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Oyindamola Adeniyi, a 4th year Medical student, and a recipient of the Diana Award 2023 shares her tried and tested tips on how she masterfully balances the many hats she wears. "How do you balance everything?" is a question frequently asked, and for good reason! As a medical student, social entrepreneur, mentor, and volunteer, I have embarked on the journey of honing the skill of managing multiple projects simultaneously—a journey that is still ongoing. Within the realm of medicine, where the workload is demanding and stress levels run high, it can often feel like there is little room for anything beyond the confines of the profession. Over time, I have discovered that by diligently applying specific strategies, we can empower ourselves to assume various roles and develop layers of identity that go beyond the stethoscope. Oyindamola Adeniyi is a 4th year medical student, mentor, strategic communications officer at MelaninMedics, co-founder of the Black Excellence Network and a worthy recipient of the Diana Award this year. With all things considered, we must ensure that we look after ourselves and put our mental well-being above all things – remember that by investing time to rejuvenate your spirit, you enable yourself to give generously from a place of abundance. Ultimately, wearing multiple different hats alongside medicine is no easy feat – it requires discipline, structure, and a clear understanding of your 'personal why'. According to James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits, "...the person who builds better habits gets better results. It's not the outcomes. It's the inputs." A practical framework and consistent effort will enable you to diligently manage your work, studies, and projects while avoiding excessive stress and burnout. With these elements, alongside the guidance provided above, one can embark on the journey of mastering the balance between external projects or side hustles and a thriving medical career.

We spoke to Dr Robyn Anderson about her experience as part of the first cohort of participants to join SurgIn: The Lewin programme. Dr Robyn Anderson is currently an F3. She will be a CT1 come August, having secured a general surgery theme post. She will start in cardiothoracics, moving to plastics surgery, and then general surgery for the rest of her time as a core surgical trainee. Why did you join the SurgIn programme? So I'd always known about MelaninMedics, and I saw it on the Instagram and I thought, It sounds really weird - but I'd actually had a similar idea earlier in the year before I saw the application. It was because I thought that there's not really like an official mentoring or support system for black medics, especially in surgery. I knew that a lot of what MelaninMedics had done was with medicine, but I hadn't seen anything like it for surgery. So initially I was just like, I'll give it a go and do the application and see. But actually I think it was almost craving to be around other black people with my same goal because everyone else that I knew bar like one of my friends - either didn't want to do surgery or was white. So just to have a place where I could air those frustrations, learn from people who have probably been through and thought through the same processes that I was going through at the time - I thought was really good. And I think it was also appealing because it wasn't a massive commitment, but I felt like what they advertised I could get quite a lot out of because it was only like 4 or five sessions throughout the year, which isn't a lot to make. But I thought that if it was what it said it was going to be, then I would get a lot out of it. What sort of things do you feel black doctors who want to go into surgery miss out on? I think it's that element of somebody very plainly telling you this is what you need to do. I think at the leadership session that we had, I think it was Christine was talking about how we don't have an old boys club. And it's people saying to you this is what they're saying. But this is what you actually need to do. Which in surgery, I feel more so than medicine is more prevalent. I just found that people were very unwilling to - I guess I found a few registrars - but people were very unwilling to share that. I think sometimes in order to get ahead in surgery, and to plan through your path in surgery, you need to know what you actually need to do. How do you feel the SurgIn programme has prepared you for your future surgical career? I think the practical sessions that we had, like the interview sessions and the initial session to do with applications, that was quite helpful for me. Also just that inspiration of seeing people who have done it, I think for me it was a lot, especially in the East Midlands, there aren't very many black surgeons, male or female. But one thing that SurgIn has shown me is senior female surgeons in all specialties. Which is something that I don't think without that, I would have been able to see and also to have the opportunity to ask them questions and interact on like a more, not informal level, but a more comfortable level. So I'd say the practical sessions that we had were really helpful. And in those sessions, I feel like everybody was very honest, which then helped when I was doing other sessions and preparing for interviews. I didn't go on any official courses - I just did block practice with you obviously. And then, some things that my Deanery put on for free. I found in the deanery ones, they just gave