By Maham Stanyon, GPVTS ST2
An
engaging conference showcasing the variety and celebrating the diversity of career
pathways in general practice. As a trainee the conference opens your eyes to
the possibility of a job tailor made to your interests whether clinical, educational,
academic or managerial, incorporating the holy grail of both patient care and
job satisfaction.
Throughout
the day long event, the importance of mentoring and utilising the diverse generalist skill set to explore new avenues were
reinforced as vital ingredients for success. Topics covered ranged clinical
leadership opportunities and Darzi fellowships, to portfolio careers
encompassing world travel, education and media medicine. Newly emerging fields
pioneered by GPs such as out of hours medicine also shared the spotlight, with
the launch of the first academic urgent care post announced to trainees.
Unusually the speakers represented the entire experience spectrum, from newly qualified
GPs to those at the pinnacle of illustrious careers, giving a cutting edge
flavour to the conference amongst the heartfelt and honest talks from those
more senior.
Reflected
back from the event was the reassuring message that patient care is the glue
underpinning each of their careers, despite the challenges to life working in
the NHS. Summed up by our programme director, “the NHS is changing faster than
ever before, but with change comes opportunity”. As GP trainees we are best
placed to realise those opportunities, with conferences such as this one to
give us the skills and the vision to make the most of them.
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