DOCTORS CAREERS SUPPORT
By starting the planning process early and taking a proactive approach you will be in a better position to make realistic and informed career decisions, which in turn means you are more likely to succeed in achieving a career which fully utilises your skills, interests, abilities, values and work/life balance.
Our Foundation Training Programme Director, Director of Medical Education, educational supervisors and clinical supervisors are experienced in providing career advice, support and guidance.
Foundation doctors will have careers support incorporated into their formal educational programmes. Elements covered include:
- Career management skills
- Skills, tools and resources, applications, coaching and interview skills
Each FY2 trainee is required to participate in one 5-day 'taster' programme in a speciality of his or her choice, in order to gain experience working in a speciality that they would not otherwise be exposed to. The F2 taster is particularly useful to:
- show the F2 trainee exactly what it is like to work in the speciality they are interested in as a career and
- provide extra material to show as evidence of strong commitment to his/her speciality of choice
Trainees can arrange one-to-one careers support and guidance sessions with his/her clinical or educational supervisor, and/or Director of Medical Education or Foundation Training Programme Director.
As a Mersey Deanery trainee you can access the Mersey Deanery Career Management and Advice Service which aims to support doctors in training to manage their careers effectively. In addition, there is a dedicated, professionally qualified Careers Guidance Practitioner working with clinicians across the Mersey area and other professionals in Deaneries in England. www.merseydeanery.nhs.uk/careers/careers.html
There are a number of web-based sources of information and advice - some useful sources include:
- A career in General Practice
- BMJ careers - many jobs and training posts are advertised here and the site also offers careers advice and information and careers fairs.
- COPMeD - the Conference of Postgraduate Deans, which act as a focal point for postgraduate medical and dental education.
- Doctors.net - provides information on job opportunities and other services.
- GMC - General Medical Council - an independent statutory body
- HSJ - Health Service Journal provides information on jobs and other items of interest.
- www.foundationprogramme.nhs.uk/pages/home/your-career-path - For information on how to apply to the Foundation Programme, what to expect during your training, how assessments work, how to get the most out of your Foundation Learning Portfolio and what resources are available to help you decide on your future career
- Information for Northern Ireland
- Information for Scotland
- Information for Wales
- MMC - the Modernising Medical Careers site provides updates on the proposed changes and you can sign up for e-updates.
- NHS Careers Specialty Information - provides information about career options, case studies and useful links.
- NHS Medical Careers - the newly launched website which has materials and resources as well as comprehensive specialty overviews
- Public Register of NHS Foundation Trusts
- Sci59 An online specialty choice inventory covering all the current training options listed by GMC and a number of subspecialties. Accessed through unique user login, ask at your Trust (Postgraduate Medical Education Centre) or, if you are a member of the BMA, this is included as one of the benefits of membership.
- Medical Specialty Aptitude Test This is a USA site designed to help medical students choose a medical specialty. You will be asked to rate your tendencies compared to the tendencies of doctors in each specialty. The higher your score for a given specialty, the more similar you are to the doctors in that specialty. This material was originally published in the book "How to Choose a Medical Specialty", by Anita Taylor.
- The Keirsey Temperament Sorter A personality questionnaire with instant feedback on personality types.
- Prospects Planner The UK official graduate careers website including a questionnaire which can help to generate ideas regarding different occupations, based upon your skills, interests and motivators. To access Prospects Planner, click through the ‘Jobs and Work’ tab, then through to ‘what jobs would suit me’ in order to access Prospects Planner. Registration and use of this service is free.
- Interactive medical careers map This is a useful tool illustrating the links between different stages in the medical careers pathway. It has been produced by the Wales Deanery but is relevant and available to all.
There are a number of traditional sources of information and advice - some useful books include:
Many more books are available from the Library in Keyll Darree – see their ‘Career Advice and Training Support for Medical Staff: an information booklet’ for signposting to further resources.
- Chambers, R, Mohanna, K and Field, S (2000). Opportunities and options in medical careers. Oxon. Radcliffe Medical Press (Available from Keyll Darree Library)
- Eccles S. and Sanders S (2009). So you want to be a brain surgeon? Oxford: Oxford University Press, third edition. This book probably has the most detailed description of different UK career options for doctors. (Available from Keyll Darree Library)
- Elton, C. and Reid, J. (2010) The ROADS to success – a practical approach to career management for medical students, junior doctors (and their supervisors). London: Postgraduate Deanery for KSS (Available from Keyll Darree Library)
- Hopson, B and Scally, M. (2000). Build Your Own Rainbow: Workbook for Career and Life Management. London: Kogan Page (This can also be used a self-help guide by trainees who want more help with stage 1.)
- MacDonald, R and Hadridge, P. (2003). My beautiful career. London BMJ Publishing Group.
- Royal College of Physicians of London (2002). Careers Information Handbook for Trainees. London: Royal College of Physicians
Many more books are available from the Library in Keyll Darree – see their ‘Career Advice and Training Support for Medical Staff: an information booklet’ for signposting to further resources.
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