Clinical genetics
Clinical geneticists diagnose and look after families with genetic disorders.
Life as a clinical geneticist
You’ll manage conditions such as:
- chromosomal abnormalities, which cause birth defects, intellectual disability and/or reproductive problems
- single gene disorders such as cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, Huntington's disease and sickle cell disease
- familial cancer and cancer-prone syndromes such as inherited breast or colorectal cancer and neurofibromatosis
- birth defects with a genetic component such as neural tube defects and cleft lip and palate
- inherited cardiac conditions associated with sudden death
- learning difficulties associated with other problems or a family history
Technology is revolutionising clinical genetics and therefore your ability to diagnose and treat genetic disorders. So there are unprecedented opportunities for you to understand diseases and progress treatments in this fascinating career.
You will not prescribe medicines or perform surgery. Your focus will be to accurately diagnose and manage a person’s genetic disorder, and the impact of it on their loved ones.
As a clinical geneticist, you’ll regularly undertake:
- clinical history taking
- physical examination
- genetic testing
- genetic counselling
- performing skin biopsies
- taking clinical photographs
- using computerised databases
You will need to form close working relationships with both patients and colleagues.
You’ll spend a lot of time researching disorders, taking family histories and performing detailed examinations of patients. You’ll be continually working to discover if a patient has a genetic condition and if so, what it is and how it may affect their relatives. Your ability to integrate both clinical and molecular information will be in use every day.
You’ll also work to help colleagues understand a patient’s condition and treatment as part of a multidisciplinary team. Communication and your ability to explain complex conditions will be paramount.
On any given day, you’ll give advice on:
- appropriate management of rare disorders
- genetic testing
- reproductive options, for example the availability of prenatal testing for a specific disorder
- risk assessment of individuals and genetic counselling of family members
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.
What are my chances of starting a career as a clinical geneticist?
There are currently 147 clinical geneticists working in the NHS in England. In 2020, there were 40 applications for 13 specialty training places.
How to become a clinical geneticist
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 geneticist, 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 as a clinical geneticist can take you
There are no associated CCT sub-specialties for clinical geneticists, but you could develop sub-specialty interests such as:
-
Consultant in Clinical Genetics
Bristol, BS2 8BJ
- Salary :
- £109725.00 to £145478.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
-
Bioinformatician - Genetics
Birmingham, B15 2TX
- Salary :
- £47810.00 to £54710.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust
-
Senior Clinical Pharmacist/Clinical Educator
Rotherham, S60 2UD
- Salary :
- £55690.00 to £62682.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust
-
Clinical/Counselling Psychologist & Clinical Lead
Welwyn Garden City/Cambridge, AL8 6HG
- Salary :
- £66653.00 to £77094.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
-
Advanced Clinical Practitioner (Clinical Pharmacist)
Warwick, CV34 5GJ
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Avonside Health Centre
-
Clinical Research Nurse / Clinical Trial Practitioner
London, NW1 2BU
- Salary :
- £46419.00 to £55046.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
-
Lead Clinical Coder / Senior Clinical Coder
Luton, LU4 0DZ
- Salary :
- £31049.00 to £46580.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
-
Clinical Research Nurse/Clinical Research Practitioner
Darlington, DL3 6HX
- Salary :
- £31049.00 to £37796.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
-
Clinical Nurse Specialist / Clinical Paramedic Specialist
Tunbridge Wells, TN2 4TA
- Salary :
- £47302.00 to £54129.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Hospice in the Weald
-
Clinical Psychologist
Keele, ST5 5NT
- Salary :
- £46148.00 to £60504.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Caudwell Children
-
Clinical Endoscopist
REDRUTH, TR15 1AN
- Salary :
- £75000.00 to £80000.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- InHealth Group
-
Clinical Pharmacist
Ilminster, TA19 9FE
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- CLICK PCN
-
Clinical Assistant
West Bromwich, B71 4HJ
- Salary :
- £23000.00 to £26250.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- InHealth Group
-
Clinical Pharmacist
St. Helens, WA9 5PR
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- St Helens South PCN (Rainhill Village Surgery)
-
Clinical Practitioner
Worksop, S81 0HH
- Salary :
- £42000.00 to £52000.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Larwood Health Partnership
-
Clinical Pharmacist
London, E2 0FA
- Salary :
- £27.00 to £30.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Globe Town Surgery
-
Clinical Coder
Canterbury, CT3 2HD
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Ash Surgery
-
Clinical Pharmacist
Bristol, BS36 2DE
- Salary :
- £45000.00 to £48000.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Yate & Frampton PCN Ltd
