Monday 15 August 2011

MRCP v MRCGP

I love medicine. As much as I bitch and moan about it, I love the smile on peoples' faces when we fix them. I hate working nights, I absolutely detest working so many weekends and bank holidays. I hate being made to choose between having a life aand being the kinda doctor I want to be.

I didn't go to med school to be a general pracctitioner. Hell, I don't know ANY doctor who went to school to be a general ppractitioner. Not because there's anything wrong with that, more because when you're 15 and applying for medicine you have a picture of figuring out what's wrong with people and fixing them straight away as opposed to passing them on to someone else to fix - which is the fundamental difference between primary and secondary care.


I've ALWAYS wanted to be a consultant in infectious diseases and or HIV medicine. I love it, I always have but by God being in the hospital gets on my tits - especially when I keep clocking 70hour weeks

So now I'm worried that I'm gonna end up doing the professional exams for primary care as opposed to the mrcp. I flatly refuse to not have a life. All my snr docs I've spoken to tell me straight up - it's either primary ccare and a life or seccondary care and none. I want one, I want a family and I want time to be able to enjoy one - I want to sleep in my bed at night, to go on holidays etc

I just feel cheated having to choose between both! So unfair!

I suppose if one doesn't work out I can always re-train - yup, re-do speciality training.

In the mean time november is looming - which is it gonna be? MRCGP or MRCP?

I'm scared - and honestly, perhaps kinda excited to!

We"ll see!

:)

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

As the last of the generalists I think that MRCP(UK) is a much more useful qualification to have even if you become a GP.In my experience MRCGP gives the 'touchy-feely' bit but lacks the true knowledge and depth one needs to be a good generalist.Im a GP with MRCP(UK);MRCGP strikes me as a mickey mouse diploma in comparison.Hence Ive not bothered with it.

Enitan said...

I thought the same too. I already decided the MRCP will open more doors - so I'll be sitting part 1 in January. Thank you, I appreciate your opinion.

Anonymous said...

Came across your blog accidentally - hope your MRCP Part 1 went well. I agreed that the MRCP(UK) will no doubt give you a much bigger sense of achievement when you finally obtain it. But no, I do not believe a hospital consultant job would exclude a family life. It all depends on the specialty you choose to do. Infectious disease and immunology is in fact a rather female/family friendly specialty. Don't leave hospital medicine just yet...
Best wishes,
Someone who did MRCP(UK) a couple of years ago