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Original post by ppjk
Just curious
During training, anything that would cause you to be put onto the med reg rota (or surgical reg rota) would make hours irregular - so most medical specialties (resp/GI/cardio), gen surg, etc. Anaesthetics also have a heavy out of hours component (we have loads of anaesthetists (or 'anesthesiologists' if you listened to the Tory drivel/expertise about the NHS on this week's Question Time) on TSR who know first hand and can let you know...)
Obviously exclude things like emergency medicine, trauma.
I can't think of many specialties that during training that will have regular hours - I don't think derm is on the med reg rota? And that's known at consultant level for being quite regular and one of the few specialities I think to gain from this new contract. GUM I can't imagine has many on-calls.
In the past (distant past) you could have expected people to say GP, but largely that is not a particularly 9-5 job given the chronic under-recruitment into the specialty, hence they're overworked and having to start earlier/work later/etc.
e: Public health, occupational health, rehab (maybe?), rheumatology (but that might be on the med reg/medical consultant rota) are other candidates for regular hours. Not 100% sure on rheumatology.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by ppjk
What are the obstetrics working hours like
Not 9-5, it's probably one of the more unsocial specialties. Women can give birth 24/7 (and women can have complications giving birth 24/7) and given the how quickly complications progress, consultant and reg cover is needed 24/7 on labour ward. So lots of nights, but there's no standard answer and it will vary by hospital. Might be a trainee on here that can give a better answer.
Original post by ppjk
What are the obstetrics working hours like
One of the worst because the timing of childbirth is unpredictable and women seem to deliver more frequently at night than in the day. It is also a very consultant-led specialty so anti-social hours are likely to continue for your whole career.
As Beska said, public health, occupational health, and dermatology are probably the specialties with the most regular hours. I would also add ophthalmology to that list.
Other specialties such as rheumatology may include anti-social hours during training (rheumatology SpRs are on the general medical rota in many hospitals and this is likely to increase in future). Some specialties (e.g. cardiology, orthopaedic surgery, etc) will include anti-social hours work during training but you could probably limit this a little as a consultant by carefully selecting where you work.
GPs have more control over their career than most doctors and have more scope to define their own terms and conditions. They can probably avoid anti-social hours if really want to, although that might affect their overall salary. Again, GP is likely to become a more anti-social specialty in the future.
Unfortunately all the really fun specialties (general surgery, trauma, emergency medicine, anaesthetics, etc) include lots of out of hours work. It's at night when the hospital really becomes interesting.
Original post by ppjk
Sorry to be a pain but what about gynaecology
Same as Obstetrics, they train together as Obs & Gynae in the UK and throughout specialist training you're doing both. I know there's definitely consultant positions where it's one or the other, but at least from what I've seen there not hugely common and most do both.
Clinical microbiology? They were pretty much 9-5 where I've been, except when they're on call. Usually not on site however. Will obviously vary between centres.
Specifically during training? Well everyone has to go through FY1 and FY2, so none really. After that though: public health (almost all), path/micro (mostly), radiology (mostly).
Pretty much everything else has to be manned overnight. Even the medical specialities where you don't have to be med reg you still have to do CMT for two years.
Pretty much everything else has to be manned overnight. Even the medical specialities where you don't have to be med reg you still have to do CMT for two years.
Original post by Beska
During training, anything that would cause you to be put onto the med reg rota (or surgical reg rota) would make hours irregular - so most medical specialties (resp/GI/cardio), gen surg, etc. Anaesthetics also have a heavy out of hours component (we have loads of anaesthetists (or 'anesthesiologists' if you listened to the Tory drivel/expertise about the NHS on this week's Question Time) on TSR who know first hand and can let you know...)
Obviously exclude things like emergency medicine, trauma.
I can't think of many specialties that during training that will have regular hours - I don't think derm is on the med reg rota? And that's known at consultant level for being quite regular and one of the few specialities I think to gain from this new contract. GUM I can't imagine has many on-calls.
In the past (distant past) you could have expected people to say GP, but largely that is not a particularly 9-5 job given the chronic under-recruitment into the specialty, hence they're overworked and having to start earlier/work later/etc.
e: Public health, occupational health, rehab (maybe?), rheumatology (but that might be on the med reg/medical consultant rota) are other candidates for regular hours. Not 100% sure on rheumatology.
