Future Jobs

I am currently doing a 9-week Obstetrics and Gynaecology (O&G) attachment at one of the London Hospitals. We have two weeks will O&G finals and the panic is starting to set in. I have really enjoyed O&G, it's so different from the general medical specialties in that most of the pregnant patients are healthy women. The doctors involve us in the consultation and give us more responsibilty. It was a bit awkward at the start because we had to ask the patients intimate questions regarding their sexual health but it became easier with time.

I attended a talk on applying for pre-registration house (PRHO or foundation) jobs. The result, I feel confused and disheartened. My general view is that the medical schools and government decided to increase the med school intake without thinking of the consequences e.g there are now more jobs than applicants. We will be 'ranked' using criteria we are not currently aware of (and may never be) using personal statements and the Consultants have no say in who recieves their house post. I understand the need to make medical job applications fair and transparent. However we have moved to the other end of the spectrum where the job allocations are made based on an electronic scoring system without actually meeting the candidates in question. I think most people would agree that being good at exams doesn't make you a brilliant doctor. It may help but it's not a pre-requisite.

Many of us look back to 3rd year when we chose our BScs with hindsight and agree it would have been beneficial to do a BSc where we felt confident of securing a high 2.1 or 1st. The days spent mowing Consultants lawns/ walking their dogs are long gone. This news comes as I contemplated joing the rugby/ hockey/rowing team and or wearing mini skirts on ward rounds. Damn political correctness.