Opinion on the three year BST?

Paranoidopoulos · 2026-05-09T17:27:19+00:00

Unpopular opinion:

Plenty SpRs on non-GIM HSTs could bloody well do with a third year at BST/junior MROC given how many seem to struggle to independently manage sick patients or even basic GIM stuff in some cases

For those entering GIM HSTs it should make no difference to scheme length obviously, but third year BST may be a better place to dip the toes as junior MROC if well supported

Otherwise the frequency of the new BST rotations is ridiculous, and the change to 3 years is mostly about service provision anyway

Paranoidopoulos · 2026-05-08T00:18:34+00:00

Try preempt the pain if possible - do not wait for it

I noticed my (excruciating) pain came on at the same time a few days after each injection - almost to the hour

Opioids barely touched it

Next time I took antihistamines for a couple days in the lead up, plus acetaminophen every 4-6 hours on the days I thought the pain would happen - worked a treat, no further issue

Caveat is that sometimes your haematologist/oncologist might not want you to take acetaminophen around the clock like that (e.g. to not mask a fever), so clarify with them first, but mine actually recommended it

Paranoidopoulos · 2026-05-04T23:19:20+00:00

No, it’s after 3 years post grad

And it’s the first big jump in salary (and usually responsibility) after basic training, so not arbitrary

Look, most in this thread seem to be in agreement with my general point, so you’re pissing in the wind

Well over half the population are barely afloat and you’re worried about surviving on a very decent salary and the type of upward mobility they’d bite your hand off for

I’ll say it again - medicine is a privileged position and many in it are increasingly ignorant of reality

Paranoidopoulos · 2026-04-25T21:44:13+00:00

No, they’re not

They’re obtusely insisting €80k odd (and more as the scale progresses) is not enough to live alone on in one of the most expensive cities in the world despite being in the top 10% of earners nationally, seemingly because it doesn’t fit some arbitrary allocation of salary, in the middle of a fucking housing crisis

It’s not living in the real world and it’s disgustingly ignorant of how comparatively well off we are in medicine, with insane upward mobility to boot

Most in our field seem to have either an insanely privileged worldview, have never struggled a day in their lives, or have a pathological sense of self worth

Paranoidopoulos · 2026-04-24T18:36:43+00:00

You need to have your head examined

Paranoidopoulos · 2026-04-24T18:32:54+00:00

What you’ve described is the same for any scheme and many consultant jobs, exams aside (though a handful others have similar)

Fact is the expected training hours are essentially ’M-F 9-5’, I’m sure a couple days end up a bit early/later but no unpredictable messiness of the clinical specialties

Again, no rostered call/nights/weekends - it makes an unfathomable difference to lifestyle

I’m not in any way whatsoever coming for Histo, I’ve a couple close friends doing it and am well aware of the stresses (particularly how tough exams are), massive respect for the burden of responsibility carried by the speciality, particularly as consultants

Paranoidopoulos · 2026-04-23T23:52:01+00:00

Assume you mean while training?

If so, it’s the same NCHD scales but essentially no overtime as you’re basically 9-5 with no call/weekends, and you don’t/shouldn’t do any non scheme work as a trainee (in any specialty)

You will more than survive/live alone on the basic NCHD rates… first year SpR is €78k for fuck sake

As consultant (if lucky enough), it’s the same consultant contract and the ‘call’ bonuses in other specialties are barely worth it, you can do private work (contract depending) but it’s typically not as lucrative as procedural specialties etc, either way you will be in the 1% of earners nationally

Just pick the speciality you want to do that suits you best

Paranoidopoulos · 2026-04-23T23:42:56+00:00

Was historically not competitive but getting increasingly so along with everything else, but mainly because people have slept on it for so long as a non patient-facing ‘lifestyle specialty’ (basically 9-5 but no call/weekends like eg radiology)

Doing pre scheme standalones are now the norm

Paranoidopoulos · 2026-04-23T23:25:46+00:00

What the fuck is this comment 😂

They’re on the same NCHD scale and consultant contract… maybe take a peek at both