positive feedback, which is great, but it's not actually helpful. I liked that in the MelaninMedics one there was obviously the positive stuff, but they gave you those little hints and tips of "You're not quite doing this right," which was more helpful I felt. On the kind of, I suppose, less hard evidence side, just having those opportunities, inspirations and people who I feel like going forward, if I had any issues or I wanted to talk to someone about it, I wouldn't feel, I wouldn't feel worried to contact people in the future. And I think it's that network that I was missing before. What is one thing you will take forward from your experience in the SurgIn programme? I would say, it's kind of a combination of two things. Always go for the opportunities that you think will fit for you, even if you don't necessarily believe that you'll get them - go for them and within that, don't think that you can't because of x, y and z. I think a lot of the people I've spoken to and the people who have done talks at the sessions, they've kind of had a 2 common themes. One is "I just did what I enjoyed and what was my passion and it worked out". So like why not go for it? Like why not You? And also that, if you work hard in whatever you're doing, people will see that and you will work hard if you've got a passion for something. I think I found it quite difficult, in probably the last like 18 months, to know what to go for, what to say no to, what to pursue. A lot of the times when I've asked in the programme, people said if it's something that you're passionate about and you feel like you can take it forward, don't let other people’s doubts about you stop you from going for something. I guess as black people, as black surgeons, as black women, we won't always have people on our side. So if you don't advocate for yourself, then who's going to? What was the most memorable event that you attended? I would have to say it's probably the last one that I went to, the leadership one. It was a really nice variety of speakers - so there was a T&O Reg, Miss Christine Mitoko, who's in Neurosurgery and then a consultant who's a respiratory consultant who's spoke to us about types of leadership and management. And he just went through a lot of things - he went through the 16 personalities. And I think I've always thought of myself as quite not an introvert, but I'm not really the person who's going to stand at the front. Because of that, I think I've always subconsciously thought that I wasn't maybe best suited to lead. And that day kind of showed me that there are different ways to lead, and even if you're not the loudest, there are still ways to put yourself forward and to be assertive and authoritative for people to listen to you, in an arena or a space where people might not want to. I think that's something that I will remember - just because it was so different and it changed my perspective completely on me being a leader and how I can impact the space that I'm in and other people. What would you advise black female doctors who are considering applying for SurgIn? This is really like corny, but do it. Just go for it. The experience that I've had in surgeon I've not seen or experienced anywhere else. I'm part of the British Society of Black Surgeons. I'm part of lots of other societies and organisations that are for upcoming black surgeons. But I think it's that in-person, like having the sessions, being there, having those conversations even just like the conversations you have in the tea breaks like those are things that you don't, I haven't seen, that you get in any other programme. I think sometimes those are the most valuable things - making those in-person connections and seeing where you can fit in. Any final words? I would just encourage everyone to do it. And I think it's about taking those opportunities when they come, but the SurgIn is a very, very unique thing to be a part of. And even when I tell my friends about it and what I'm doing, they're all like that must be really good. Because literally every time I come back, I'm driving home on the phone to my mom. Like, "Mom, you will never guess what, I'm so excited, I'm so inspired, I really want to do this." I feel like sometimes, when you're not surrounded all the time by people who are like pushing you to go for things and putting you forward for things, you need that little boost stuff so often to be like, "yes, I can do it. I've made the right decision." There are people doing it, enjoying it. It's a space where the people who come to talk to us are very honest, none of them have been like "ohh yeah, it'll be easy, it'll be fine." They've been very honest about their experience, but also been very practical in that,"Yes, it was hard. But I did this, this and this to make it a bit easier. So like if you try this way - maybe it will be better for you." Do you know what I mean? And learning from the experience of others who have been through it and also looking at surgeons who didn't take the straightforward path that everyone talks to you about, I've found really good because, I'm intent on enjoying my life. So I feel like the linear pathway that they try and shove everyone down is just not for me, and I've not, until SurgIn, I've not seen anyone who hadn't done that path, so that's also an encouragement for me. Surgery can work for everyone, because I feel like, it's portrayed as a career where you have to be like, "surgery is life" - you can't do anything else. We've seen people who have made it work for them, which is really encouraging for me.

