Leaving medicine

bestforyou

Hi guys,

This might not be the most appropriate forum for the information/advice I'm looking for but I'm at a complete loss so I don't have anything to lose.

I decided to go to medical school when I was 15. Filled out my CAO form at the age of 16 and started first med the following year. I enjoyed my time at college where I maintained wide and varied interests outside of medicine. I graduated and began work on the wards and I've been less and less happy since then. I have intermittently flirted with the idea of leaving to pursue a different career but I never really came close to it.

Instead of taking some time out to travel and clear my head I threw myself into an application for and SpR scheme which I succeeded in getting on. For a while, I thought I was happy and started planning a career path but for a number of months I have been feeling more and more disillusioned.

It's very hard to describe how I feel or find anyone to talk to about it because the field I'm in is very competitive and at work I keep up the pretence of being committed and dedicated to the job. I don't open up well to friends and those that I have done fail to understand how unhappy I really am.

This must seem like a very self indulgent post. I know thousands of people are desperate for a job in this country at the moment and that many people think a career in medicine must be a wonderfully rewarding experience. Well it's not for me. I wish I had the courage to hand in my notice and walk away from it but I'm terrified of the uncertainty and the consequences.

So what am I looking for? Well I really don't know anyone who has "left" and I was wondering whether any user here knows someone who has done so and has a positive story.

busymum1

Hospital medicine in Ireland is awful IMO. Give up for a bit. The world doesn't end. Travel, locum, do overseas NGO work, head to OZ or NZ for a few years, have some fun. Then make a new career plan.

Loads of other things in medicine that have nothing to do with hospitals. Worked out great for me... As someone wise said to me, 'the thing about winning the rat race is , you're still a rat!' HTH good luck and be brave.

chanste

Have you considered what you'd like to move into?

I was well and truly on my way down the teaching career path before packing it in and moving to med school, so I know its not the same but I know what it feels like to be immensely unhappy in a career that you've put a lot of time into setting yourself up in. For what its worth, since making the decision I've never given a 2nd thought about whether packing it in was the right decision.

I'd advise putting aside financial concerns or concerns of how your colleagues might react if it is something that you are that happy in. Financially you will surely take a hit, but you're bound to have a lot of transferable skills, and the hit would probably be worth it if it means you can be happier doing something else. It can take a lot of nerve to make a change which is why I opened with a question about whether there is another career option you're keen on.

Anyhow, I'm rambling and probably not much use as you're going out of what I'm getting into and by the sounds of it have done a lot more training to get there, but I guess I just relate to your post, and wish you all the best with it.

bestforyou

Thank you for both your replies.

@chanste

No, I don't have any firm idea of what I want to do, which makes leaving a lot harder. I have actually thought about teaching on many occasions! Because I've never travelled, there is part of me that yearns to take some time out and do that, even if it means locuming as a medic intermittently to fund that. Other ideas I've had include going back to college and starting a humanities based degree; something completely different to what I do now. Before medical school I had so many different interests and was drawn to so many different areas; I really do feel I've lost a great deal of that in the intervening ten years.

@busymum1

I strongly considered moving to the UK a couple of years ago to get into public health with a view to ending up in a role with an NGO or international agency. In the end I as afraid of the unknown and put all my energies into securing an SpR scheme here in Ireland. I really regret that decision now as that would have been an ideal point to "take a break." Leaving an SpR scheme mid way through will be much more difficult to explain to my bosses and my peers.

opinion guy

bestforyou wrote: »

Leaving an SpR scheme mid way through will be much more difficult to explain to my bosses and my peers.

You don't owe your bosses or peers and explanation no matter how much they make you feel that way. You don't have to explain yourself to anyone. (Hmm Stockholm syndrome much ???) By all accounts you've done your bit. If you are unhappy now saying in it will not make you happy. Quit. Locum, travel, study as you need to regain balance in your life. Do a masters or something in somthing that interests you. Epidemilogy, public health, histroy, philosophy whatever you want. Stuff like epidemiology or public health great for NGO work - especially if you are already an experienced doc.

Ryder

As an spr who is almost done I would echo all of the above but.......wouldnt rush anywhere yet. Hospital medicine is tough, pressurised and its easy to become disillusioned with the job situation, work life balance etc. Maybe medicine isnt for you and maybe other factors are getting to you which you need to address.

I would advise you to talsk to someone, family/friend etc and get an external view specific to you. For what its worth, if youre on an spr, I would be inclined to see it through regardless because your skills will be a lot more transferrable with a ccst behind you.

bestforyou

Thanks Ryder. I take your point about seeing the SpR through to get CSST but I'm at the stage where consultants want me to start applying for Fellowships abroad etc.

I have talked to a couple of close friends this week. One option which had come up is sticking with my training for another year but concurrently enrolling in an online Masters of Public Health. Trust a medic to see more study as the answer to melancholy and unhappiness!

docbroc

Can I ask ? Have you tried working outside of Ireland ? I hated working in hospital medicine in Ireland. The constant abuse, stress and hours wear you down. Im now working in the same specialty in Oz that drove me out of irish medicine and I love it. Life is short. Lots of people leave SPR schemes - I know several. The world didnt end and every one of them is much happier these days.

dissed doc

Fellowships are bull****. If you are not on a track to get a CCST, then leave. You will be hanging around for a decade waiting to get your speciality training finished.

opinion guy

bestforyou wrote: »

Thanks Ryder. I take your point about seeing the SpR through to get CSST but I'm at the stage where consultants want me to start applying for Fellowships abroad etc.

I have talked to a couple of close friends this week. One option which had come up is sticking with my training for another year but concurrently enrolling in an online Masters of Public Health. Trust a medic to see more study as the answer to melancholy and unhappiness!

You could quick the scheme, do your masters in public health (oh...LSHTM ?....good rep!), and locum as you go to suit your needs. Seems like doing the masters alongside the SpR would be making life alot harder, no ?

just-joe

I think all the people who go back to study graduate medicine are a great example. Giving up careers and taking on financial hardship to go back and start again. You musn't be too old so I wouldn't worry about the time or money... easier said than done but it would be worth it in the end?!

I think travelling a bit and seeing some of the world would be a great break! You can meet people, see things, and think about whether going back to medicine is best, or finding something else is better.

Truman Burbank

OP - 3 years on, can you give us an update please? Interestingly, your post is just as relevant now as it was back then. Even more so. You spoke/speak for Many. Hope things turned out well for you.

If I were reading your question in real time, I would have said "Leave (who cares right? your family/friends yeah but certainly not The Powers that Be in The HSE; Travel; Locum; Have the time of your life; find a career you really think you'll enjoy and with an employer and senior managers who will appreciate you and your work ethic. If that happens to be one where you can use your medical background - then cool, if not, no bigee".

For the Many others in this situation see Dr. Zhivago's great post on careers using a medical degree that don't involve psychological and physical torture.

pc11

One option could be lecturing. Some of the medical colleges definitely look for teachers, demonstrators, researchers and so on.