Deciding to become a doctor in the United Kingdom is a significant decision for any aspiring medical professional. If you are considering becoming an International Medical Graduate, you are probably asking yourself what the earning prospects are like. Understanding MRCP UK salary expectations can significantly inform your decision-making.
Before you begin your preparation for MRCP Part 1, MRCP Part 2, and MRCP Paces, it is important to know the basic knowledge about passing these exams. At Farz Academy, we offer excellent courses for doctors preparing for MRCP Part 1, MRCP Part 2, and MRCP Paces. We provide an interactive e-learning course with lectures, question banks, practice papers, and practical training for those wishing to test their knowledge and skills in real-world settings.
Within this blog, we attempt to outline the official NHS salary guide for doctors, provide you with insight into how much money you can potentially earn, and highlight how you can maximise your income in the United Kingdom.
Doctor’s Salary Guide: What Influences It?
The salary of a doctor working in the NHS is defined by several particular factors, unlike many other professions. While there is a basic pay band for doctors employed by the NHS, a doctor’s wage largely depends on the following:
1. Grade and experience: Starting to work as a Speciality Registrar (ST3+) pays differently from Non-Training Speciality Doctor and Consultant posts.
2. Additionally, you can receive extra payments for night shifts, weekends, and on-calls.
3. Other additional allowances include the London weighting for those who work in the capital.
4. Extra payments for locum work: Doctors working as locums can see their hourly pay rate increased.
Doctor’s Salary: Pay Bands by Grade - NHS Doctor Pay Rates
To understand the MRCP UK Salary, you need to know the official salary guide to doctors’ pay bands in the NHS for England.
As a doctor aiming to register with the GMC and seeking employment in the UK, your base pay grade depends on whether you have completed the MRCP or not. Upon passing all three MRCP exams, you can bypass the foundation training and begin to work at a middle grade, speciality doctor or speciality registrar post right away.
It is essential to note that the figures below represent a basic salary a doctor can expect to earn, with the possibility of extra payments for night shifts, weekend on-calls, and other additional work-related expenses.
- Core Trainee (CT1–CT2/ST1–ST2): Basic pay grade 1: £52,656 per annum for internal medicine doctors.
- Higher Speciality Registrar (ST3–ST5): Basic pay grade 3: £65,048 for higher speciality training doctors after passing MRCP. Senior Higher Registrar (ST6+): Basic pay grade 4 is 73,992 GBP.
- Speciality Doctor (SAS Grade): Non-training middle-grade doctor posts: 63,696 – 102,689 GBP per annum. Specialist Grade: Senior non-training doctors: 104,401 – 115,341 GBP. Consultant: Senior doctor posts: basic pay from 113,565 – 150,569 GBP.
MRCP UK Salary for a speciality doctor or speciality registrar starting to work in the NHS in middle-grade posts is on average between 63,696 and 65,048 GBP per annum. However, with additional allowances for night shifts, weekends, and London weighting, an overseas doctor working in the NHS can gross up to 90,000 GBP.
Extra Allowances: How Working Extra Hours Affects Your Income
An NHS doctor's salary guide does not include additional allowances, which can significantly affect your yearly income. Working more than the advertised 40 hours a week is common for most doctors employed in hospitals as core trainees, speciality registrars, and speciality doctors.
For instance, a typical additional allowance for night shifts (21:00 – 06:00) is an additional 39%. When calculating your net income, it is essential to remember to factor in these additional payments, which can add up to a further 15% to 30% on top of your regular salary.
MRCP UK Salary vs PLAB: The Difference between the Two Qualifications
Doctors deciding which route to take towards registration with the GMC, the difference between the MRCP UK salary and PLAB salary will speak for itself over the first two years of employment in the NHS.
A doctor taking PLAB and subsequently registering with the GMC will have to enter the NHS as an FY2 or CT1 doctor and will be able to expect a basic pay of between £44,439 and £52,656 per annum. A doctor completing MRCP will be able to bypass foundation training and enter employment as a middle-grade doctor in the NHS with a basic salary of between £63,696 and £65,048. In effect, a doctor registered under the MRCP route will be able to command a £15,000 to £20,000 per annum salary increase over a PLAB doctor upon entering the NHS.
Understanding NET Doctor Salary: Doctors’ Pay in the UK
To fully understand what you can expect to earn as a doctor employed by the NHS, it is essential to consider the difference between gross and net income. The salary figures mentioned earlier represent a doctor’s gross income. To calculate your net income, you will need to consider the following:
Income tax: You will begin to pay income tax at 20% for every pound earned over £50,270 and 40% for every pound earned over £50,270. National insurance: You will also have to pay national insurance at a rate of approximately 8%. NHS pension scheme contributions: Doctors employed by the NHS have an option to pay into the NHS pension scheme at a rate of between 9.8% and 12.5% for basic pay bands.
Taking these factors into consideration, a Speciality Doctor receiving a basic salary of £65,000 will see take-home pay of approximately £3,600 to £3,900 per month. In addition to your salary and any additional allowances, you should also budget your monthly expenses in accordance with where you wish to live. For example, the rent in Northern England will be much cheaper than in London.
Extra Ways to Earn More Money as an Overseas Doctor
Once you have passed your MRCP exams and have begun working for the NHS, there are several ways you can begin to earn extra money:
- Internal and external locum work: As an overseas doctor, you can begin working as a locum physician from day one and significantly increase your income. You can expect to earn between £45 and £80+ per hour for internal locum work in many trusts across the UK.
- Progressing to the specialist grade: Following the new NHS restructure and introduction of the specialist grade for non-training doctors, it is now possible for experienced doctors to move to the next pay grade and see their basic salary increase to £104,401+. This avoids moving to a consultant post but allows you to increase your income significantly.
- Portfolio career pathway (CESR): By working in service posts while completing your portfolio, you can obtain specialist registration and move to a consultant post to increase your income further to £150,569.
Maximising Your MRCP UK Earning Potential with Farz Academy
If you are aiming to complete your MRCP exams and are looking to get into middle-grade doctor posts with the NHS, it is essential to understand the importance of preparing well for your MRCP Part 1, MRCP Part 2 and MRCP PACES. Failing your MRCP exams will significantly impact your ability to earn a substantial salary, as you will have to spend the time and money retaking them. Farz Academy offers excellent MRCP Part 1, MRCP Part 2, and MRCP PACES training courses that provide a comprehensive yet concise overview of all the knowledge required of MRCP candidates.
Summary
Understanding MRCP UK Salary expectations can help you determine whether pursuing the MRCP qualification is right for you. With recent changes to doctor recruitment guidelines within the NHS, overseas doctors entering the NHS will likely find MRCP Part 1, MRCP Part 2, and MRCP Paces more rewarding in the long run, as they allow them to enter higher pay bands within the NHS, while also providing a direct route to GMC registration.