There are lots of reasons to love Spring in a hospital. Winter pressures have (marginally) improved and it’s usually light out when you leave work. You’ve probably even been working in the same place long enough to figure out how the car park works.
It’s also the season for offers via Oriel and I’m sure I’m not the only registrar who gets genuinely excited when I hear about our FY2s, FY3s, IMT3s and staff grades getting the jobs they’ve worked so hard for. It’s one of my favourite things about hospital medicine.
I appreciate – of course – that competition ratios are sky high and that many people are having to make some tough decisions about what to do come August. Having missed out on the job I wanted back in 2019, I know just how rubbish that feels.
If you’re an IMT3 planning a career in Acute Medicine, I really hope you got the post you wanted and that you’re celebrating this massive achievement. ST4 is our last big bottleneck – training remains challenging and at times draining, but I do believe the worst is behind you. Consultant jobs remain in good supply and the prospects of unemployment profoundly unlikely.
You may however have received an offer for ST4 Acute Medicine and be wondering what to do next. Maybe you’re having second thoughts. Maybe this was your second choice and you’re not sure it’s the right one.
I’m here to tell you it may be the best decision you ever make.
I’ve talked about all the reasons to pursue a career in Acute Medicine in other blogs on this site (you can read them here and here). I don’t want to repeat myself too much, but I’d urge you not to write off a career as an acute physician without giving it thought.
It’s difficult to sum up just how liberating and fulfilling I’ve found my Acute Medicine training. I’ve been able to complete my MSc in medical education, accredit in point-of-care ultrasound and echo, become an honorary lecturer, speak at national conferences, publish, complete a fellowship with SAM and do some truly fulfilling clinical work, all while working LTFT as a new dad. It’s been such an adventure and I can’t imagine doing anything else.
If you’re on the fence about an offer and want to talk about it, takeAIM is here to help! Drop us an email (takeaim@acutemedicine.org.uk) and we’d be happy to arrange a 1:1 chat with one of the fellows to help you talk through your options.
Acute medicine isn’t for everyone, but it might just be for you. And if it is, I promise you’re making the right decision.