What is a registrar?
A registrar is a doctor in the middle of their training. This is the stage of training, after being a junior doctor, and before being a consultant (boss).
But what is a registrar? Registrars and junior doctors are fully qualified doctors who may be looking after you. They work 8-12 hour shifts, including late and night shifts. To become consultants (senior doctors), they require further training.
Registrar training
It takes 4-6 years of university study to train as a doctor in the NHS. Graduates become junior doctors after university – initially spending two years as a foundation doctor, then upto three years as what is called a ‘core trainee’. This is followed by 3-7 years as a registrar. After completing the registrar period, they can apply to be a consultant.
Thus, after university, doctors generally have 8 to 12 years of further training to become a consultant. This is a long time, but doctors need highly specialised training and experience to reach the top level in their career.
Junior doctors and registrars have to pass professional exams to become a consultant. They are difficult, and doctors must usually study at the same time as looking after patients in their busy day jobs.
A registrar at the end of their training period can be just as good as a consultant, or even better! At this stage in their career, a registrar will have a huge amount of experience, and will have completed their exams more recently – so their clinical knowledge is fresh. It is therefore not necessarily the case that you will get the best care from a consultant only.
Different names
In the history of the NHS, there have been different names for this registrar period, including senior registrar (‘SR’), specialist registrar (‘SpR’) and now specialist trainee (‘ST’). They are called ‘fellows’ in the USA and other countries.
What does a registrar do?
Registrars work as deputies to the consultants but are leaders in their own right. The work is very variable and is a combination of:
Hospital inpatient work
- Reviewing newly admitted patients (especially the most unwell patients) who have been ‘clerked’ by less experienced junior doctors (see above)
- Providing care for patients who have developed an illness whilst admitted for another reason (such as a surgical operation)
- Taking phone calls from GPs
- Work is typically based in either:
Outpatient work in a clinic, procedure area or operating theatre
- Being trained in and carrying procedures (and operations, if they are a surgeon)
- Teaching and supervising other junior doctors and medical students.
There are also GP registrars, who you may see if you go to your GP.
Summary
We have described what is a registrar. A registrar is a doctor in the middle of their training. They are in the stage of training, after being a junior doctor, and before being a consultant.
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