Emergency medicine
Doctors in emergency medicine carry out the immediate assessment and treatment of patients with serious and life-threatening illnesses and injuries.
You’ll work mainly in the accident and emergency departments of hospitals.
Life as an emergency doctor
You could also work in other settings such as minor injuries units, at major events or in regional trauma networks. It’s a 24/7 service so you’ll work shifts including evenings and weekends.
There is no such thing as a typical day, which is why emergency medicine is so interesting. You’ll see people of all ages and from all walks of life, including casualties from road traffic accidents, older people without support and substance abusers. You could go from treating someone with a broken bone to caring for a patient in cardiac arrest, or dealing with a person with mental health issues.
Emergency medicine allows you to use a huge range of clinical skills to assess and prioritise patients. It means you keep good knowledge of most specialities as you work with the team to plan treatment, save lives and help patients recover. About a fifth of patients are admitted to hospital so you build expert understanding of hospital emergency medical systems.
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 including prioritisation
- 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.
"I love the challenge and variety of the work and being part of a high-performing team. Knowing that you can always rely on your team of nurses and doctors is very reassuring and there’s a great sense of camaraderie."
Read Clare's story.
What are my chances of starting a career in emergency medicine?
In 2020 there were 863 applications for 348 emergency medicine specialty training posts.
How to become a doctor in emergency medicine
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 an emergency doctor, which will take a minimum of six 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 in emergency medicine can take you
You could:
- specialise and conduct research in areas such as paediatric emergency medicine and pre-hospital emergency medicine
- study for joint qualification with intensive care medicine
- teach medical students or postgraduate students in training
- get involved in research at universities, the NHS or private sector
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Consultant in Emergency Medicine
Carshalton, SM5 1AA
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust
-
Locum Consultant Emergency Medicine
London, SE13 6LH
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Locum
- Employer :
- Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust
-
Principal Pharmacist, Emergency Medicine
London, SM5 1AA
- Salary :
- £61631.00 to £68623.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust
-
Consultant in Emergency Medicine
Margate, CT9 4AN
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust
-
Consultant in Emergency Medicine
Aberystwyth, SY23 1ER
- Salary :
- £110240.00 to £160951.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Hywel Dda University Health Board
-
Consultant in Emergency Medicine
Whitehaven, CA28 8JG
- Salary :
- £105504.00 to £139882.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust
-
Locum Consultant in Emergency Medicine
Leeds, LS9 7TF
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Leeds Teaching Hospitals
-
Locum Consultant in Emergency Medicine
Poole, BH15 2JB
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust
-
Consultant in Paediatric Emergency Medicine
Bristol, BS2 8ED
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW)
-
Paediatric Consultant in Emergency Medicine
Warrington, WA5 1QG
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHSFT
-
Locum Consultant in Emergency Medicine
Carlisle & Whitehaven, CA2 7HY
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust
-
Locum Consultant in Emergency Medicine
Bristol, BS2 8HW
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Locum
- Employer :
- University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW)
-
Locum Consultant in Emergency Medicine
Taunton, TA1 5DA
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
-
Specialty Doctor in Emergency Medicine
Penzance, TR18 2PF
- Salary :
- £61542.00 to £99216.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust
-
Specialty Doctor in Emergency Medicine
Carlisle, CA2 7HY
- Salary :
- £61542.00 to £99216.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust
-
Senior Registrar in Emergency Medicine (ST3+)
London, W6 8RF
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
-
Senior Clinical Fellow in Emergency Medicine
Salisbury, SP2 8BJ
- Salary :
- £65048.00 to £73992.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust
-
Lead Pharmacist for Emergency Medicine (ED)
Warrington, WA5 1QG
- Salary :
- £55690.00 to £62682.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHSFT
-
Senior Clinical Fellow in Paediatric Emergency Medicine
Bristol, BS2 8BJ
- Salary :
