Making Career Decisions

Learning outcomes

You will:• Understand a range of career factors which can help

inform your choices after Foundation training• Know how to evaluate specialty preferences and

options in a systematic way• Have access to a range of decision-making tools and

resources • Be able to use and interpret competition ratio data

realistically• Be able to “scenario plan” for the range of decisions

and choices which typically occur as part of specialty training application

• Understand the importance of contingency plans

Deanery Careers/LTFT Team• Dr Melanie Jones Associate Dean and Careers/LTFT Lead

• Sally BlakeCareer Development Adviserpgmedicalcareers@cardiff.ac.uk

• E Guidance link from www.cardiff.ac.uk/walesdeanery/careers

Career Support for Trainees

SpecialistDeanery

Who provides support ?

You

Are you ready for this?

Your career at its simplest…

1. Go to Medical School

2. Become a Junior Doctor

3. Enter specialty training

4. Become a consultant

The road ahead…

Interactive Career map

From hot button on Deanery homepage www.walesdeanery.org

Main Options after F2

• Specialty Training programme• Integrated Academic Training (WCAT)• Specialty doctor• Time Out/Abroad• Research/teaching• Other use of medical training (law,

finance, informatics, sales, health related)

Typical decision dilemmas• Which round should I apply to? Should I wait/re-apply in Round 2?• Should I accept an offer if I don’t know where my posts will be?• Dual career issues• Am I prepared to move to pursue a specialty or stay and let Plan A go?• What is my 1st, 2nd, 3rd choice?• What is my Plan B?• Should I go abroad?• Do I still want to be a doctor?

Influences on career decisions

• Time - earlier decisions are now required!• Generation (Boomers, X and Y)• Choice left to individual – (UK norm)• Prior exposure to a speciality helps inform

choice• Peer influence (what others think)• Role models• Positive and negative experiences (“horn

and halo”)• Life style and work life balance

You need to take an evidence-based approach!

Where should we be now?• Self assessment Exploring career values, motivators, preferences,

personal strengths, limitations• Career exploration Establishing options, alternatives and plan B’s,

information gathering, networking, reality checking• Decision making (you are here!) Evaluating options, mapping skills and attributes against

actual roles, considering options and preferences, clarifying personal factors, making choices

• Plan implementation Applicant research, CV update and applications,

preparing for assessments and interviews

Still exploring?

• You can organise “tasters” in F2 to look at specialties you may consider or want to find out about

• Go to national medical careers fairs (RCP, Mersey 15 September, BMJ London 19 – 20 October)

• For diary of all UK Careers eventshttp://www.medicalcareers.nhs.uk/career_planning/career_exploration/medical_careers_events_calend.aspx

• Talk to trainees – what did they choose, why?

Try SCI59• On line self assessment tool • Improves self awareness if questions considered• Gives 10 specialities most likely to enjoy• Gives 10 specialities which will be a challenge

• Take it with a pinch of salt – hazard warning!!!

• Free to BMA members via their website• http://www.bma.org.uk/careers/

careers_service/Careersguidance.jsp

Do some personal research

• Visit departments and talk to people

• Have your questions ready

• Have contact details to hand

• “You’re the ideal person to ask about …”

• “I’d really value your view on…”

• “What’s it really like working as a ……?”

What do I need to know about particular specialties?

• Skills and competencies required• Experience needed• Pathways and progression• Competition ratios• Number and type of posts• Local and UK variation• Qualifications and training needed• Must be up to date information

Have you got what they want?

What I want What the specialty 1 wants 3

What I offer 2 What the specialty offers 4

Exercise

• Compare 2 Person Specifications

• How do the first sections differ?

• Look at common behavioural attributes e.g. Communication, Team work

• How do they differ?

Competition ratios – a word of warning!

• Medical students and doctors like evidence-Medical students and doctors like evidence-based approachesbased approaches

• Numbers look an attractive way of planning or Numbers look an attractive way of planning or justifying decisionsjustifying decisions

• Posts are based on NHS service need; this changes from year to year

• Everybody presents information differently (and usually not the whole story)

• Using ratios to determine choice is like driving whilst looking in the rear view mirror

Case study – Radiology in Wales 2009/10Case study – Radiology in Wales 2009/10

• 224 applications for 7 posts224 applications for 7 posts• Competition ratio = 32:1Competition ratio = 32:1• 39 invited to interview = 5:139 invited to interview = 5:1• 15 attended = 2:115 attended = 2:1• 3 appointable candidates, 4 posts to Round 23 appointable candidates, 4 posts to Round 2• 2010 = 28 applicants put Wales first choice in 2010 = 28 applicants put Wales first choice in

national process (but 20 interviewed and 5 offers national process (but 20 interviewed and 5 offers made)made)

Sources of Information• www.mmc.nhs.uk : on all specialty recruitment; look at

person specifications and careers sections• www.bma.org.uk : information on recruitment rounds and

procedures • www.medicalcareers.nhs.uk : for specialty information

including workforce projections• www.nhscareers.nhs.uk : for outlines of specialities, pay• careerfocus.bmj.com/ : details of UK and other job

vacancies, career advice, FAQCareers in Wales• www.walesdeanery.org : for info on specialty training

rounds in Wales• www.medicalcareerswales.com: all vacancies in Wales• www.doctorstrainingwales.tv : for video clips on specialty

training in Wales

Gold Guide

• Everything about speciality training• Flexible training/LTFT• Time out for research• Time out for approved clinical training or

experience• Career breaks• Inter deanery transfers• Time out for other good reasons• www.mmc.nhs.uk

Reality checks:Even with your talent and aspiration remember

that:• The NHS will train the workforce it requires, not

create the posts you want• Not everyone gets their first choice• Think in terms of “choosing some specialties” not

just “choosing a specialty”• There will be changes, transitions and

bottlenecks to navigate from hereon in• Learn to live with risk and uncertainty

Action Plan• Weigh up all your circumstances• Prioritise your options and preferences• Think of a Plan B (and C)• Carry out detailed research• Build experience via Tasters / audit / teaching• Get portfolio in shape (Dops, Mini CEX etc)• Bookmark and browse your key information sites• Update your CV• Think about your interview skills