Obviously exclude things like emergency medicine, trauma.
I can't think of many specialties that during training that will have regular hours - I don't think derm is on the med reg rota? And that's known at consultant level for being quite regular and one of the few specialities I think to gain from this new contract. GUM I can't imagine has many on-calls.
In the past (distant past) you could have expected people to say GP, but largely that is not a particularly 9-5 job given the chronic under-recruitment into the specialty, hence they're overworked and having to start earlier/work later/etc.
e: Public health, occupational health, rehab (maybe?), rheumatology (but that might be on the med reg/medical consultant rota) are other candidates for regular hours. Not 100% sure on rheumatology.
Who was referring to anaesthesiologists on QT??? That's such terrible PR for the tories.
SAS doctors were partly established to allow for sociable hours and those with family 
What stage of your career are you at, OP? If you've not really started clinicals yet, I wouldn't recommend making any decisions too early based on this criterion alone. Yes, some specialties involve more antisocial hours work than others, but finding something you enjoy and are good at is also important. No point deciding on public health if you end up hating it.
Anaesthetics does have a relatively high on-call commitment, but still manages to be relatively family friendly, I think because the elective work is all sessional so it's easy to go part time without feeling that your patients are missing out on the days you're not there.
Anaesthetics does have a relatively high on-call commitment, but still manages to be relatively family friendly, I think because the elective work is all sessional so it's easy to go part time without feeling that your patients are missing out on the days you're not there.
Original post by Hype en Ecosse
Who was referring to anaesthesiologists on QT??? That's such terrible PR for the tories.
https://youtu.be/MbQUcHXwf8M?t=1009
If you get angry and and break your keyboard it's not my fault....!
Original post by Beska
https://youtu.be/MbQUcHXwf8M?t=1009
If you get angry and and break your keyboard it's not my fault....!
If you get angry and and break your keyboard it's not my fault....!
He didn't even say it like the Americans do; he said "anaesthiologist"
Original post by Helenia
What stage of your career are you at, OP? If you've not really started clinicals yet, I wouldn't recommend making any decisions too early based on this criterion alone. Yes, some specialties involve more antisocial hours work than others, but finding something you enjoy and are good at is also important. No point deciding on public health if you end up hating it.
Anaesthetics does have a relatively high on-call commitment, but still manages to be relatively family friendly, I think because the elective work is all sessional so it's easy to go part time without feeling that your patients are missing out on the days you're not there.
Anaesthetics does have a relatively high on-call commitment, but still manages to be relatively family friendly, I think because the elective work is all sessional so it's easy to go part time without feeling that your patients are missing out on the days you're not there.
I haven't even started f1 yet I created this thread out of curiosity. I plan on pursuing a career in medicine and want to get a general idea of work life
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Democracy
He didn't even say it like the Americans do; he said "anaesthiologist"
Well that's the OP answered. Consultant anesthiologists don't work weekends. Easy peasy.
Consultant Anaesthetists do work weekends. There is always a consultant on for ITU, a consultant on for cardiothoracics. a consultant on for the ortho trauma theatre and a first and second on call consultant for the emergency theatre (mainly staffed by senior reg) in the event of polytrauma, children beyond the competency of the reg, need to open a second theatre.
This is from someone who works in anaesthetics so I know from which I speak.
This is from someone who works in anaesthetics so I know from which I speak.
Original post by lyra1987
Consultant Anaesthetists do work weekends. There is always a consultant on for ITU, a consultant on for cardiothoracics. a consultant on for the ortho trauma theatre and a first and second on call consultant for the emergency theatre (mainly staffed by senior reg) in the event of polytrauma, children beyond the competency of the reg, need to open a second theatre.
This is from someone who works in anaesthetics so I know from which I speak.
This is from someone who works in anaesthetics so I know from which I speak.
Yes, but "anaesthiologists" don't.
Original post by Maker
Pathology.
Nope, 24 hour service for inpatients and A&E.
All aspects in my lab whether it's Microbiology, Biochemistry or Haematology have somebody working 24/7. The only time the service actually shuts is bank holidays at 10pm.
But hey the workload isn't too bad after 5pm since GP work stops coming in. I also can't speak on behalf of small hospitals but I do assume they must have a doctor available for inpatients.
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