Hi, my name is Mansi. I am an IMG from India, and I recently appeared for my PLAB 1 exam. In today's blog, I am going to discuss my reasons for choosing the PLAB pathway instead of NEET-PG for my higher training, which I hope will help you make your decision regarding your career trajectory. I will discuss in this blog the following:
- Holistic learning with teachings and research
- Work proportional to pay
- Work-life balance
- Miscellaneous reasons to work in the UK
Holistic Learning With Teachings and Research
Teaching experience and involvement in research activities are crucial to inculcate scientific temperament among practising doctors, and NHS gives due importance to both, along with providing world-class care to patients and education to doctors. This promotes the overall development of a person as a doctor, researcher, and teacher all at once.
Work Proportional to Pay
At a time when NHS is witnessing strikes from healthcare workers for increasing pay, it'd be unfair to make a head-to-head comparison of the junior doctors' pay scale in different countries. Nonetheless, the fact that the stipend paid to junior doctors is meagre in many parts of India, and there's hardly ever an extra pay for out-of-hours work (night shifts or weekend duties) makes NHS a much more appealing avenue.
Work-Life Balance
There's no denying the fact that medical institutions throughout the world are struggling with an ever-increasing patient load, and a similar situation exists in my country. However, the more troublesome issue is that, unlike the NHS, the brunt of the increased workload is bore by the junior doctors in the hierarchy, with them working even up to 120-140 hours a week. This, coupled with poor working conditions and lack of designated day-offs, strips the doctors of the chance to unwind and give due attention to their personal lives, leaving them helpless and burnt out.
Miscellaneous Reasons to Work in the UK
1. Strict code of conduct for doctors with their colleagues as well as patients: This prevents ill-treatment of junior doctors by their seniors, avoids discrimination, and allows the provision of respectful care to all patients.
2. Option of less-than-full-time training: For doctors who need more personal time to fulfill commitments out of work, the option of less-than-full-time work acts as an offer to progress in their career ladder without compromising on other responsibilities.
3. Travel to nearby European countries: For all travel enthusiasts, the ease of exploring the European continent is a bonus reason to want to work in the UK.
Need more tips and advice?
If you have any more questions, I would be happy to answer them on TrewLink website. You can register using this link. Find me as an ambassador and follow my profile – Mansi Jain – to receive regular support and guidance.