The Hustle

Staying afloat in the system 

Post community service the security of government imposed servitude is ripped away.  Although, we often despise being cogs in the wheel of this giant health care system, there are many benefits to to internship and community service. 

Number one : you are ensured a decent  and usually regular salary.

Number two: depending on where you’re placed you have the option of incredibly cheap DQs.

Thirdly, you are working under supervision and have very limited liability/responsibility for decision making.   

Once you are fully qualified the security blanket is ripped away.  No more government placements, now you have to polish up your CV, do courses and make yourself stand out in the increasingly competitive job market.  You are now expected to do some serious adulting, which includes paying more tax, paying actual rental prices and taking full responsibility for patient care.  You may immediately get a state MO post but nowadays the chances are that you may not. 

So what do you do if you find yourself unemployed ?  How do you make ends meet? By becoming a hustler.   I’m not talking about anything illegal or untoward, but sometimes you have to do what it takes to bring home the bacon. 

Maybe you dream of becoming a surgeon but there are no available MO posts, or you’ve always wanted to save little children but the budget doesn’t allow for new staff.  What do you do?  The options are A) lie on Mom &Dad’s couch snacking on Lays and binge watching Bridgerton while your colleagues are strengthening their CVs or B) you can take a locum job, maybe not in your desired field, and do a course to improve your chances of getting that job once they’re hiring.

Lying on Mom & Dad’s couch may be wonderfully relaxing, and possibly what you need to improve your mental health, but it is not a career path.

Tips for the novice Hustler:

1. Be confident - Find a locum agenecy or approach potential employers. Ask around or see the jobs section on this website for some options.

2. Put together a professional CV

3. Be humble, you’re trying to get your foot in the door/earn a living, not get your dream job.  The dream job will come but not right now.

4. Be prepared to do some hard work for little reward, e.g. you may need to get supernumerary time in order to meet requirements for your dream job.

5. Know that this is temporary and only until you’ve met requirements, or written an exam for the post you’re looking for.

6. Keep an open mind, you may be offered an opportunity you’ve never considered.  Don’t box yourself in.

Lastly enjoy the ride, try to have fun and you may meet new friends in a similar quandary along the way.

At the end of the day you’re a doctor and your motivation is to help and serve the community even if it’s not in the way you’ve always envisioned.  There are good jobs out there, they may not be the ones you dreamed of but if you keep a positive outlook they may be stepping stones in the direction of your chosen career

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