I am a doctor, working full-time in the National Health Service (NHS). I can say that I love my job and I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else. I go home with a degree of satisfaction and go back to work the next day. But it is not easy.
Being a doctor is not easy. Getting here is not easy, being here is still not easy, and moving forward, I would still have to continue to work hard. I am in core medical training, so not quite specialty training yet. I am pursuing a career in Oncology (Cancer Medicine) and on the verge of applying for specialty training; the application process starts this month.
Built in with medical training are neverending exams. There were several yearly exams in medical school. Then there are postgraduate exams and specialty exams. There are further assessments before you actually become a Consultant.
Next week, I have yet another exam to take – PACES. The last exam (of 3) to gain Membership to the Royal College of Physicians. I’m retaking this exam as I failed it in June. It’s also not the first exam I have failed.
There are also endless projects that we need to be involved in – teaching, quality improvement, research and publications (if you’re into it), presentations. Plus meeting the requirements to progress to the next year.
This is all on top of aiming to deliver safe and high quality care to patients.
So after all that, why train for marathons (as if one is not hard enough)? Why not just focus on exams and progression and the next training post? Well, because if not, then my whole life would just be consumed by Medicine. In my head, I need one thing outside Medicine that I can really get into and have a different set of goals. With running and more specifically marathon-running, these are physical goals. In my head, this creates balance. Sort of.
That’s the second ball up in the air – next week, more about being an amateur runner.
Side note: Earlier this week, I got my Cancer Research UK jersey. Please check out My Fundraising Page.
Reach for the Seven Stars 