What is an SHO (senior house officer)?
‘SHO’ – is an old term (though still in use!) for a junior hospital doctor in training in the UK, Ireland and other countries. It typically meant years 2-4 after medical school qualification.
During this period SHO doctors rotate (change) ward or role every 4 months, making 12 rotations in all.
It has now (largely!) been replaced by the terms FY2 (or F2) – ST1/CT1– ST/CT2. These are now used for years 2, 3 and 4 after qualification as a doctor.
It was (is) the first stage at which a hospital doctor in training starts to specialise – i.e. become more of an expert in one area, e.g. surgery, medicine (non-surgery), A&E or psychiatry. There are many other specialist areas.
Junior and middle grade doctor training in UK
FY1 and FY2 (previously F1-2!) – the first 2 years of clinical experience after qualification. FY2 is part of the (old) ‘SHO’ phrase.
ST1/CT1– ST3/CT3 are the next 3 years of more junior specialty training. ST/CT1-2 are part of the (old) ‘SHO’ phrase.
ST4 – ST8 are the remaining 5 years of more senior specialty training (old ‘specialist registrar, SpR’). This was sort of equivalent to a previous term, ‘senior registrar, SR’.
After ST8, registrars can apply to become a hospital consultant which is a permanent post.
ST3-ST8 are considered ‘registrars’.
Note. All FY1/2s, ‘SHOs’ and registrars are qualified doctors that look after you in hospital. They may do operations and procedures on you as well.
They used to be all classified as ‘junior doctors’ which is insulting.
Permanent vs non-permanent jobs
As with the stages in training described above, SHO jobs have a limited duration and are thus non-permanent posts.
The total training period (including SHO) is typically 10 years as it takes this long to become a fully trained specialist hospital doctor called a consultant.
Until then the doctors in training are not fully independent, and make decisions or do operations or procedures on behalf of a consultant (or group of).
Summary
We have described what is an SHO (senior house officer) – typically meaning years 2-4 after a hospital doctor qualified. It was/is an imprecise term, so hard to define. Sorry.
(“Got it? Easy eh!? Yes, it is bonkers having so many different phrases for doctors in training” MyHSN Ed)
