Hello. Just looking for some feedback with regard to the following:
I am interested in the specialties of Public Health/Psychiatry/■■■■■■ and Reproductive Health, but need to have my core competencies validated before I can even apply to these specialties. I am not the best clinician and so I want to do some time in FY1, to brush up on my skills and become more competent on the clinical side. I have been applying for FY1 jobs for the past three months, but have been unsuccessful. I was wondering if I could a clinical attachment in Psychiatry or ■■■■■■ and Reproductive Health, to atleast get some insight into the NHS or some medical experience. Does this sound reasonable or should I just try to get a clinical attachment in the core specialties? Grateful for advice. Many thanks
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Your interest is quite broad and those specialties have significantly different pathways of training. For starters, as an IMG, you unfortunately can’t even go for public health training programs in the UK due to visa restrictions.
If you are interested in psychiatry, please read this article - Specialty training in Psychiatry for IMGs in the UK. Subscribe our YouTube channel, we are soon to publish a video on psychiatry training pathway in the UK.
As for community sexual and reproductive health, it’s an immensely competitive programme which you can join right after foundation training (or equivalent). There is no separate core training for that.
If you want to discuss your case further in detail, you can always book a personalised guidance session with us.
Hi, thank you very much for replying. I truly appreciate the worthwhile information.
I will check out the pathway to Psych etc.
Best regards.
It’s great that you are aware of your current level of clinical competency and are motivated to improve before pursuing your desired specialties. A period of training in an FY1 (Foundation Year 1) program can be a good way to gain more experience and improve your clinical skills. FY1 programs typically focus on providing broad-based training in the core specialties of medicine, including general surgery, general medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, and pediatrics. This experience can provide a solid foundation for further training in your desired specialties of public health, psychiatry, and reproductive health.
It’s also important to note that while clinical skills are important, these specialties also require knowledge of research, epidemiology and public health principles, communication and counseling skills, and ability to work in interdisciplinary teams. Therefore, in addition to FY1, you may also want to consider other opportunities such as research projects, volunteer or internships to gain experience in these areas.
Ultimately, it’s important to have a clear plan for how you will gain the necessary skills and experience to be competitive for your desired specialties, and to be willing to put in the hard work and dedication to make it happen.