I never truly understood what burnout meant until I experienced it for myself. For almost a year, family and friends would constantly remark that I looked tired, and warned me about the dangers of burnout. I ignored them, I convinced myself that this was part of being a junior doctor, that we were going through a pandemic, that I needed to enjoy myself now things were opening up and that sleep was the sacrifice. However, after almost 2 years of working as a junior doctor, I was forced to rest, as my mental and physical health plummeted and I had no other option but to take time off work. I thought I only needed a few days, but one week turned into one month. Initially it was hard, I felt ashamed and worried about what people were thinking and felt like I had failed as a doctor. But over the days, I realised just how much I needed this time of rest. With the help of my support network and therapist, I was able to start my journey of recovery and healing. Having come out of burnout stronger and (I hope) wiser, I want to share what I’ve learnt on this journey so you can learn from my mistakes and stop yourself from embarking on this destructive path. Understanding Burnout has become increasingly prevalent in our fast-paced, high pressure society. To effectively address burnout, we need to understand what it means and its underlying causes. Burnout is defined as a state of mental, emotional and physical exhaustion resulting from chronic stress and is commonly attributed to work or caregiving roles. Burnout can be triggered by various factors, including excessive workload, lack of control or support and a misalignment between personal values and job demands. During my foundation training, my body was constantly in stress mode. I would frequently go to a busy 12 hour shift on less than 4 hours sleep. As any healthcare professional can attest to, working during covid was an exhausting time. The physical toil of long hours with minimal staffing hours and stretched resources, coupled with the emotional distress made work extremely stressful and overwhelming. Recognising the warning signs of burnout is crucial for early intervention and detection. Listening to your body, listening to those close to you and paying attention to how you’re functioning can all help with that. Some common indicators include - persistent physical and emotional exhaustion despite adequate rest, increased negativity, reduced productivity and adverse physical symptoms. Instead of listening to my body, and using my days off to rest, I would cram in as many social activities as I could. People pleasing, a lack of boundaries, chronic anxiety and a constant desire to keep busy meant that I had very little downtime. I continually ignored the physical and mental health symptoms I was experiencing, and eventually it was to my detriment. The importance of self-care Self-care has become a very popular term in the last few years, but what does it actually mean? Self-care involves taking deliberate actions to care for yourself, prioritise your personal needs and maintain a healthy balance in life. For me, this meant taking the time to simply do nothing. Rest is important, it is a crucial part of preventing and recovering from burnout. Rest allows you to stop, pause and reflect. It helps you to replenish the inner resources you have been draining out into work, friendships and relationships. Remember, you cannot pour from an empty cup. Eventually you will have nothing left to give, even to yourself. It is easy to feel guilty for doing nothing, and switching off is never easy; but once you understand the benefits of giving yourself the time and space to just be, with nothing scheduled, no plans, no tasks; then it will quickly become a non-negotiable part of your weekly routine. Self-care enables you to function at your best physically, mentally and emotionally. Once I started prioritising this, I saw an almost immediate improvement in my mood, physical health and work. Engaging in activities that brought me joy and relaxation helped me to unwind and recharge; and improved my ability to cope with challenges. Remember, self-care looks different for everyone. Write down a list of what self-care means to you, without consulting external articles or opinions, and make sure to incorporate these things into your life. Practising self-care is not a luxury, but a necessity for living a healthy life. Set boundaries and learn to say no This advice applies to both your professional life and your personal life. Setting boundaries was new territory for me, and something I spent a lot of time working on in therapy. I learnt that by having zero boundaries, I lost my sense of self-identity. I was unable to prioritise my own values, goals and needs. Alongside this, it led to overwhelming stress, strained friendships and lack of personal time. In the workplace it is so easy to say yes to every task you are given, even when you are drowning in discharge summaries, ward jobs and managing sick patients. Saying no at work doesn’t mean refusing to do things, it is about having the ability to recognise when you can’t do something right