The Breast Clinician Credential is designed to open up new, flexible career routes into breast diagnosis and care, particularly for doctors who bring a wealth of experience but may not follow the traditional training pathway. This innovative programme equips clinicians to work across breast imaging, clinical assessment and genetics, supporting NHS breast services with skilled, versatile professionals.
In our Breast Clinician Spotlight series, we celebrate the impact of these clinicians, as well as their unique journeys into the role.
In a recent blog for the Royal College of Radiologists, breast clinician Dr Mayada Haydar shares a personal and powerful account of her career journey. Trained overseas, Mayada came to the UK facing significant professional and personal challenges, including time away from medicine and the difficulty of re-entering clinical work through a non-standard route.
Rather than giving up on her vocation, she found an opportunity through joining the first cohort of trainees in the Breast Clinician Credential. The structured training programme helped Mayada apply her existing clinical expertise while gaining specialist imaging and diagnostic skills. As a credentialed breast clinician, Mayada can uniquely work in three different domains that offer breast services namely; Breast Radiology, surgical clinics and Breast Cancer Prevention (Family History) Clinics.
Mayada works as part of a multidisciplinary team to assess, diagnose, and support patients, often at one of the most vulnerable times in their lives.
In her blog, Mayada highlights:
- The importance of flexible, inclusive training routes that support doctors from diverse backgrounds.
- The critical role of breast clinicians in addressing diagnostic capacity challenges.
- The personal fulfilment of working in a specialty that combines technical skill with patient contact.
Dr Haydar’s experience is a great example of how the Breast Clinician Credential is building the NHS workforce, and enabling talented doctors to develop in the field.
Read Dr Haydar’s full blog on the RCR website: Navigating my journey to become a specialist doctor