Hi guys, it’s Nick here from The Savvy IMG. I’m always inspired by IMGs sharing their stories and experiences here on Facebook. I don’t think I’ve ever shared a personal story here before and thought I’d do that today!
This is all about getting ready for my first job in the NHS. I can still remember all the emotions from that time; I was nervous, excited, and ready to prove myself. But of course, I didn’t just show up without doing some homework. There was a lot I did to make sure I was ready for that first day, but even then I didn’t feel fully prepared! But we do what we can, right? 
Here are my top tips on getting ready for your first job.
- ARRANGE A PERIOD OF SHADOWING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE
I took the initiative to contact the department I was going to work in ahead of time and offered to start early for free just so I could familiarise myself with the hospital and observe another doctor. It worked! Not only did they happily set this up for me, they even had the nice gesture to make it PAID shadowing. Shadowing also scored me nice brownie points with my consultants.
In non-training jobs, most hospitals will allow you to start your job with 1 to 2 weeks of shadowing, therefore the shadowing period is paid. All you have to do is ask! If they say no to this, then we’d recommend to come in a week earlier even if it is possibly unpaid.
- MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A DATE FOR INDUCTION
In my case, because I started in an official FY1 post, there was a formal induction for all the new doctors. This is an introduction to the hospital and to the department. It’s usually conducted by a senior member of the team like a registrar or Consultant. You’ll probably also meet some other members of staff like the senior nurse-in-charge. During induction you’ll be given information about the hospital, any important phone numbers, key people that you should be aware of, how the on-call system works, knowing who your supervisor is etc.
If you’re joining a TRAINING JOB, you will start the job along with all the other new trainees so you will all be at induction together. This is the perfect opportunity to get to know your fellow doctors and your supervisors. Our induction in Wales was really fun as it included a boating trip! It was a great team-building exercise as we worked together to get the boat sailing. It was my first time ever to operate a boat and I remember getting knocked out for a few seconds when I got whacked on the head by the sail beam! Definitely an unforgettable introduction to the UK!
If you are starting in a NON-TRAINING POST, you’re usually the only new doctor in the department at that time so your induction may be less formal or may even get missed entirely. But it is VITAL as an IMG to get a real introduction to the department so you can start off on the right foot. You should ask about this during your interview or when you get the job offer and follow it up after.
- GET YOUR HANDS ON THE OXFORD HANDBOOK
Saying this is a must-have reference is an understatement. I can’t tell you how many times this book made my life so much easier by having the most important information I needed on a daily basis in my pocket. It helped me become more confident in my management plans, and prevented me from making mistakes. I have found helpful from the time I worked as an FY1, up until working as a locum SHO.
Whether you borrow it, buy it, or download it, I highly recommend you have the relevant one in your specific specialty.
So these are my top 3 tips to prepare for your first job in the NHS as an IMG, but we actually have a total of 10 tips!
If you want to know the other 7 tips, check out the article here:
https://thesavvyimg.co.uk/10-ways-to-prepare-for-your-first-job-in-the-nhs-as-an-img/