there and then, or even that day; and having the confidence to communicate this. Staying late every shift to complete jobs that can be done the next day won’t win you a prize, but it could cost you your wellbeing. By setting boundaries and saying no when necessary, you cultivate self-respect, establish healthier relationships and create space for self-care and personal growth. It’s an act of self preservation and self-care that ultimately allows you to lead a more fulfilling and balanced life. Learn how to ask for help This is one of the most important, yet arguably one of the hardest things to do. The saying “a problem shared is a problem halved” never rang more true than when I was suffering from burnout. Often other people can see things that you can’t see, and if it were not for my friends’ persistence, I wouldn’t have gotten the help I needed. I wouldn’t have recognised that I needed a break, and I wouldn’t have had the courage to open up to my supervisors. Once I found the courage to ask for help, things started to change. It was like a weight was lifted off my shoulders. After months of suffering in silence, I opened up and received the help and support that I so desperately needed. Recognising the importance of asking for help demonstrates self-awareness and humility, acknowledging that you don’t have to face challenges or solve problems alone. By embracing the act of asking for help, you open yourself up to a world of possibilities, nurturing your overall well-being and creating a supportive network that can uplift you in both challenging and joyful times. Experiencing burnout was an eye-opening and transformative journey. I’ve learnt that prioritising self-care and maintaining a mindful approach to work and personal life are the keys to avoiding burnout and fostering long-term wellbeing. Learn from my experience and create a sustainable path towards a fulfilling and resilient future. Written by Dr Ife Akano-Williams

"I’ve been at work for 12hours and everyone I’ve spoken to has been a complete stranger.” I often find myself saying this to my medic friends during our catch-up phone calls. It’s difficult to imagine that being surrounded by patients and colleagues all day can still result in the feeling of loneliness. Despite the constant human interaction and buzzwords like ‘teamwork’, medicine can be one of the loneliest professions. Loneliness – the resulting negative emotional response to the perceived degree of isolation. When we hear the word loneliness, the mental image is typically that of a frail, old lady; but loneliness can occur at any stage in life. The competitive nature of medicine can often leave medical students and trainee doctors feeling alone whilst surrounded by many. Success in medicine is often associated with solitary work such as putting in long hours to study rather than seeing friends, attempting to get a publication or trying to meet that ARCP deadline. This can often make us vulnerable to social isolation and the feeling of loneliness. The work we do can be lonely in itself. We are privileged to be in a position to see people at their most vulnerable or be their only source of strength during what may be their most difficult time in life. The emotional burnout we often face and the unspoken rule of not showing weakness means we often hesitate to talk about our struggles. This can sometimes leave us feeling more isolated than ever. Your colleague may not ask for help openly, it may be in the way they slowly retreat from social interactions, it may be in their voice or their body language and this may be the perfect time for you to ask, “Is everything alright?” Dr Rose-Anne Nunoo, CT1 ACCS trainee shares her tips to combat loneliness. The feeling of loneliness does not mean you're alone - it's a normal human reaction to dealing with life’s difficult circumstances such as the constant movement throughout our career. This means that medicine sometimes makes it difficult to maintain our social circles. The impossible task of trying to reconnect with loved ones around an on-call rota is often a breeding ground for loneliness. Sometimes trying to explain this to your non-medic loved ones feels as though you’re speaking a completely different language. Next thing you know, the days and weeks of not being able to reconnect turn into months and sometimes years. Here are my tips to help combat loneliness: Understand that feeling lonely is normal and is usually a signal to act on your current relationships. If you are new to a town or city, try to find your own tribe; if you run join a running club or if you go to the gym, go to a class. Be sure to find your community. Learn to leave work on time without feeling guilty. Looking after yourself is just as important as looking after your patients. Be part of the Doctors' Mess! It's a great way to meet others and have a life outside of work and increasing our connections with like-minded individuals. Remember to create a good work life schedule to allow you to reconnect with others. Always speak to someone be it a friend a colleague or relative or well-being service on those difficult days.

