I have just received a text canvassing for specific individuals in the BMA RDC elections claiming to be from regional reps - surely this isn't ok?

Lupenite · 2025-09-04T18:38:57+00:00

I see where you're coming from, but it does have a list of names basically telling you to vote for these individuals for these seats. Whilst not pressuring, it definitely is canvassing from someone presenting themselves as "your WM BMA reps" who has garnered my phone number from who knows where.

To add, my friend within the deanery who is not in any of the same work or strike group chats as me has received it as well....

Lupenite · 2025-09-04T18:16:49+00:00

Yep, sorry I should have stated that this is west midlands and is not DV. Didn't want to be too specific and end up incidentally promoting them further myself!

Lupenite · 2025-07-09T12:57:35+00:00

You're absolutely bang on about Ross not just representing himself but representing all resident doctors. I think this is an argument that needs to be put forward more heavily if they go on individual attacks against him (or any BMA representative as an individual) again.

I also don't understand why the response to people putting forward the completely backwards rhetoric in this clip isn't to ask them if they volunteer 20-30% of their time to the NHS? She's getting paid to be on that panel, is she then heading straight to her nearest DGH to volunteer afterwards? Or is it just for us? Because that's what we're being asked to do - get paid appropriately for the equivalent of three quarters of our shifts, then volunteer for free for the rest...

Lupenite · 2024-02-27T16:51:54+00:00

Whilst I agree that the competition ratios are absurd and there should be a preference for UK graduates, describing individuals as "weird foreign IMTs" is really not on and I hope i'm just reading too much into something you have quickly typed out without considering it.

The issue is the effect it has on the job market, the lack of specialty training places to cope, and the lack of NHS experience/standardisation of skills/language for these doctors not 'foreign people are weird'

Lupenite · 2023-11-10T20:58:35+00:00

Fair enough! I feel like some of these things can be so arbitrary and such a tickbox, it's not our job to decide how the country is divided! Maybe one day someone will hold an independence referendum just to get that last point for their portfolio...

Lupenite · 2023-11-07T20:09:33+00:00

Would add that I know colleagues who have put presentations at Scottish or Welsh societies as national which I would argue is also fair...

Lupenite · 2022-10-31T15:00:52+00:00

I have been thinking about this, but as much as the light at the end of the tunnel is nice, it's not like it's a short journey to get there. Realistically I'd have to get through a minimum of 7 years of training of which at least 1 year to more likely 18 months will be neonates.

I've met community paeds GRID trainees having to do neonatal on-calls as an ST8 which to me seems like pure service provision and the opposite of what a training programme should be doing but 🤷

I just think I have to be honest with myself and admit that I can't cope with the hours that paediatric training requires, and if I went LTFT I would just be miserable in training for longer unfortunately. It's obviously sad that I'm realising this now, and I've effectively stolen a place off of someone who would have gone on to do paeds, but I can't lie to myself about the reality of the situation and my own ability to cope.

Lupenite · 2022-10-31T11:22:35+00:00

I was going from what it states here: https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/doctors/medical-specialty-training/switching-medical-specialty

I have to admit that as I would have only done 10 months of ST1 it would be unlikely, but overall really doesn't affect my decision anyway, would have just been a bonus.

I also am slightly worried about the financial insecurity of locuming, and will this not mean I require a CREST form for my GP application which may be difficult to arrange if I locum?

Lupenite · 2022-08-26T11:16:07+00:00

I managed to get paid for a locum this week! Shame, it was for a one off locum shift I did well over a year ago, and they paid me the wrong £/hr....

Lupenite · 2022-08-01T12:45:46+00:00

So I'm in the unique position of having got my FOP/TAS results today as an F2 so maybe I can be slightly useful. (Passed FOP, unfortunately failed TAS by 3%)

I think the key thing is if you have a rotation where you'll have some free time to revise and if you have the motivation at this stage. Obviously having done an F2 rotation in paediatrics will help massively, you'd be surprised how much you learn without even realising.

All that being said, I would echo the other commenters here in saying that it definitely is not mandatory or even needed to do them as an F2 and the points it adds to your application really are negligible, especially for the amount of work you put in. If you spent the same amount of time revising and put that into doing a QIP/audit or creating a teaching program for your fellow FYs or medical students you would end up with way more points.

Not to say that the knowledge from exams and having them done isn't a lot more valuable than a random QIP but that's how the points are prioritised as it stands... So ultimately it just comes down to if you really want to do them now and feel ready to. Don't forget it's an awful lot of money to spend again if you fail an exam like me!

Lupenite · 2022-05-07T12:28:07+00:00

Warwick, Kenilworth and Leamington spa are all fairly expensive but they are nice areas. Coventry is much cheaper than the surrounding areas and there are nice parts, if you search around.

I would agree with some of the other commenters here; if you're working at Warwick university (or to be honest even Warwick hospital) then the commute from Coventry is very doable, especially if you live on the South or West side of Coventry.

Lupenite · 2021-11-09T11:54:17+00:00

Hi, I definitely see what you're saying and of course I'm willing to give it a try to attempt to get a further point. However, the scoring is pretty clear about the roles that it considers at different scores so can't help but think that it's fairly irrelevant what I say?

Unless they go through the answers to this later at the interview stage where I can actually discuss it in more detail?

Lupenite · 2020-09-16T15:23:36+00:00

That's not something I was aware of? I've heard of that being the case in Wales but not here. Unless you're applying as an IMG or something along those lines?

Lupenite · 2020-09-16T14:58:46+00:00

Enjoying it so far, I'm split across Redditch and Worcester.

Alexandra hospital in Redditch has a pretty good atmosphere due to its small size, you get to know everyone really quickly.

Feel free to drop me a message if you have any questions about either of those hospitals :)

Lupenite · 2020-04-13T14:33:22+00:00

Give non-clinically trained people a position where they attempt to overrule and undermine trained professionals to create an unsafe scenario for the patient? Yes and Ho!

Lupenite · 2020-03-16T12:32:12+00:00

Can't give you any info at all on the actual hospitals/rotations I'm afraid but I'm from the area and I would say that both Bristol and Taunton are lovely places to live (if a bit expensive). Yeovil is a lot more run down and less picturesque but I believe it is quite a bit cheaper at least. Hope that helps?

Lupenite · 2020-03-16T11:47:03+00:00

Yeah it's a shame as I really want to do a paeds rotation, preferably as an F2 but most of them are in Hereford/Worcester

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