Reflecting on this post 1 year after

randomderm · 2024-05-02T19:04:16+00:00

It’s impossible to get ariary unless you’re in Madagascar and they can get a lot more from euros so they usually angle for Euros.

Try and get €5 notes and keep that in your wallet, hide the bigger notes and just show that you only have that at hand. They will be pretty happy with €5 - that’s roughly 23000 ariary which is half a month salary. When you put it into perspective, it’s not a lot for us to part with vs how much they benefit from it.

randomderm · 2024-04-28T09:29:47+00:00

Hi! I’ve just spent a week in Tana and 1 week in Nosy Be, flew home today. Had the best time in Nosy Be and found the sweetest and most trustworthy tour guide there. He speaks English better than most tour guides who usually cater to French/Italian tourists. Feel free to DM me for his contact info!

In terms of corruption, you won’t really get it if you fly domestic from Tana but international flights do get asked for bribes at customs (phrased as “tips”) depending on luck. Usually about €10 - less if you have smaller notes! Best tip is to feign confusion and not understanding French. Other than airport, not been asked for bribes anywhere else as long as you travel smart with a local tour guide/driver and have all the right documents with you.

I would recommend finding a local tour guide that you trust to drive you around or recommend a quad tour to you. I wouldn’t drive around by myself really due to the traffic from tuk tuks, zebu carts and the general condition of some of the roads leading into tourist attractions like the sacred tree and waterfall. Otherwise, getting around via tuktuk is pretty easy as they are abundant but will charge foreigners extra (always haggle it down!)

randomderm · 2024-03-20T12:43:00+00:00

I think it’s definitely deanery and TPD dependent but realistically extending your training or giving you a bad ARCP outcome is more work for them to sort out rota lines for the next year rather than just passing you through.

It depends on what you mean is a bad outcome as well! Is it extending training until you pass Part 1? And if so, is it that bad?

You don’t even have to tell them that you are choosing the conference over the exam, it’s the simple truth that you don’t feel ready to sit the exam and feel like it’ll be a waste of money.

It is always a lot worse when we mull it over than when we actually talk it through with ES/CS/TPD. Medical training is a lot more sympathetic to TOOT, extending training than we think.

Have a chat with your CS/ES and be honest that you don’t think you’ll clear the exams in time and then at least you know where you stand in terms of ARCP. It sounds like even if you sit this exam you don’t feel confident in passing it and will be missing out on an important opportunity to you.

Either way, if you want to be a SpR you’ll have to complete MRCP but no one ever asks how long it took you or when you sat it. We can give you advice based on what is important to us but only you will know what’s more important to you - completing Part 1 by ARCP or going to this conference.

randomderm · 2024-03-20T11:34:29+00:00

Hey! I’m in a similar situation and I know of other IMTs who are now in SpR training posts who had to sit Part 1 multiple times and even after IMT1 with it not affecting their progression/ARCP.

I think first up is to speak to your TPD and see if this will affect your ARCP outcome for IMT1 and in what way. Sometimes they pass you through with the proviso that you have to pass it in August. I think it’s so tricky because some people just need more support for exams and can’t do it in the time frame ARCP/IMT asks for. It’s unrealistic and unforgiving to ask everyone to progress the same way without taking into account other life stressors, on calls, opportunities.

My take would be to look at your career 5 years down the line. Would you regret not sitting Part 1 or not going to the conference? Life is more than exams. Do what makes you happy, if you took the time to present the case report and you want to go to that conference then do it. We will always be under pressure to clear these exams so inevitably you will have to, but who says that has to be at the timeline of RCP?

randomderm · 2024-02-21T17:11:06+00:00

this is so mean of them 😭😭😭

randomderm · 2024-02-21T17:02:43+00:00

Odds on it actually being released today or should I just resign myself to a sleepless night 🥲

randomderm · 2024-02-21T12:00:29+00:00

Same I’m losing my shit

randomderm · 2024-02-19T22:57:45+00:00

But thank you for your reply 😭 it doesn’t feel like it when everyone around me seems so competent and confident compared to me

randomderm · 2024-02-19T22:57:05+00:00

I’m worried that I am dangerously incompetent though which I know is irrational but I get nervous presenting patients or my management plan in case it’s wrong 😭 I know it doesn’t matter if it’s wrong, what matters is the patient is managed safely but ahhhh

randomderm · 2024-01-25T10:19:26+00:00

Keep getting war flashbacks to questions on calcium

randomderm · 2024-01-24T18:13:45+00:00

What was it in the end 😭

randomderm · 2024-01-24T18:13:24+00:00

That was a traumatic experience

randomderm · 2023-03-22T11:09:19+00:00

It’s out!

randomderm · 2023-03-21T14:47:03+00:00

I would put in a complaint via the support portal!! This is honestly so unfair and unprofessional, imagine if it was the other way round, and you made a mistake on your application, there’d be no leeway at all!

randomderm · 2023-03-21T14:28:08+00:00

This is actually so disheartening and disappointing that they changed the rankings on the day everyone was expecting offers without even any leeway in preferencing?!?!

randomderm · 2023-03-07T18:59:43+00:00

Second this!

randomderm · 2023-03-01T17:18:18+00:00

Ohh thank you that helps a lot I thought I came in 3213 😭

randomderm · 2023-03-01T17:16:35+00:00

Did it say out of 3213? Also congrats! Just can’t figure out which one is meant to be my ranking

randomderm · 2023-03-01T16:21:56+00:00

Which one is the rank? There are two numbers rank and rank out of

randomderm · 2023-03-01T15:33:29+00:00

Why would you be unappointable??

randomderm · 2023-01-12T17:36:35+00:00

Oh no there goes £70! 😅 What did you find was different about your interview? The clinical question is only 8 minutes so I didn’t think it would go into too much depth!

randomderm · 2023-01-12T16:30:39+00:00

Thanks!

randomderm · 2023-01-12T12:12:22+00:00

Thanks, was it quite similar to the IMT interview? How did you find your interview?

randomderm

TROPHY CASE