Exams, exams, exams! To some the bane of one’s academic progress, to others just another hurdle you need to jump in order to progress. However you see them, they are unavoidable (usually) and inevitable during higher education so it’s best to know how you’re going to tackle them and EXCEL! Naturally, “exam season” can be a daunting experience despite how many times you’ve sat exams in the past. Sometimes it’s the feeling of being overwhelmed by the vast amount of information that you are expected to learn and retain, the pressure to perform well or the realisation that you’ve got 2 weeks left until your exam and haven’t even touched the syllabus! Whatever it is you’re feeling, know that others before you have been in the same boat, yet they excelled. Exams are important and just like anything else you give importance to in your life you, should aim to attribute the same mind-set to exams. With the right planning and mentality, you should be well-prepared come exam day. Dr William Adeboye MBChB, MRes (Dist.), Academic Foundation Doctor, shares his tried and tested tips for exam success. I would like to share the advice that I wish I had as a younger student about to embark of the numerous of exams that would make up my 6th form, Medical school and Master’s degree journey - you can tell I like studying! Do stick with me and hopefully this helps you in your endeavours. Disclaimer : This is, by no means, an exhaustive list but from doing my own research and seeking advice from peers, I’ve found these key points to be extremely useful. Finally, remember that exams are unavoidable and inevitable. You want to be well-prepared in order to help you excel. Also, whilst reading this you may have noticed I refer to doing well in exams with the word excel. It was intentional. If you’re reading this I don’t want you just to pass, I want you all to EXCEL! Good luck with all your future exams. References 1. Dunlosky, John et al. “Improving Students' Learning With Effective Learning Techniques: Promising Directions From Cognitive and Educational Psychology.” Psychological science in the public interest : a journal of the American Psychological Society vol. 14,1 (2013): 4-58. doi:10.1177/1529100612453266 2. Karpicke, Jeffrey D, and Janell R Blunt. “Retrieval practice produces more learning than elaborative studying with concept mapping.” Science (New York, N.Y.) vol. 331,6018 (2011): 772-5. doi:10.1126/science.1199327 3. Rasch, Björn, and Jan Born. “About sleep's role in memory.” Physiological reviews vol. 93,2 (2013): 681-766. doi:10.1152/physrev.00032.2012 Written by Dr William Adeboye MBChB, MRes (Dist.) Academic Foundation Doctor

The WHO states that health equity is achieved when everyone can achieve their full potential for health and well-being (1). In the UK, 65% percent of black people reported that they had been discriminated against by health care professionals because of their ethnicity (2). As a black female General Practitioner, figures like these pull on my heartstrings. Various thoughts raced through my head about the message I wanted to convey about Health Equity and Black Women in the UK. The area of health equity which means the most to me as a black woman living in the UK, is maternal health. I am most probably biased because I became a mother about 1.5 years ago and have a daughter. However, writing this post forced me to reflect on how I as a health care professional spent my first pregnancy ignoring the figures on the black maternal mortality figures . I distinctly remember being in hospital, days away from delivery, hurriedly turning off MP Bell Ribeiro Addy's speech, which evidenced the harrowing issues facing black women during childbirth. At that particular moment, I didn’t have the emotional bandwidth to listen to the 'statistics' relating to hopeful mothers-to-be like myself. Dr Matilda Esan, a General Practitioner, shares her experience as black woman in the UK - as a mother and a healthcare professional. So again, I ask myself what message would I like to convey on what feels like a heavy matter. Deep down, I want to portray a truthful picture on  black maternal health in the UK with a positive slant. The first issue to consider  when exploring health equity in black women is use of the term BAME. For many years BAME has been both an unavoidable and problematic term, as it lumps together the experiences of every ethnic group you can imagine and  dilutes the voice and the experiences of individual ethnic minorities. The relevance of this, is that it makes assessing the health experiences of black women in Britain difficult. Of course, amongst friends, families and professional circles we have anecdotal evidence. However, the things which prompt policy changes and cause people to listen are hard facts and research which highlight the extent of the problem. In maternity care, you may well be familiar with the fact that the MBRRACE 2018 and 2019 reported that black women were five times more likely to die in pregnancy. In the 2020 report, this reduced to four and in the 2022 report, this reduced to 3.7 more times likely. Though change is happening and things are getting better, it is evident that more work still needs to be done. The repeated themes in speeches and articles that you read is that black mothers don’t feel that when they express health concerns such as, being in pain, that they are believed or being taken seriously. In regard to work that is being done, there are numerous charities, organisations and MP’s who have worked tirelessly to ensure the experiences of black women are heard in the spaces which really matter like Parliament. The charity FIVE x More were responsible for founding the UK’s first awareness week dedicated to Black Maternal Health in  2020 and since then  it has continued to gain traction and go from strength to strength. Furthermore, many Black Female Obstetricians and Doctors, in addition to their clinical work, have advocated in various spaces for black women to try to pave the way to ensure that things change. So whilst figures remain uncomfortable, the question those of us occupying health care spaces should be asking ourselves as individuals  is , “What small steps can we take towards making a cumulative big difference?” As a general practitioner, I give my pregnant patients space. I ask about their previous experiences, I ask about their concerns, their anxieties. I do my best to listen and act on