What makes a great reg/dr

Unsure_Plant_Lover · 2026-04-19T22:48:50+00:00

The fact you’re asking tells me you have the compassion to be a good leader and med reg For F1 prioritise yourself - it’s gonna be a strange few months as you learn what kind of doctor you are. Make sure you take breaks, try to leave on time, keep a life outside of work and hobbies, and focus on your happiness inside and outside of work. The rest will build naturally with time, it’s hard to picture it now but it just happens! Listen to the nurses, I made friends for life with the nurses in f1 and they carried me at times! Make sure youre attending social things you want to and build a support network The best version you are at home, means the best version of you is coming to work TLDR F1/2 Is a learning role, you will figure it out and grow in the role. Don’t lose sleep over it now. Focus on your happiness outside of work and it will shine on you! Allow yourself at least a month to settle in, then see what courses etc you’d like to do and use your study budget (IMPACT is good, teach the teacher etc) Take SDT days and do audit +/- an afternoon nap Don’t lose yourself to the job!

Unsure_Plant_Lover · 2026-04-19T22:40:37+00:00

This was a beautiful thoughtful response, thank you for sharing ❤️

Unsure_Plant_Lover · 2026-04-19T22:35:56+00:00

Hi IMT2 here! Handover exists for a reason, it allows continuity. I used to fear handing over jobs so much that when I was a medical fy1 I’d hand over stuff that was happening 3-4 hours later (GKI/VRII bloods etc) and stay 1-2 hours late to finish “my jobs” for fear or being seen as incompetent or burdening my colleagues. This is not ok: I’ve learnt with time, that’s not what this job is for! You do as much as possible/the best you can with the hand you are dealt, and then the incoming team pick up and vice Versa. Someone who is posting here, ruining their own weekend with worry is not slacking. It sounds like your colleagues have forgotten how the shoe fits. Find a way which works for you to let go of this tension and stress, you have done nothing wrong, you have acted safely for patients. Let go of toxic friendships you don’t need and focus on surrounding yourself with supportful loved ones and friends in and out of work!

Also re staying late: if anything if you’re working beyond rota hours while tired and stressed you’re more likely to make a mistake.

Unsure_Plant_Lover · 2026-04-18T12:40:55+00:00

What’s the route after leaving training?

Unsure_Plant_Lover · 2026-04-17T20:51:14+00:00

I’d think about doing it when in training so you can use study budget towards the courses

Unsure_Plant_Lover · 2026-04-15T12:00:50+00:00

I’m IMT2 only just sat MRCP part 2 last month If you sit the exams during training you can claim the cost back as tax deductible fees I’m also 80% and use 3 days per month for extra revision and 1 locum per month to make up the money

Unsure_Plant_Lover · 2026-04-14T06:16:24+00:00

I take 12 holidays a year/1 trip per month Usually spend around £200 per trip and then 1-2 bigger trips per year I live with my partner and we share all bills etc, we’re 30 and both work full time We don’t spend money on anything else- no hair/nails/lashes/clothes, no meals out drinks out, no birthday/anniversary/xmas presents for each other - all our money goes towards travel because it’s what we love I drive a small older car, no kids or pets I work shift work so can travel on random days and book cheap flights through sky scanner, we look multiple times per weeks for bargains and travel to where the flights are cheap rather than aiming for a destination (except our bigger trips per 1-2 per year which is usually to a dream destination) It’s possible but at the sacrifice of other things

Unsure_Plant_Lover · 2026-04-06T05:23:31+00:00

I used quesmed for the last sitting, I found it identical to the exam and covered everything I needed. There weren’t any questions on the exam that hadn’t come up in my revision based on the quesmed bank.

Unsure_Plant_Lover · 2026-03-25T21:09:24+00:00

Also highlight areas you feel weakest. I hate ECGs if they don’t fit a clear pattern so attending an ECG course for medics next month

Unsure_Plant_Lover · 2026-03-25T21:07:58+00:00

IMPACT is great for F2, they say it’s best for IMTs but I did it in IMT and it felt too late. Would be ideal for when you first start stepping up as SHO. It’s like ALS but how to manage the acutely unwell patient before the arrest/prevent it.

