Skip to main content

Making your option choices in school? Get inspired andpick the future you want

Surgeon

Carry out operations on patients who need them.

About the job

Salary

Source: NHS

Weekly

£1,865

Entry level

£2,478

Experienced

Monthly

£8,080

Entry level

£10,737

Experienced

Yearly

£96,963

Entry level

£128,841

Experienced

26,500

people are currently employed

High growth

1,300 more jobs in 5 years

These figures refer to this job and similar ones with comparable skills and qualifications. They only apply to Scotland. Source: Oxford Economics

What it's like

Being a surgeon is a hands-on job where you help others and even save lives. It comes with a lot of responsibility, with people putting their trust in you.

You'd carry out operations on patients who need them. It might be because they're injured or have a worsening health condition. They could also wish to have cosmetic surgery.

Other hospital doctors and GPs would refer patients to you, or they might come from an accident and emergency department. They may be anxious and upset so you’d need to communicate with them to help them calm down.

What you'll do in this job:

  • meet patients to choose the best option

  • explain the process and risks of surgery

  • take tests and arrange X-rays

  • carry out operations working as part of a team

  • meet with nurses and junior doctors after operations

  • carry out daily ward visits to check on your patients

  • write to GPs about your patients’ health and treatments

  • train and look after junior doctors and other medical staff

You might also carry out research and publish papers.

You could be a general surgeon with a wide range of skills and knowledge, or you could specialise in one area.

This could be operating on a specific part of the body. For example, neurosurgeons perform operations on parts of the nervous system including the brain. You could be working with a particular group of people. Paediatric surgeons work with children and young people.

You could also specialise in doing a particular type of surgery that isn't localised in one part of the body. For example, plastic surgeons carry out surgery to restore, reconstruct or alter the body. They can also perform non-surgical treatments such as Botox injections or lip fillers.

There's more information about NHS roles on the surgery page on the NHS Careers website.​​​​​​

Hours

You'd work long hours including nights and weekends, and you'd be part of an out-of-hours rota system. While you're still in training, you cannot work more than 48 hours per week on average.

Environment

You will spend time in a variety of settings such as consulting rooms, wards, operating theatres and special units like accident and emergency.

Explore more information about this job

Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:

Like the sound of this career?

Browse courses in Scotland related to 'Surgeon'

Select qualification level(s)

Other careers that you might like

Related industries

Many jobs can be done in lots of different industries. We've highlighted the ones we think are most important for this job.

Top skills

Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!

It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.

Here are some of the skills you'll need to do this job:

  • taking responsibility
  • making decisions
  • developing a plan
  • concentrating
  • attention to detail
  • empathising
  • researching
  • problem solving
  • verbal communication
  • resilience

Your skills are important

Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.

Discover skills

Getting in

Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.

Find the right course for you

Browse courses in Scotland related to 'Surgeon'

View all courses

Search jobs and apprenticeships

View work opportunities