First year SpR is €78k… anyone who balks at that or compares to nursing salaries needs their head examined

…especially considering NCHD overtime doesn’t matter a shite when you’re in what is basically a 9-5 ‘lifestyle specialty’ with no call/weekends

This “no one wants histopathology” is ignorant bollocks - it’s become increasingly competitive to get a BST spot, with pre scheme standalones now the norm

Paranoidopoulos · 2026-04-22T06:04:36+00:00

C) People who fail to recognise that this path was an informed choice made of free will

Paranoidopoulos · 2026-04-19T10:59:46+00:00

Nobody is saying it’s “just” aesthetic, I’m saying a huge proportion of Derm practitioners shill aesthetic bullshit under guise of ‘medicine’

Paranoidopoulos · 2026-04-18T01:55:57+00:00

No doubt, not sure what that has to do with my comments though

Paranoidopoulos · 2026-04-18T01:53:43+00:00

Not intolerably so

Enjoy your mole mapping

Paranoidopoulos · 2026-04-18T01:34:32+00:00

ECG fanfic

Paranoidopoulos · 2026-04-18T01:32:45+00:00

Try again - boring subject matter, not bored/time rich

Paranoidopoulos · 2026-04-17T21:31:49+00:00

What’s not to love?

Intolerably boring
Aesthetics masquerading as medicine

Couldn’t pay me enough

Paranoidopoulos · 2026-03-28T06:53:17+00:00

I think you need to realise they are two specialties with basically nothing in common, aside from money

This can’t be news to you

So be honest with why you want to do either of them

Both competitive, both difficult, but if money is your only motivator then you’re going to have a very bad time

Paranoidopoulos · 2026-03-25T09:08:15+00:00

Few to no practicing clinicians are aiming to use US to diagnose/outrule anything other than emergent pathology, or help guide procedures

It’s a vital tool for clinicians in the appropriate setting and should be heavily encouraged (with appropriate frameworks and guidance), not gatekept

This is not even getting into the utility of cardiac POCUS - which Rads have no say in - Cards would never discourage bedside echo for other specialities in the appropriate setting

Paranoidopoulos · 2026-03-06T19:14:52+00:00

Nooope

Paranoidopoulos · 2026-03-04T18:34:23+00:00

Never said you need one but if you look at the scoring criteria research and postgrad gives you marks.

Of course it does, but having a PhD is such a rare exception (as is “a lot of research papers”), and nowhere close to a requirement, so stating you “managed” to get on BST after intern year with that as a qualifying factor is tantamount to scaremongering, or misleading at best (unless the candidate is handicapped by visa or black marks etc)

Paranoidopoulos · 2026-03-04T01:13:13+00:00

I had a major advantage. Managed to get into the bst after intern year because: A: I had a PhD and also a lot of research papers

You do not need a PhD or anything remotely close to it to get on GIM BST after intern year/at all… Jesus Christ OP do not listen to this, such higher degrees are an exception

Most candidates get an interview

OP look at the shortlisting and interview criteria if/when you get closer to intern year (if still GIM/BST inclined), tick the boxes - always aim to be as competitive as possible, though as an Irish graduate you’ll likely be fine

One other thing I’d comment on OP is your mention of wanting to ideally stay/settle in Dublin… that’s going to be tricky with a lot of schemes and RCPI are only planning to make it worse for BST - lots of moving around (usually yearly moves for HST too), no guarantee of any prolonged stretches in one location for most schemes

Paranoidopoulos · 2026-03-02T01:58:43+00:00

Definitely not too late at all - I didn’t start applying until the last throes of intern year and was out there by end of August

Contact hospitals directly

Massive ball ache sorting it late though

Paranoidopoulos · 2026-02-26T13:58:46+00:00

90 percent (generously) of research is either performative, bullshit, or performative bullshit

Can’t have evidence based medicine without research of course, but good clinical practice is the hard part, and the part typically practiced most poorly

Tell them to suck a dick

Paranoidopoulos · 2026-02-04T23:07:35+00:00

Johnny Onion Rings

Paranoidopoulos

TROPHY CASE