-
Clinical Trainer
Leeds, LS2 9JT
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Fresenius Kabi Ltd
-
Clinical Psychologist
Sheffield, S10 5DD
- Salary :
- £47810.00 to £54710.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
-
Clinical Trainer
Southampton, SO30 3JB
- Salary :
- £27485.00 to £30162.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
-
Clinical Lead
Boston, PE21 8EG
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Omnes Healthcare Limited
-
Clinical Administrator
317 02 Royal Victoria Infirmary, NE1 4LP
- Salary :
- £24937.00 to £26598.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
-
Clinical coder
Reading, RG108BP
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Wargrave Surgery
-
Clinical Psychologist
Ipswich, IP3 8LY
- Salary :
- £55690.00 to £62682.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Norfolk & Suffolk Foundation NHS Trust
-
Clinical Lead
Gamston, NG2 6PR
- Salary :
- £47810.00 to £54710.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
-
Clinical Educator
Dudley, DY1 2HQ
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust
-
Clinical Psychologist
Brighton, BN2 5BE
- Salary :
- £47810.00 to £54710.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
-
Administrator - Clinical
Cambridge, CB2 0PT
- Salary :
- £27485.00 to £30162.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- NHS Blood and Transplant
-
Clinical Pharmacist
Leicester, LE25AA
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Central Surgery Oadby
-
Clinical Psychologist
London, WC1N 3BG
- Salary :
- £56276.00 to £63176.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
-
Clinical Lead
Taunton, TA2 7PQ
- Salary :
- £38682.00 to £46580.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
-
Clinical Neuropsychologist
Bristol, BS10 5NB
- Salary :
- £64455.00 to £74896.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- North Bristol NHS Trust
-
Clinical Pharmacist
Congleton, CW12 1JP
- Salary :
- £46500.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Readesmoor Medical Group Practice
-
Clinical Pharmacist
Swindon, SN6 7DN
- Salary :
- £45000.00 to £58000.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Westrop Medical Practice
-
Clinical Lead
Welwyn Garden City, AL8 6JL
- Salary :
- £47810.00 to £54710.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board (468)
-
Clinical Assistant
Pool, Redruth, TR15 3ET
- Salary :
- £12.21
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Korus Health
-
Clinical Pharmacist
Peterborough, PE3 8DT
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Bretton Park Healthcare
-
Clinical Pharmacist
Solihull, B91 1TF
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Solihull Healthcare Partnership
-
Clinical Psychologist
Exeter, EX2 7FW
- Salary :
- £55690.00 to £62682.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust
-
Clinical Pharmacist
Wirral, CH62 0AF
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Healthier South Wirral
-
Clinical Lead
Ellesmere Port, CH65 1AF
- Salary :
- £32000.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- StellarCare NW
-
Clinical Pharmacist
Swindon, SN6 7DN
- Salary :
- £45000.00 to £58000.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Westrop Medical Practice
-
Clinical Lead
Welwyn Garden City, AL8 6JL
- Salary :
- £47810.00 to £54710.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board (468)
-
Clinical Lead
South Shields, NE32 5NN
- Salary :
- £47810.00 to £54710.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and wear (CNTW) NHS Foundation Trust
-
Clinical Psychologist
Liverpool, L12 2AP
- Salary :
- £47810.00 to £54710.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust
-
Clinical Psychologist
Exeter, EX2 7FW
- Salary :
- £55690.00 to £62682.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust
-
Clinical Pharmacist
Solihull, B91 1TF
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Solihull Healthcare Partnership
-
Clinic Nurse
Maidstone, ME14 5TS
- Salary :
- £38682.00 to £46580.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Kent & Medway NHS & Social Care Partnership Trust
-
Clinical Psychologist
Stevenage. Hertfordshire, SG1 3LJ
- Salary :
- £55690.00 to £62682.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
-
Clinical Pharmacist
Ryde, PO33 2EH
- Salary :
- £24.50 to £27.90
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- The Esplanade Surgery
-
Clinical Lead
Darlington, DL3 6AH
- Salary :
- £21.53 to £22.53
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- HC-One
-
Clinical Lead
Newton Aycliffe, DL5 4JP
- Salary :
- £20.89 to £21.89
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- HC-One
-
Clinical Pharmacist
Retford, DN22 7XF
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Crown House Surgery
-
Clinical Lead
Stapleford, NG9 8DB
- Salary :
- £47810.00 to £54710.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
-
Clinical Psychologist
Hinckley, LE10 0EW
- Salary :
- £53755.00 to £60504.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust
Showing 6 of 56 results
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These organisations have further information about being a doctor in clinical genetics, particularly as your career progresses. Take a look.
Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
British Society for Genetic Medicine
And see more about life as a clinical genetist:
Clinical geneticist: a guide to a career in the specialty (BMJ)