgrounds and geographical areas, so your educational and economic background and family circumstances could be considered as part of your application.
"Radiology is an exciting specialty to be a part of, as the technology is constantly developing."
Read Jackie's story.
What are my chances of starting a career in clinical radiology?
There are approximately 3,377 clinical radiologists working in the NHS in England. In 2020, there were 1308 applications for 311 specialty training places.
How to become a clinical radiologist
After medical school, you’ll join the paid two-year foundation programme where you’ll work in six placements in different settings.
After your foundation programme, you can apply for paid specialty training to become a clinical radiologist, which will take a minimum of five years.
You may be able to train part time, for example for health reasons or if you have family or caring responsibilities.
Where a career as a clinical radiologist can take you
The only sub-specialty available is interventional radiology. However, there are various areas of special interest within clinical radiology which include:
- breast
- cardiac
- gastrointestinal
- head and neck
- musculoskeletal
- neuroradiology
- oncology
- paediatric
- radionuclide (imaging that uses a tiny amount of a radioactive chemical)
- chest
- genitorurinary
- vascular
-
Consultant Radiologist with Interest in Interventional Radiology
Liverpool, L12 2AP
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust
-
Consultant Radiologist with a GI/HPB radiology interest
Nottingham, NG1 5PB
- Salary :
- £105504.00 to £139882.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trusts
-
Consultant in Clinical Radiology
Margate, CT9 4AN
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust
-
Consultant Radiologist
Gateshead, NE9 6SX
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust
-
Consultant Radiologist
Torquay, TQ2 7AA
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust
-
Locum Consultant Radiologist
Sunderland, SR47TP
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust
-
Consultant Radiologist, UHND
Durham, DH1 5TW
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
-
Paediatric Consultant Radiologist
Swindon, SN3 6BB
- Salary :
- £105504.00 to £139882.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
-
Breast Consultant Radiologist
Swindon, SN3 6BB
- Salary :
- £105504.00 to £139882.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
-
Locum Radiology Consultant (Breast)
Burnley, BB10 2PQ
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust
-
Consultant Radiologist- Paediatric Intervention
London, SE5 9RS
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
-
Consultant Interventional Radiologist
Shrewsbury, SY3 8XQ
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust
-
Consultant Interventional Radiologist
Basildon, SS16 5NL
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust
-
Consultant Paediatric Radiologist
Salford, M6 8HD
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust
-
Consultant Breast Radiologist
Dudley, DY1 2HQ
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust
-
Consultant Radiologist (Gastrointestinal/Hepatobiliary Imaging)
Cambridge, CB2 0QQ
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
-
Consultant Radiologist special interest Musculoskeletal
Barnsley, S75 2EP
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
-
Consultant Radiologist (Vascular and Interventional)
Swansea, SA6 6NL
- Salary :
- £110240.00 to £160951.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Swansea Bay University Health Board
-
Consultant Diagnostic Neuro-Radiologist
Bristol, BS10 5NB
- Salary :
- £105504.00 to £139882.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- North Bristol NHS Trust
-
Consultant Head & Neck Radiologist
Westminster, SE1 7EH
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
-
Consultant Radiologist - Subspecialist Interest Paediatric Imaging
London, E9 6SR
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
-
Consultant Radiologist (Breast and Thoracic Imaging)
Newport, PO30 5TG
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Isle of Wight NHS Trust
-
Consultant Radiologist special interest in Paediatrics
Barnsley, S75 2EP
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
-
Consultant in Breast Radiology
Cottingham, HU16 5JQ
- Salary :
- £105504.00 to £139882.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
-
Consultant Breast and General Radiologist
Crewe, CW1 4QJ
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
-
Consultant Radiologist (Oncological and Uro-Gynaecological Imaging)
Guildford, GU2 7XX
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust
-
Locum Consultant Radiologist with Interest in GIHPB
Leeds, LS9 7TF
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Leeds Teaching Hospitals
-
Consultant Radiologist with interest in Musculoskeletal Imaging
Romford, RM7 0AG
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust
-
Radiology Clinical Support Worker
Llandudno, LL30 1LB
- Salary :
- £24833.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board
-
Trust Locum Consultant Radiology- Breast
Eastbourne, BN21 2UD
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust
-
Consultant Radiology int Gastrointestinal Imaging
Colchester, CO4 5JL
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust
-
Consultant Radiologist with an interest in Paediatric imaging
Oxford, OX3 9DU
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
-
Consultant Radiologist (with sub-specialism in Nuclear Medicine)
Carlisle, CA2 7HY
- Salary :
- £105504.00 to £139882.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust
-
Consultant Nuclear Medicine and PETCT Radiologist
Tooting, SW17 0QT
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
-
Consultant Nuclear Medicine or Radionuclide Radiologist
London, BR68ND
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
-
Principal Clinical Scientist, Radiology Physics
Canterbury, CT1 3NG
- Salary :
- £64455.00 to £74896.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust
-
Intervention Radiology Advanced Clinical Practitioner
Coventry, CV2 2DX
- Salary :
- £55690.00 to £62682.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust
-
Intervention Radiology Advanced Clinical Practitioner
Coventry, CV2 2DX
- Salary :
- £55690.00 to £62682.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust
-
Senior Clinical Fellow in Cardiothoracic Radiology
Cambridge Bio Medical Campus, CB2 0AY
- Salary :
- £73992.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
-
Specialist Doctor/Locum Consultant in Radiology - Neuro
Winchester, SO22 5DG
- Salary :
- £100870.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Locum
- Employer :
- Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
-
Consultant Breast Radiologist with Director of Breast Screening Role
Lancaster & Barrow in Furness, LA1 4RP
- Salary :
- £105504.00 to £139882.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust
-
Radiology Secretary
Brighton, BN2 5BE
- Salary :
- £27485.00 to £30162.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279)
-
Service Manager - Radiology
Manchester, M20 4BX
- Salary :
- £64455.00 to £74896.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- The Christie NHS FT
-
Radiology Support Worker
Prescot, L35 5DR
- Salary :
- £24465.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
-
Radiology Bookings Officer
Slough, SL2 4HL
- Salary :
- £26240.00 to £27928.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust
-
Reporting Sonographer - Radiology
Stevenage, SG1 4AB
- Salary :
- £47810.00 to £54710.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust
-
Radiology Clerical Officer
Ashton-under-Lyne, OL6 9RW
- Salary :
- £24465.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust
-
Radiology Appointments Coordinator
Bodelwyddan, LL18 5UJ
- Salary :
- £25313.00 to £26999.00
- Type :
- Bank
- Employer :
- Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board
-
Clerical Officer - Radiology
Epping, CM16 6TN
- Salary :
- £24465.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust
-
Patient Access Manager - Radiology
Worthing, BN11 2DH
- Salary :
- £38682.00 to £46580.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279)
-
CDC Radiology Clerical Officer
Huddersfield, HD3 3EA
- Salary :
- £24465.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust
-
Senior Radiology GI Fellow
Liverpool, L7 8XP
- Salary :
- £65048.00 to £73992.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
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These organisations have further information about being a clinical radiologist, particularly as your career progresses. Take a look.
British Society of Interventional Radiology
And hear from people working as doctors in clinical radiology: