GPST Training Journey

Mine has been the long road to general practice but it has been a rich, fascinating and rewarding journey. Throughout my time in foundation training, locum work and core medical training I found I enjoyed a variety of specialities including paediatrics, palliative care, acute medicine and geriatrics. In my final year of CMT I thought hard about what I wanted to do next in my career and what would keep me interested for the long haul. A taster week in general practice cemented it for me. The balance of acute and chronic illness, lots of patient contact, being able to follow people through their lives and health journey’s, getting to know their family members and truly looking after people from cradle to grave really appealed. With 90% of all patient contacts with the NHS happening in primary care it’s such an important specialty and one that is evolving all the time. 

I commenced GP training LTFT in August 2018 with a young son at home and settled in quickly with an excellent training practice in Forth Valley. I then did hospital rotations in paediatrics, A&E and psychiatry which helped fill knowledge gaps and refresh my skills after several years in adult medicine. I learned how to examine and manage unwell children, acquired lots of useful skills in A&E including minor injuries management and also what is appropriate to be seen in an emergency setting and what could be better managed in general practice. I saw acutely unwell patients with psychiatric presentations and also learned a lot about managing depression both with medication and non pharmacologically.

Once in ST3 I was further supported to complete my RCA exam which was the temporary covid-friendly version of the CSA. Training days at the Golden Jubilee were extremely useful to consolidate learning in subjects such as ENT and orthopaedics as well as a very important ST3 day on locum work, being a partner, tax, appraisal, medicolegal cases and general life admin as a GP. 

Leaving GP specialist training I felt well equipped to start work as a fully-fledged GP working 6 sessions a week and being able to enjoy time with my young family(now increased to two young boys) as well as work in other roles – I’m currently a crowd doctor at Murrayfield stadium looking after rugby fans and concert goers alike. I have joined a lovely practice and only last week celebrated one of the partners retirements with patients sending in cards and gifts having known her since the 90s. They regaled tales of her looking after their elderly parents in their final few days, to supporting them through early parenthood and beyond. 

General practice offers you that variety, a good work life balance, scope to have a portfolio career, a job which includes lifelong learning and caring for people, and forging wonderful relationships  with families through the generations.

Dr. Mia Sheridan