clinical things which need to be actioned in a timely manner. These days, once patients are referred to the midwife, our involvement as the GP can be quite limited. So for me a black mother myself, I really try to make the interactions I have with my patients count. Many times, I don’t have control of what happens to my patients in the hospital. However, what springs to mind for me is the Maya Angelou quote “People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel”. At the end of the day, I am the first contact in a pregnant patient's journey. I am also one of the first contacts post delivery. My aim is to ensure my patients feel comfortable at the beginning of their beautiful journey. That way, whatever obstacles they may encounter on the way, they always know I am a telephone or face to face appointment away. They can trust and be assured that if they are worried, then I too will be worried and escalate things appropriately. Ultimately the power to address health inequality in black women in the U.K. lies within each of us. The way we can choose to do this can vary - be that through advocacy when dealing with patients, being willing to listen emphatically and take appropriate actions or by enacting policy changes on a larger scale. References: 1. Health Equity - Global. https://www.who.int/health-topics/health-equity#tab=tab_1 Accessed: 2023-03-23 2. State of Black Britain Report - BEO (blackequityorg.com) Accessed: 2023-03-23

Growing up in Kenya, I never thought much about my identity as a black woman and how the world would treat me. After all, why would I? I was surrounded by other black people, specifically, black women, and my skin colour and heritage never meant that I had different lived experiences to others. I just was - I just existed. Fast forward to being a medical student in a UK university, and like in most UK medical schools, being part of a minority. I became hyper-aware of my identity and what I represented. It’s something that no one ever prepares you for, especially if you’ve grown up in an environment where you’ve never had to think about how the world relates to you. For me, it dawned as a realisation over time, and after that you have a different view of the world. I always think of it like a coming of age, an clandestine growth spurt. Except this time, it’s all in your psyche and you start to figure out where you fit in the big, wide world. Now as a black female junior doctor, my day-to-day experiences on the job are starkly different to my colleagues. It’s in the way some patients are surprised when I introduce myself as their doctor or the fact that even though I introduce myself with both my names, I can’t bear to have another person either tell me my surname is too difficult to pronounce, butcher the pronunciation or ask me where I’m really from, so I end up saying, “Just call me doctor *insert first name*.” My full name is on my name badge and I notice the uneasy glances when colleagues or patients internally debate if calling me Dr *surname* vs Dr *first name* is worth the effort. I appreciate the colleagues and the staff who ask me to pronounce it for them so that they learn how to, but generally these are few and far in between. It's in the way I’ve resulted to hoarding some scrubs that actually fit me and have reclaimed as my own and have gone the extra mile to get my own better fitting scrubs. The type that are not too frumpy or too tight in the wrong places. It’s in the way my hair or any new hairstyles is a topic of discussion whenever I meet people, and they ask to run their hands through it without my consent. It’s the way I’m frequently mistaken for another black member of staff on the ward because, “You both look so similar, I couldn’t tell you apart with your hair different this week.” It’s in the way the system is set up for everyone else and you need to fit in it. I remember being in theatre as a medical student and at that point, my locs were shoulder length, but they couldn’t fit in those flimsy theatre caps even when I tried to combine two of them! A friendly anaesthetist saw me struggling in the changing room and went out of her way to get me the bonnet type scrub cap and since them I always have a stash of those types of scrub cap in my bag for any impromptu trip to theatres. Now my locs are bra-strap length and I’ve bought myself several vibrant African print theatre-caps which I proudly wear for my scheduled theatre days and they keep my locs tucked away neatly and might I add, fashionably. I’ve received more compliments on them than any other item of clothing I own and when I put them on, I feel that they, in their own small way, make the system fit me. It's in the way black patients, especially women, react when you walk into the room and introduce yourself as their doctor. It’s in the way there’s always a subtle nod or smile of acknowledgement whenever you meet a black colleague of any profession working in the same hospital, let alone, department. Sadly, it’s also in the way that you get treated on the job – there are higher standards for you to meet and you need to work at least twice as hard as they do just to get the same recognition. I was once pulled to the side by a senior who, in response to my emotional breakdown at the end of a tough on-call shift, told me, in not as many words, “You are a black woman who wants to do surgery – people already think you don’t fit in and will undermine you. You need to be tougher.” Although the context of this was ill-intentioned, it does summarise succinctly the way the world sees me. To the world, I am a black woman, therefore, I am simultaneously iron-clad yet undeserving of accolades. I am to be stoic but not too much to earn the label of ‘angry black woman’. I am to be reserved or risk being labelled the ‘loud, aggressive one’. All these experiences have shaped the person - the black woman, the doctor - I am today. I will no doubt accumulate both reaffirming and destructive experiences as I progress in my career. In the future, I know I will have highs and lows as a black woman in medicine which may pale in comparison to the ones in the past. I have been fortunate to have people who pour their cup into mine so that it never runs dry – I am working on keeping it at least half-full most days. The ones who remind you who you are and what you represent everyday – your ancestors’ wildest dream. You are here, you exist, fully and unapologetically.

