associate specialist

In the United Kingdom, Specialist, Associate Specialist and Specialty Doctors, also known as SAS grade doctors or career grade doctors, are doctors who are appointed to permanent non-training posts in the NHS, as opposed to other doctors who are undergoing specialty training, such as specialty registrars, or consultants who have completed their specialty training. While exact responsibilities differ depending on the particular title, SAS grade doctors generally deliver clinical care as part of a wider team, with less education, administration, and other non-clinical responsibilities compared to consultants or specialty trainees. There are many reasons doctors decide to take up SAS grade posts; while some enter these posts temporarily to gain experience or due to issues acquiring a more traditional training post, other doctors prefer to work permanently as SAS grades due to the posts' more favourable hours, increased control over places of work, or lesser administrative/educational duties when compared to specialty training.