START OF BST II

As I began my second year of training, I figured not much would change – other than the fact that I’d be one year closer to completing my specialisation. Luckily, I was wrong.

Turns out, the training programme coordinators – God bless them – had listened to the cumulative feedback from all the trainees and decided to make several adjustments to the programme. We’d now sit a departmental exam and complete an audit every two years rather than annually – thank the Lord. They were also replacing our neurology and cardiology rotations, which many of us had found of limited practical value, with rotations in gynaecology, ophthalmology and ENT – all of which felt far more relevant to emergency medicine.

Under the revised programme, we’d only be required to pass the MRCEM SBA – what many of us still referred to as Part B – to progress to the next phase of our local training. We would no longer need to complete the MRCEM OSCE, formerly known as Part C, at that stage. This was a huge relief, especially since OSCE places were limited and priority was generally given to doctors enrolled in UK or Irish training programmes, followed by those working in the NHS.

I couldn’t have been happier. As a BST 2 trainee, I’d also have a little more responsibility. FY doctors and BST 1 trainees would look to me for guidance and use me as a reference point. I’d be trusted with more resus cases and expected to handle increasingly challenging situations. I looked forward to all of it. The previous year had not only humbled me but also sharpened my clinical acumen and procedural skills. The more I learned, the more I wanted to learn, always striving to become a better doctor. 

Of course, I’d have to do all of that while maintaining the balance I had worked so hard to achieve. It would be tougher this year, that was for sure, but I was determined to check in with myself every now and then. I needed to make sure I was still doing what I wanted to do, rather than living solely according to what was expected of me. And I was ready for it all.