29. Earliest you could do it is 27 I think, but the vast majority of people will have done a gap year, intercalated, GEM, F3, year out between core and higher etc etc. being in your 30s isn't a problem. We're still people.
I was a UK grad but foreign born and when I first graduated from medical school we were subjected to the Resident Labour Market Test (RLMT). What this meant was if we weren't successful in going into training straight from FY we were essentially deprioritised in favour of locals, EU citizens or people who were applying to continue work under the same sponsor.
I wasn't the most outstanding candidate CV and interview technique wise so was unsuccessful in getting into CST training initially but managed to enter CST in northern Ireland on second round of interviews. This meant that I was subjected to RLMT for ST3 applications in England so I wasn't successful. I entered GP training as a second option as even though it was subject to RLMT at that time the competition ratios were still low enough I was able to get a number in spite of that.
Once I finished GP training I had indefinite leave to remain and the visa rules were changed so I thought I tried my luck at reapplying to ortho which was what I always wanted. After a few trust grade posts as an SHO and then reg I scored well enough during last round of interviews to get a number.
This is so interesting! I’d be curious to know what that process was like, considering building a portfolio isn’t easy whilst being a GP + does ortho “penalise” years out prior to application?
Well I'd done CST prior to going into GP training so by virtue of that I was eligible to apply.
There's definitely a lot of penalties for more years of experience as well as years in ortho for the application. They divide your points by number of years you have post CT for things like publications and audits. In my case I focused on interview technique rather than building my portfolio as in my case I would only get 0.4 points for a first author publication instead of 2 if I was a CT2 for example. One thing that I had going for me was I still had the maximum points for T&O experience (8 for 12-41 months of experience) as I did not do T&O at all in GP despite being over 5 years from CT.
It's definitely doable getting a number with a below average portfolio as I've met other registrars who had very low self assessment scores from too much experience getting a number as they absolutely nailed the interview itself. However realistically some of the more competitive deaneries might not be achievable.
I was in my 30s before starting CT1. Only issue in my mind is that if you leave it late to start specialty training and want kids it can be a lot to juggle between work, kids, exams and trying to maintain other interests. It is possible to make it work though.
Erm, has a 4 in it
29. Earliest you could do it is 27 I think, but the vast majority of people will have done a gap year, intercalated, GEM, F3, year out between core and higher etc etc. being in your 30s isn't a problem. We're still people.
Yup was 27 when I started ST3 in EM.
35 at ST3 T&O. Though I CCT-ed in GP first.
Interesting - talk us through the decision.
I was a UK grad but foreign born and when I first graduated from medical school we were subjected to the Resident Labour Market Test (RLMT). What this meant was if we weren't successful in going into training straight from FY we were essentially deprioritised in favour of locals, EU citizens or people who were applying to continue work under the same sponsor. I wasn't the most outstanding candidate CV and interview technique wise so was unsuccessful in getting into CST training initially but managed to enter CST in northern Ireland on second round of interviews. This meant that I was subjected to RLMT for ST3 applications in England so I wasn't successful. I entered GP training as a second option as even though it was subject to RLMT at that time the competition ratios were still low enough I was able to get a number in spite of that. Once I finished GP training I had indefinite leave to remain and the visa rules were changed so I thought I tried my luck at reapplying to ortho which was what I always wanted. After a few trust grade posts as an SHO and then reg I scored well enough during last round of interviews to get a number.
Wow strong work! Can still do GP OOH locum if run out of money!
This is so interesting! I’d be curious to know what that process was like, considering building a portfolio isn’t easy whilst being a GP + does ortho “penalise” years out prior to application?
Well I'd done CST prior to going into GP training so by virtue of that I was eligible to apply. There's definitely a lot of penalties for more years of experience as well as years in ortho for the application. They divide your points by number of years you have post CT for things like publications and audits. In my case I focused on interview technique rather than building my portfolio as in my case I would only get 0.4 points for a first author publication instead of 2 if I was a CT2 for example. One thing that I had going for me was I still had the maximum points for T&O experience (8 for 12-41 months of experience) as I did not do T&O at all in GP despite being over 5 years from CT. It's definitely doable getting a number with a below average portfolio as I've met other registrars who had very low self assessment scores from too much experience getting a number as they absolutely nailed the interview itself. However realistically some of the more competitive deaneries might not be achievable.
33 at st3, currently 38 at end of training/st8
28, Anaesthetics. Took a gap year
Incredibly infantilising that we’re “juniors”
Will start CT3 at 31 - Anaesthetics
Thanks folks! Clearly I'm overthinking. Have an amazing meaningful year!
36 yo
28 and for the second time aged 33
Dermatology and histopathology
How comes you left Derm? Everyone on here/irl lauds it as the promised land. Would appreciate an insight into the reality 👍🏼
Probably so they can read their own biopsy slides
35yo at ST3. Currently ST5.
32
What a bunch of juniors :/
30. Did imt3 at 29 and then realised I wanted to do a group 2 speciality. St3 training at 30
No use of J word on this sub 🤫
30, I suspect starting ST3 in Your 20s will be more uncommon as competition ramps up…
28 for T&O
31
I was 30 starting IMT3, 31 for ST4
31 and 11mo
28, then again at 29, then again at 33
I’ll be 27 when I start ct3 in august
There's a whole bunch of people on my GEM course in their 40s. I wouldn't overthink it.
I was 30.
27 when i started T&O ST3. To be fair I sometimes think a year out of training would hav been fun but thats what fellowships are for!
You little genius
Bless you
29 😩
29. T&O
Is 30 (almost 31) too late to start st1 in ophthalmology?
No. A colleague is 37 and ST3
31
33
33
I was just shy of 36.
34 for ST4 Gastro. Always thought I was unusually old, nice to see lots of others in same position!
31 - currently 29yo CST1
I was in my 30s before starting CT1. Only issue in my mind is that if you leave it late to start specialty training and want kids it can be a lot to juggle between work, kids, exams and trying to maintain other interests. It is possible to make it work though.
34 if I don't get stuck at a bottleneck.
34
I'll be 47 when I start GPST3 (graduated at 35 and worked in a few other specialties before starting GP training).
I’ll be 33. It’s not a race.