- £65048.00 to £73992.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW)
-
Locum Consultant Paediatrician-Paediatric Emergency Medicine Interest
Croydon, CR7 7YE
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Croydon Health Services NHS Trust
-
Training Programme Director - Emergency Medicine ST3 NW
Manchester, M1 3BN
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Secondment
- Employer :
- NHS England
-
Junior Clinical Fellow in Paediatric Emergency Medicine
Bristol, BS2 8BJ
- Salary :
- £52656.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW)
-
Trust LED Specialty Registrar (ST3+) in Emergency Medicine
Aylesbury, HP21 8AL
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust
-
Clinical Fellow FY2 & ST1/2 in Emergency Medicine
Swindon, SN3 6BB
- Salary :
- £44439.00 to £52656.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
-
Specialty Doctor in Emergency Medicine and Urgent Care
Huddersfield & Calderdale, HD3 3EA
- Salary :
- £61542.00 to £99216.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust
-
Locum Consultant Gerontologist Emergency Medicine and Acute Frailty
Orpington, BR6 8ND
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
-
Locally Employed Doctor (Higher) in Emergency Medicine QEHB
Birmingham, B15 2TH
- Salary :
- £65048.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
-
Medicines Management Technician - Emergency Floor
Liverpool, L7 8YE
- Salary :
- £31049.00 to £37796.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
-
Band 8b General Manager for Acute and Emergency Medicine
Birmingham, B9 5SS
- Salary :
- £64455.00 to £74896.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
-
Senior Pharmacy Assistant - Medicines Management (Emergency Floor)
Liverpool, L7 8YE
- Salary :
- £24937.00 to £26598.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
-
Highly Specialist Pharmacist – Emergency and Acute Medicine
London, E13 8SL
- Salary :
- £61631.00 to £68623.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Barts Health NHS Trust
-
Emergency Dispatcher
Hellesdon, Norwich, NR6 5NA
- Salary :
- £27485.00 to £30162.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- East of England Ambulance Service
-
Emergency Practitioner
London, NW1 2BU
- Salary :
- £56276.00 to £63176.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
-
Emergency Practitioner
Chard, TA20 1NF
- Salary :
- £46148.00 to £52809.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
-
Emergency Floor Administrator
Torquay, TQ2 7AA
- Salary :
- £24465.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust
-
Emergency Medical Technician
Chelmsford , CM2 6UN
- Salary :
- £17.00
- Type :
- Bank
- Employer :
- Medicare EMS Group UK Ltd
-
Emergency Medical Technician
Scunthorpe, DN15 6AL
- Salary :
- £18.00 to £21.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Central Medical Services
-
Emergency Dispatcher - Chelmsford
Broomfield, CM1 7WS
- Salary :
- £27485.00 to £30162.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- East of England Ambulance Service
-
Emergency Care Practitioner
Consett, DH8 0NB
- Salary :
- £47810.00 to £54710.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
-
Emergency Care Assistant
Chelmsford, CM2 6UN
- Salary :
- £14.00 to £16.00
- Type :
- Bank
- Employer :
- Medicare EMS Group UK Ltd
-
Event Emergency Medical Technician
Linby, NG15 8AA
- Salary :
- £18.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Central Medical Services
-
Emergency / Advanced Care Practitioner
Ipswich, IP5 1JF
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- The Birches Medical Centre
-
Emergency Care Practitioner/Paramedic
Bury St Edmunds, IP33 1AE
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Primary Care Careers
-
Emergency Call Taker Hampshire
Winchester, SO21 2RU
- Salary :
- £24937.00 to £26598.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust
-
Emergency Call Handler -PT
Braintree, CM77 8QN
- Salary :
- £12.75 to £15.48
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Mountain Healthcare Ltd
-
Event Emergency Care Assistant
Linby, NG15 8AA
- Salary :
- £13.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Central Medical Services
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These organisations have further information about being a doctor in emergency medicine, particularly as your career progresses. Take a look.
Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
The Royal College of Emergency Medicine
The Intercollegiate Board for Training in Pre-hospital Emergency Medicine (IBTPHEM)
Emergency Medicine Trainees Association
The Heart of England Foundation Trust’s Emergency Department
The Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine
British Association for Immediate Care (BASICS)
European Society for Emergency Medicine (EuSEM)
International Federation for Emergency Medicine (IFEM)
Association of Paediatric Emergency Medicine (APEM)
Faculty of Pre-hospital Care, The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh