Dr Laura Pugh, the RCP New Consultants Committee representative for East Midlands North and South, talks about her first year as a consultant in geriatric medicine.
I’m going to start with a confession: I was the ST7* thinking consultant life looked easy. And the ST6, if I’m completely honest! I was that SpR at the top of their game, tiring of on calls because they were tedious rather than difficult, turning up to the ward and finding myself essentially supernumerary because rotas meant I was rarely there, so no one expected me to be there. I would troubleshoot, see a few patients, then maybe go to clinic, where again the burden of work would be low.
I was desperate to get my CCT, mainly so I could leave the night shifts behind. I did so 6 months earlier than my original date, having been organised and efficient with my portfolio, and getting from F1 to CCT in 8.5 years.
I got my CCT in February 2023 and I can honestly say I’ve worked harder in the last 12 months than I did at any time in my training. Maybe I was naïve, or maybe training does not actually prepare us for the job we’ll be doing – it’s likely a bit of both. But this first year as a consultant has been one of the best and also one of the hardest of my career.
To go back some years – I never aspired to be a doctor. At school, I was all about the humanities. After a degree in English literature, followed by a number of varied jobs and two children, I turned 30 while working as a diabetic eye screener. While whiling away my lunch break one day investigating other careers in the NHS, I found out I could apply for the graduate entry medicine course in my local city – so with the ‘big birthday’ ringing in my ears I went for it. I’ve never looked back.
Now I’m at the end of year one of consultant life, reflecting on how far I have come even in 12 months. During the first 3 months I actually wasn’t too busy. Work hadn’t built up because I was new, the department saw me as new and gave me time to settle in. I used this time to say yes to everything.
Part of it was because I felt I had time, but a lot of it was to do with proving myself. Proving I could cope. Proving I could take on whatever was needed. Proving they’d done the right thing by hiring me. Proving I was a team player. Proving I had leadership potential. Because now I wasn’t the one at the top of their game – now I was the newbie, learning as I went, making mistakes, asking for help. I think I set myself up for a year that was harder than it needed to be.
If I was going to give just one piece of advice to those about to achieve their CCT it would be this: you deserve this job and you have earned it. You have nothing to prove – when you get that first consultant job, it is because you have what it takes. Allow yourself time to adjust, you will be a consultant for a long time, and you do not have to be everything from day one.
Ultimately, being a medical consultant is an amazing job. I still tell my team that #medicineisbrilliant and I still believe it.
Dr Laura Pugh is part of the RCP’s New Consultants Committee (NCC), dedicated to and comprised of new consultants who are working in the NHS.
Find out about the RCP's six-step course for the new consultant, a programme aimed at those stepping into a consultant role, including post CESR SAS doctors.
ST7 – specialty training year 7
ST6 – specialty training year 6
SpR – specialist registrar
CCT – certificate of completion of training
F1 – foundation year 1