The last year has been a whirlwind. I have questioned many things. The state and sustainability of the NHS. The role of doctors. My future in Medicine. You can’t deny the atmosphere. There is an air of uncertainty. I’ve spent time in both the hospital and general practice. Wherever you go, you cannot hide from the fact that things have changed and not necessarily from the better. My decision to pursue a career in Medicine was filled with enthusiasm and optimism. The idea of helping others, some at their lowest points through the provision of good quality healthcare excited me. It is very likely that I was naive. I made the decision at an early age and whilst I knew that every profession had its challenges, I never expected it to be quite like this. For context, I am currently in Foundation Training. I know I do not just speak for myself when I say that things have been quite depressing recently. Speaking with friends who are so obviously burnt out, hearing of colleagues ending their lives due to the immense pressures they were under and coming across others who are making plans to leave the country and practice medicine elsewhere. Staff mental wellbeing is worsening and with increasing ambulance delays, increasing elective surgeries waiting lists, healthcare workforce crisis and a cost-of-living crisis; the quality of patient care is declining. After the pandemic, I thought that the value of those who kept our national health service afloat would be acknowledged with something more than claps. Between the barrage of abuse that GPs have been receiving and the persistent state of an overwhelmed health service. It is only so long that such a system can be tolerated before the frustrations build from the lack of change. For context, the NHS is likely going through its biggest workforce crisis in its history. A significant percentage of doctors have expressed their plans to leave the NHS. Paramedics, nurses and physiotherapists are all striking and doctors could be swiftly following suit too. The problem is, for so long the NHS has relied on the goodwill of its workforce and dare I say, exploited our goodwill too. We have normalised certain things in the workplace that shouldn’t be normal. Things like: · Insufficient and unsafe staffing levels · Being asked at the last minute to cover more patients than is safe due to staff shortages · Having to request annual leave 6 weeks in advance and it still might be rejected · Toxic workplace environments · Lack of training opportunities and an increasing focus on just service provision · Poor work life balance · Specialty training bottleneck · Having to take on extra shifts just to make ends meet · Real terms pay cut Forgive me for wanting to work in an environment that is adequately staffed. Where healthcare workers are well resourced to give high quality patient care and professional development is encouraged through accessible and consistent training opportunities. An environment where staff are appreciated and well-paid and can live healthy and balanced lives. I am aware that change isn’t always as quick as we would like for it to be, and the current economic climate does not make it easier. But the truth is, if we don’t value our healthcare workforce and treat them better, staff will inevitably leave, and the populations health will suffer as a result. I personally have no interest in moving to another country at this stage of my career. But I can’t help but question my future practising Medicine in the UK. I care about my patients, and I care about the health of the most deprived communities, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to care for them in a stretched system. For so long, practising medicine in the UK has been almost synonymous with practising in the NHS and now that doctors are tired of being overworked and undervalued, many are looking for other options and I don’t blame them. At times I feel guilty. I know how lucky we are to have a system like the NHS. Many of my relatives are still here today because of the NHS. For clarification, I do not blame the NHS. I am unsure who to even direct my frustrations toward. But at some point, it is more harmful to stay in an environment that doesn’t enable you to thrive. The challenges are bigger than me, but as doctors we shouldn’t have to pay the price, especially when we are working so hard to keep the system afloat. Through it all, I am learning that my interest in Medicine is not limited to the NHS. This mindset increases the options that are available to me. Whilst some of them are dependent on further medical training, a good proportion of them aren’t. My success as a doctor should not depend on my ability to thrive in an environment that is so obviously failing me and my peers. I haven’t fallen out love with Medicine. I am slowly falling out of love with working in the NHS. Signed, An anonymous doctor This article is an opinion piece. Any views or opinions expressed by the author of this email do not necessarily reflect the views of the Melanin Medics

