Less than full-time training: a trainee perspective

"I think it was a great decision and I wish that I had pursued it sooner. I was feeling increasingly burnt out, and after hearing about less than full-time training I decided to discuss it with my supervisors who were very supportive. Moving to 80% has allowed me to have a much greater work-life balance – I now have more time to pursue hobbies outside of medicine and see family and friends. I also feel a much greater satisfaction in my job and feel I can be a better colleague and doctor. I would highly recommend discussing it further with your supervisors if you’re considering it!"

"For me, I am doing less than full-time training in internal medicine training at 80%. This roughly translates to one non-working day per week. There is also a similar reduction in out-of-hour work commitments such as night shifts and on-calls. As a result of this, your pay is reduced proportionally and, similarly, you also have proportionally reduced annual leave and study leave per rotation. I am doing training at 80% but you can choose between 90%, which is the highest, and 50% which is the lowest. It’s worth bearing in mind also, that your training will be extended proportionally."

"For those interested in applying for less than full-time training, I would advise them to speak to their educational supervisor first. You would then need to discuss this with your training programme director and the associate dean of less than full-time training. The process was less complex than I thought it would be and those involved were very supportive. There’s lots of information about it on the Scottish deanery pages. For those considering less than full-time training, I would say to be mindful that the process could take a few months to arrange after applying, so if you feel that it’s something you’re interested in then start those conversations early!"

"I’d highly recommend less than full-time training to anyone considering it!"