Training in microbiology

To work as a consultant in microbiology, you can begin your career as a medical doctor or as a clinical scientist. Medically-qualified doctors need to complete specialty training in medical microbiology and have the option of training further in infectious diseases and tropical medicine. Scientists need to complete Higher Specialty Specific Training (HSST) in microbiology to become a consultant clinical scientist.

The medical route

What are the entry requirements?

To enter training to be a consultant medical microbiologist, you’ll need to:

• qualify as a doctor
• register with the General Medical Council (GMC)
• complete the UK Foundation Training Programme or equivalent
• complete 2 years Core Medical Training (CMT) or Acute Care Common Stem (ACCS) training
• gain membership to the Royal College of Physicians.

How long will it take?

After your CMT or ACCS, training to be a consultant medical microbiologist takes four years if you’re training full-time. You’ll spend 2 years in Combined Infection Training, and 2 years of higher specialty training in medical microbiology.

If you want to specialise in infectious diseases, you’ll need to complete an additional year of training after your higher specialty training. There might be other opportunities to extend your training, by undertaking research or out-of-programme training. 

What will my training cover?

The training is designed to equip to you to run a full medical microbiology service at consultant level in the National Health Service (NHS).

Combined Infection Training

For the first 2 years, you’ll complete Combined Infection Training, which will give a baseline of knowledge and experience of infectious disease, virology and microbiology. During CIT, you will be required to attend specific training at different work placements, including:

• 6 months of clinical microbiology training associated with a diagnostic laboratory
• 6 months of clinical infection consult duties
• 6 months of appropriate infection reed clinics where the major focus of the clinic is managing patients with infection. A combination of clinics could include HIV clinics, travel clinics or GUM clinics
• 6 months of clinical inpatient care of patients with infection.

Higher Specialty Training

You’ll then specialise for a further 2 years on microbiology specifically.  This will equip you with a broad understanding of the diagnosis and management of infectious disease from a clinical and laboratory perspective, and the diagnostic techniques used within clinical microbiology. You'll develop your knowledge of infection control, public health and health protection, honing your communication skills through teaching and working within research and development projects. The training will give you experience of clinical governance, service audits and working with the standards of evidence-based medicine which underpin medical microbiology practice.

Find out more about specialty training in medical microbiology.

What exams will I need to take?

To complete your training, you’ll be required to pass the following.

• FRCPath Part 1 in Infection – this aims to determine whether you have successfully acquired a core body of knowledge that will underpin your ability to practise in Medical Microbiology.
• FRCPath Part 2 in Medical Microbiology – this is designed to test your practical skills and understanding, and show that you can apply your expertise appropriately and safely.

For further information about the format of exams, visit our exams pages.