Offshore medic
Treat people working on an oil or gas rig for injuries and illnesses. Make sure that everyone is fit for work.
Also known as: rig medic
About the job
What it's like
You would treat people working on an offshore oil or gas rig for any injuries or illnesses.
You’d provide medical care for anyone on the rig or platform who has an accident and make sure that people are fit and safe to work. The health, safety and welfare of all those working on the rig would be your responsibility. You would also carry out administrative tasks.
You would:
Provide 24-hour medical care for the crew
Carry out routine health checks
Treat illnesses and minor wounds
Keep accurate medical records
Train other people on the rig in first aid
Order new supplies of medicines and equipment
Carry out health promotion activities
Advise on health and safety issues
Arrange for very ill people to be taken back to land for treatment
You would need to advise the senior managers if you thought a person was not fit for work or might affect other people’s safety.
If someone had an injury or illness that you were not sure how to treat, you would phone the onshore company doctor for advice.
Hours
You would typically live and work on a rig or platform for two or three weeks, followed by two or three weeks' rest period on shore. You would work shifts, but as the only medical professional you would be on 24-hour call for emergencies.
Environment
You would work from an office or sick bay on a fixed production platform with up to 100 workers, or on a smaller mobile rig in a team of around 20 people. Facilities would include sleeping areas, canteens and recreation areas. There are bans on alcohol and smoking. The job can be physically demanding, working in all weathers.
Travel
You would typically live and work on a rig or platform for two or three weeks, followed by two or three weeks' rest period on shore.
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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.
Top specialised skills
These are the top specialised skills that have been found in job vacancies across Scotland. From March 2024 to March 2025.
- basic offshore safety induction and emergency training (bosiet)
- occupational health
- oracle identity manager
- emergency medical services
- medical equipment
- occupational hygiene
- drug formulary
- water testing
- medical assistance
- hyperbaric medicine
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- taking responsibility
- making decisions
- filtering
- social conscience
- questioning
- problem solving
- verbal communication
- listening
- resilience
- adaptability
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.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
Biology
Care
Chemistry
Human Biology
You must complete an HSE Approved Medical Training Course. Depending on the course you may complete a variety of First Aid and Advanced Life Support (ALS) certificates. The course must include HSE Approved Offshore Medic certificates to allow you to work offshore in the UK.
To be accepted onto an HSE Approved Medical Training Course you will need to be either:
An experienced nurse registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)
An experienced paramedic registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
If you have other relevant medical and nursing qualifications, and extensive experience, you may also be considered.
If you are applying as an experienced Army Combat Medical Technician, Royal Air Force Medic, Royal Navy Medic or Leading Medical Assistants you may be asked to provide competency log books.
At the end of three years, offshore medics need to complete an offshore medic requalification course to continue working as medics in the offshore environment.
Qualifications and experience dealing with emergency situations and demonstrating advanced life support skills.
To complete Basic offshore induction and emergency training (BOSIET)
To be approved for membership of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme run by Disclosure Scotland
You need to be 18 years of age or older to work offshore.
You will also need a valid Oil and Gas UK (OGUK) Offshore Medical Certificate. This involves passing a medical examination which classifies you as medically fit to work in the offshore environment.
You must also provide evidence that you do not have, and have been immunised against, Hepatitis B.
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