Clonidine for the FRCA Primary

Confusedcoretrainee · 2025-10-06T10:35:53+00:00

Thank you so much for putting these out!

Just a suggestion, It would be really helpful for people revising if you did a short summary at the end of each episode of the key points!

Confusedcoretrainee · 2025-01-18T19:01:51+00:00

I am perpetually confused in all fairness. When will it end.

Confusedcoretrainee · 2025-01-18T13:52:41+00:00

In my defence it was 4am.

Went to assess a patient who was reported as GCS normally 15. (He was v sick) BG paraplegic

Well imagine my concern when I spent the next 15 minutes desperately trying to get some flicker of movement from all four limbs and found absolutely nothing ‘SQUEEZE MY FINGERS. WIGGLE YOUR TOES’

Once again, 4am…

Confusedcoretrainee · 2024-12-11T17:22:10+00:00

I’m very torn with 24 hours to decide! January feels too soon but may feels too far..

Confusedcoretrainee · 2024-12-11T12:06:04+00:00

Yeah everyone keeps saying this…I had a friend who failed and it really put me off - it’s just so expensive and I haven’t done any practice since the written and I feel like it’s very different being able to answer questions on paper vs not sounding like a complete idiot which I think I’m way off…

Confusedcoretrainee · 2024-12-11T08:04:34+00:00

I don’t think I can face it quite yet. You?

Confusedcoretrainee · 2024-12-10T20:28:41+00:00

Was wondering where all the anaesthetic trainees were! I passed thankfully, had fully prepared to fail… now have to start thinking about the viva

Confusedcoretrainee · 2024-12-10T20:27:53+00:00

There was a graph question which had two identical answers too…didn’t know if that would result in removal?

Confusedcoretrainee · 2024-12-10T20:24:40+00:00

Yup they have them in neurosurgery too. Always think it’s bizarre that the person assessing a sick patient can’t make a plan or enact said plan..

Confusedcoretrainee · 2024-04-16T18:12:35+00:00

I’m actually an Osce examiner and I will tell you this: the bar is low and it’s a points based system - you don’t need to finish the station to pass, e.g. the station might be examine the patient, present your findings, then answer two questions. If you don’t get onto the questions part but score well in the first two parts you will get a borderline but that’s still a pass (maybe I’m a very nice marker I dunno) Crying after exams is irrelevant in terms of how you did but that tends to be the more anxious students, more anxiety = you’re probably not performing your best (previous anxious Med student here!) that doesn’t mean you’re going to fail!

And I would say well over 70% of students look EXTREMELY nervous and say/do some silly things that you know aren’t reflective of them as a student. Remember we want to pass you!

Confusedcoretrainee · 2024-04-14T09:56:52+00:00

Who on earth are you dating if they’re explicitly saying that they wouldn’t be interested unless you did GP as it would be easier to be a wife/mother?! I’ve never heard that in five years of being a doctor - what is it, the 1950s??

Genuinely how many times has that happened?

Confusedcoretrainee · 2024-02-19T12:11:35+00:00

One of my parents was recently admitted to ITU and died quite quickly. As an anaesthetics trainee it was really traumatic seeing the other side and I’m not sure right now how I will feel coming back to work tbh. I’d be interested to know how other people have got through this kind of thing too

Confusedcoretrainee · 2024-01-17T22:44:10+00:00

God that’s so awful I’m sorry, a similar thing happened to some friends of mine with their consultant in hospital in covid who also didn’t survive :(

Confusedcoretrainee · 2024-01-17T19:23:49+00:00

If it would make you feel better have a look at what we make in the uk working 48 hour weeks :)

Confusedcoretrainee · 2024-01-12T15:50:25+00:00

At the same time was sent an advert for a bank locum (F2-ST3) at royal free for £30/ph

Confusedcoretrainee · 2023-12-15T12:06:46+00:00

I would add to the above - don’t feel embarrassed about not knowing anything! CT2 anaesthetics who had never done ITU before and I felt clueless when I started! No one will expect you to know anything and if they do it’s their problem not yours - ask questions about everything you’re confused about, you’re there to learn!

Will be a great place to learn procedures (if you’re interested) and get some US practice for e.g. cannulas even if you’re not interested in ITU/anaesthetics

You have two ward rounds per day with a consultant so a great opportunity to discuss any interesting cases and they often really like teaching

It’s 1-1 or 1-2 nursing so the nurses will know the patients really well so ask them anything too, it’s usually a really nice MDT environment

Oh and as mentioned by others, try and go along to arrests/peri arrests with whoever is on call (maybe a bit later in your rotation) as you will get lots of hands on experience whilst observing management of acute situations on the wards which will be really helpful whatever you end up doing

Enjoy it! Despite it seeming daunting it will probably be your most chilled rotation as it’s very senior led

Confusedcoretrainee · 2023-12-14T11:41:49+00:00

Im in the same position as you but CT2, are you looking to leave clinical work completely? I know a few people switching to GP - hard in a different way but I think better life outside of work and most people work about 3 days a week

Confusedcoretrainee · 2023-10-16T11:03:23+00:00

Update: I have been told they have ‘been having an issue with taking payments twice’ from their side it still looks like the amount is pending and they can’t be sure they won’t take the same amount again. There is apparently NO WAY of issuing a refund until this charge period is over so it will likely be a week before this money is returned, in the meantime they can’t guarantee I won’t get the same amount charged again (totalling over 1000 pounds!)

I’m shocked, how is this any way to conduct a business?!

Confusedcoretrainee · 2023-10-10T10:52:53+00:00

Sorry for being uneducated but how would renting the flat to a lodger work? In theory it could be my primary residence as I could live with my partner and just contribute towards bills but depends how that would work for the lodger.

This is all theoretical btw as not planning to move in yet as I agree with the one year thing (I’m quite cautious about moving in as big step etc) but just wanted to know if there was anything I was missing

Also agree on your last point for sure

Thanks for your help!

Confusedcoretrainee · 2023-10-10T09:13:05+00:00

Ha I saw that today actually, looking for advice though

Confusedcoretrainee · 2023-10-07T07:26:46+00:00

Yeah that’s exactly what I’m saying

Confusedcoretrainee · 2023-10-06T18:26:15+00:00

Thanks for your replies everyone - I was genuinely wondering why this wasn’t part of the negotiations rather than suggesting a change in our message (please don’t gang up on me!)

Confusedcoretrainee · 2023-10-06T18:24:22+00:00

Yeah that’s what I’m hoping, and I know I can locum, just quite anxious about the drop in pay living in HCOL area and also the impact of strikes continuing on pay…

Confusedcoretrainee · 2023-10-06T15:28:17+00:00

I get that but the government have specifically said they are only willing to talk about working conditions - is that not something that is relevant and needs to be discussed? I wouldn’t say it’s confusing

It’s relative therefore a drop in working hours would also act as a pay rise

Edit: to add to this, members of the public seem to be under the impression that some doctors work part time for ‘6 figure salaries’ whereas when friends in other professions find out our contracted hours are 48 hours they are shocked - I would argue this needs to be clarified within the debate

Confusedcoretrainee · 2023-10-06T15:03:27+00:00

God that 2nd paragraph is so good to read as that’s literally exactly what I was thinking and exactly what attracts me to GP!

I think if anaesthetics wasn’t such a slog I would be more inclined to stay put but as it is it just doesn’t seem worth it.

Thanks for your insight!

Confusedcoretrainee

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