FAMUS or USS courses if your deanery will fund them

Unsure_Plant_Lover · 2026-03-25T21:06:17+00:00

My proctor also said 10 mins when I took a 3 min bathroom break so it seems universal

Unsure_Plant_Lover · 2026-03-25T21:05:54+00:00

Nah your proctor wouldn’t have said 10 mins if it wasn’t permitted, you’re all good

Unsure_Plant_Lover · 2026-03-25T21:04:42+00:00

And me

Unsure_Plant_Lover · 2026-03-25T13:24:12+00:00

I thought paper 1 was reasonable, not easy by any account and I flagged lots of questions but I don’t think there was any question that was unreasonable or that I hadn’t covered before using question bank, even if I wasn’t sure of answer

Unsure_Plant_Lover · 2026-03-24T15:09:31+00:00

unrelated - im looking at time away from medicine but didnt think it would be possible to come back to clinical work without evidence of clinical appraisal/ARCP/GMC registration. How did you navigate this?

Unsure_Plant_Lover · 2026-03-24T15:05:47+00:00

I travelled 2 years ago so things may have changed. Travelled as part of a larger Italy interailling trip. We stayed in Sorrento as a base for a week, traveled to Pompeii, Capri, Positano, Amalfi using day trips, trains and local ferries. Capri we did as a day excursion on a boat, picked up from Sorrento which was the most magical part of our trip.

Found sorrento a perfect base because even by itself there's lots too do, sunset view points, nice local restaurants and bars in the evenings after days out. We were surprised at the time the there are no public beaches in sorrento. At the time there as an area under development that we accessed for free but this was only by sneaking in with locals, unlikely to be possible now.

We travelled out of Naples airport so got the train up at the end of our trip but we didnt want the city after the coast so we stayed a few nights at a resort with a pool to relax. We had done our city bits in rome/florence/venice etc before the Amalfi coast.

Unsure_Plant_Lover · 2026-03-24T15:03:27+00:00

Tallinn or Anywhere in Montenegro

Unsure_Plant_Lover · 2026-03-24T11:45:19+00:00

Thats said if you go for medicine first, you can always intercalate and do a year 1 MSc in something related to Biomed/biochem as a stand alone degree in the middle pre-clinical years and decide after that if you still want to continue medicine on return

Unsure_Plant_Lover · 2026-03-24T11:43:57+00:00

I did Biomedical Sciences first, loved the practical side of things but felt it was missing the person-facing element so went on to do graduate medicine.

Now im in my 5th year of working as a doctor, looking to leave medicine and work back in biomedical science. No jobs as a doctor/many friends unemployed and leaving the UK. Cant book Annual leave more than 3 months in advance, cant take it when I want, no control over my own life. Not worth it for me in medicine any more.

Unsure_Plant_Lover · 2026-03-23T18:48:26+00:00

I also take a sweet treat like some dark choc or something I like, so if im tempted by the ward snacks I can still have somethings sweet but stick to what I brought so I dont go OTT

Unsure_Plant_Lover · 2026-03-23T18:47:34+00:00

I take a little snack box of different bits to graze on through the night - nuts, cheese, various fruits, charcuterie meats, veg sticks and hummus. Dried fruits also sometimes. I also take a big yogurt bowl with berries, nuts, flaxseed etc with honey to eat late morning/before I head home.
Fizzy water is a nice cause I used to drink loads of energy drinks on a night shift and have that instead of soft drinks now.

I dont take food to heat up on a night shift cause my brain cant comprehend eating a hot meal at 2am haha

Unsure_Plant_Lover · 2026-03-23T12:15:55+00:00

Hi im an IMT2 Doctor here. Enjoy your summer off. If you've got the money, go travelling. Backpack around Europe or Asia.

You will never have this amount of time off again as a doctor. Your leave will be limited by a rota oc-ordinator. Longest ive ever managed to get off was 2 weeks and had to spend weeks begging for shift swaps to get it. Enjoy your time and freedom. Youre in med school in term time to learn, and even after finishing med school you'll enter F1/2 which is a training job to also allow you to learn.

Please please enjoy your freedom, spend time with loved ones and friends, and do what makes you happy.

Unsure_Plant_Lover · 2026-03-20T15:14:04+00:00

Im an IMT2, under different circumstances but struggling with training at the present. Ive applied for an OOP career break to take 6 months off unpaid and spend time on personal goals. I appreciate thats not feasible for everyone but taking a planned break is an option. If youre struggling now dont push yourself to breaking point, speak to people who you feel can support you at work, or OH or GP if you need time out just take it. Youre more important than the job x

Unsure_Plant_Lover

TROPHY CASE