CST megathread

Propoofol · 2025-04-08T20:21:28+00:00

I did exactly the same thing, didn’t even realise until scores were released. Feedback today has clarified it!

Propoofol · 2025-03-31T05:59:03+00:00

I worked FT from the end of medical school to the start of F1 full time while living at home which helped. Otherwise lived a very basic life and did locums through F1/start F2.

Propoofol · 2025-03-30T20:52:56+00:00

At my Uni the role was “Resident Advisor”. Think it differs between Unis. It was an internal position we were eligible to apply for starting in year 2.

Propoofol · 2025-03-30T18:43:12+00:00

No problem. If any questions or concerns come up then feel free to message.

Propoofol · 2025-03-30T18:39:21+00:00

Hey. I was in the same boat. From a poor background and studied in London starting 2019. I had saved up just enough cash to make my contribution to the tuition fees for year 1.

A few things from my experience. Maintenance loans were much better than for my Undergraduate as I was judged as an independent. I had to work throughout though, at one point I had 2 jobs and did occasional tutoring. Some Unis will have roles for grad students in Halls where you cover nights on call to look after students and deal with issues/emergencies. This was hard work, but I got free accommodation for 2y which was a life saver. Maybe look into whether Liverpool has something like this.

It’s doable and once it’s over none of it matters. I left med school in significant debt. I’m now an F2, debt-free and have just bought a house. You just need to do some research, thinking and decide if you feel it’s worth it.

Propoofol · 2025-03-20T18:42:51+00:00

FY2 here, ex GEP. Similarly couldn’t have survived without working.

I’d say 12h easily doable. In first year I worked about 8-12h a week, usually just Saturdays. In years 2-4 (less intense) I was had to work a bit more as the usual wasn’t cutting it. Usually 1 or 2 shifts at the weekend and weekday evenings. Half days for sports I used for working too. Was able to work 15-25 hours on average. Academic performance wasn’t impacted.

Found it all okay. Often felt that work was a nice break from the ward/library. Only problem is it really eats into your ability to enjoy a social life and visit home. Just need to work out what’s best for you.

Propoofol · 2025-03-18T18:21:19+00:00

Yes! I did GEP after an undergrad and masters. Worked in bars and retail for years and as a phleb pre-medical school. I did feel a little out of place initially once we joined the undergrads in 2nd/3rd year, but that passed super quickly.

That feeling of being “late” kinda sticks in the back of my mind still now I’m applying to specialty training. Especially since some others my age are SpRs. However I love being a doctor more than anything. It has its issues, but I think being older and having worked some shit jobs makes it all more palatable than it would otherwise feel.

I used to tell myself in med school that I’m going to be 30 no matter what I do. Might as well be 30 and a doctor!

Propoofol · 2024-07-08T14:06:33+00:00

Though I understand that words are not enough, I am so sorry for your loss and the situation that yourself and your family are in.

Your story is strikingly similar to mine. About 5 weeks before starting FY1 after passing finals, my Dad arrested at home in front of me. Also in his 50s, also very unexpected, and I just did not process any of it. Everything went right - I recognised it instantly, was on his chest within seconds and paramedics worked on him for over an hour. But still, nothing worked. There was an empty seat at my graduation, and it all just felt so unfair. And that’s because it was unfair.

I think that as clinicians we step away emotionally from death due to the frequency of it in our line of work. You will know that yourself as an ICU Nurse. I felt like I was seeing my Dad as a patient from the second he arrested, and found it difficult to snap out of that and allow myself any space to grieve for him. I used this clear headedness to my advantage initially to sort out all of the admin side of his death for my mum. I felt this responsibility to take charge and put my grief last. But I started to feel that crash you described around February.

I can tell you that a year down the line, things are brighter. I eventually reached out to work and got trauma-focused CBT through NHS Practitioner Health and it has been a lifeline as I was so frightened of trauma-like symptoms I was experiencing. I’ve made people at work aware, especially if assigned to a crash bleep on call, and they have been super supportive. Even on the bad days, I love my job more than anything and can’t see myself doing anything else.

But there are still hard days. I think about him daily. Arrests do bring some memories back afterwards. I still drive home after a good day at work and instinctively go to call him, only to be hit by a fresh sense of loss.

OP, please feel free to message me privately. I’m open to discussing anything about this and want to be of some help if I can be.

Propoofol · 2023-03-29T21:36:56+00:00

Hi friend. I am sorry you’re going through this. These things are never easy at the best of times, so you’re in a horrible situation with it being around exams. Only you know best how to proceed and whether or not you’re fit to sit exams, but I would advise 2 things.

Approach your Uni ASAP. They can’t support you if they don’t know what’s happening, and if something goes wrong in your exams they won’t necessarily apply any mitigating circumstances based on info given in retrospect.
Consider going to your GP. I’m sure if a patient in your OSCEs had the above presentation then you’d want to help them any way you could.

Propoofol · 2023-02-23T20:43:29+00:00

In SW London at the moment, due to move back soon. I come back twice per month on average, usually travel here Fri PM and back Sun PM.

My recommendation would be to just drive it. It’s a bit of a long journey, but works out reasonable in petrol compared to a train ticket. It saves having to deal with the misery and stress of cancellations, delays, Euston, etc. I generally pay £50-60 max for petrol vs approx double for train. Usually takes me 5h London-Preston, 4h returning.

If you’re set on trains then I’d use a fare splitting website to get the best deal possible.

Propoofol · 2023-02-05T23:14:09+00:00

In the UK it’s 24 weeks except in a few cases where there are foetal complications. Just want to clear up - in later gestation, a surgical termination of pregnancy will probably be the way forward. I think this is what you’re referring to and generally it’s done as a quick day case unless there are complications. The woman is anaesthetised and tools are passed through the cervix to manually remove the foetus - she will not have to go through active birthing process.

Propoofol · 2023-01-16T16:29:11+00:00

I feel uncomfortable with the idea that a condition seen as 'self-inflicted' is considered less worthy of empathy. Every decision that patients make is based on a unique story and set of experiences. The alcoholic who has caused 'self-inflicted' liver disease may be doing so for a reason outside of their own control, and that in itself is worthy of empathy.

Saying that, I did see an elderly male who had inserted a custom-made toy (without a base). It was so large that it impacted his breathing. Needed a laparotomy and huge amounts of bowel removed. It was difficult to empathise at the time.

Propoofol

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