F1, North Bristol NHS Trust
| What programme are you doing? | F1 – Care of the Elderly/Stroke Rehab, General Surgery, Trauma and Orthopaedics F2 – Cardiology, GP, Acute Medicine |
| Why did you pick this Trust? | I wanted a very general F1, to try both surgical and medical specialities as I’m not completely certain which speciality I want to go into. However think that I am leaning towards medicine, which is why I wanted a more medically orientated F2 year and specifically an acute medicine rotation |
| What's the area like? | Southmead is in Bristol therefore it has all the amenities of living in such a vibrant and exciting city. There is always a lot to do socially and culturally away from work. Commuting to work is very easy as there is a great transport system and opportunities to cycle or drive to work. It is also very easy to find good accommodation that is a close distance to work |
| What's the best thing about your Trust? | The best thing about Southmead is the community atmosphere; I have felt like a valuable member of every team that I have worked on |
| And the worst? | There can at times be a lack of organisation, especially with timetables and on-call rotas |
| What advice would you give someone about to start in your Trust? | Be prepared to work hard and learn a lot. |
| What's the typical patient profile? | There is a mix of patient types, however the majority are elderly who have lived in and around Bristol most of their lives |
| Describe your job in one word | Fulfilling |
F2, North Bristol NHS Trust
| What programme are you doing? | ENT, GP, Renal Medicine (F2) Palliative Care, Care of the Elderly, Vascular Surgery (F1 also North Bristol – Southmead) |
| Why did you pick this Trust? | Location – Bristol (see below). Reputation – for good training and learning opportunities and for being a nice place to work. Regional and specialist centre. Teaching Trust |
| What's the area like? | All the amenities and activities you would expect from a large and vibrant city. Easily accessible from most areas of the city. Majority of junior doctors live in the West of the city and commute to work by car/ bicycle. Close to the countryside and the rest of the South West. Poor public transport within the city but excellent transport links – M4/M5 motorways, 2 railway stations, international airport when you need to escape! |
| What's the best thing about your Trust? | The benefits of specialist departments without the ego and hierarchy you might traditionally associate with a teaching trust. Learning opportunities. Support from clinical and administrative staff. Active mess and social calendar. |
| And the worst? | Food, bad even for a hospital |
| What advice would you give someone about to start in your Trust? | Don’t be afraid to ask for help or advice |
| What's the typical patient profile? | There isn’t one! |
| Describe your job in one word | Challenging |