It’s the start of a new year and with that comes speciality applications season! Doctors all over the UK are now eagerly waiting for application outcomes, and in a few months, they hope to start training in their chosen field. But there’s a whole other side to this – there’s just as many doctors wondering, “Should I take an F3 year?” Taking an F3 year, or a year out of training, is becoming more popular in recent years – figures from the annual UK foundation programme office (UKFPO) reports between 2017 and 2019 show that over 50% of doctors take a ‘F3’ year. (1) Often it is the first opportunity for a well-deserved natural break in training for many doctors who've just completed foundation training, which can be a very challenging time, even at the best of times. Training can sometimes feel like you’re on a really fast treadmill with no option to take a break. This can leave junior doctors struggling to keep up, leaving them searching for a change in pace. Some doctors see an F3 year as dedicated time to improve their CV before applying to specialities, especially if they want to maximise portfolio points for very competitive specialities. Whether it's to gain those elusive portfolio points for speciality training or to develop your clinical acumen gathered whilst in training or simply to recharge and reset, the world is your oyster when it comes to taking an F3 year! (1–3) What you do depends on funds available to you and your interests. We’ve complied a list of some of the common paths taken in F3 with some pros and cons of each: Essentially, your F3 year is what you make of it. You don’t need to stick to clinical work – some people even use it to explore interests outside medicine, exploring how to monetise their hobbies or even expanding their side hustles. This latter aspect of time out of training has definitely blossomed in recent years and you can easily find people who inspire you or have taken the leap on social media – we found some of them and interviewed them in our last Podcast season. Increasingly, some people are even taking additional years out after seeing how fulfilling their F3 year has been. The key to a successful F3 (or any other additional year out of training) is thorough planning and preparation. It is important to think carefully on what you want to achieve during this time, set realistic goals and make sure it’s the right thing for you. It is important to remember that the GMC requires that you keep up with appraisals and revalidation if you intend to return to the traditional training pathway even when on your F3 year.(4) To signpost you to a few more websites on popular F3 year opportunities, have a look at Messly’s blog post (https://www.messly.com/blog/f3-doctor-opportunities) and MedAll’s appraisal guide for F3/locum doctors (https://medall.org/career-support/appraisal-guide). Also, have a look at Medic Footprints, https://medicfootprints.org/ which we have previously featured on our Podcast for inspiration on the wealth of opportunities out there! References 1. Church HR, Agius SJ. The F3 phenomenon: Early-career training breaks in medical training. A scoping review. Med Educ. 2021 Sep 1;55(9):1033–46. 2. Li Z, Kandola K, Zosmer M. What can I do during an F3 year? BMJ [Internet]. 2020 Nov 24 [cited 2023 Jan 12];371. Available from: https://www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m4372 3. Fell MJ, Jaring MRF, MacKenzie KR. Planning an “F3” year: opportunities and considerations for aspiring surgeons. BMJ [Internet]. 2013 Dec 12 [cited 2023 Jan 12];347:f7224. Available from: https://www.bmj.com/content/347/bmj.f7224 4. How to Ace Your Annual Medical Appraisal as a Locum Doctor | Messly [Internet]. [cited 2023 Jan 12]. Available from: https://www.messly.com/blog/how-to-ace-your-annual-medical-appraisal-as-a-locum-doctor

Burnout amongst healthcare professionals has skyrocketed in recent years – not least because of increased awareness of how it manifests and its consequences. This combined with overwhelming pressure on healthcare systems, general dissatisfaction as well as disillusionment with institutions eans that many healthcare workers, particularly doctors, are looking to either diversify their career or change career paths altogether. Medical career progression pathways are often well-trodden, fixed paths which are built around workforce planning and service provision. It is only in recent years that there’s been more attention on initiatives like less-than-full-time training, which is gradually being adopted by health boards across the country. In addition, taking years out of training is now becoming the norm and the UKFPO career destination reports leading up to 2019 confirm this. The trend is clear – a proportion of doctors are taking a detour away from the conventional career pathways. It is no secret that doctors are highly technically skilled and talented individuals with strengths in non-technical skills such as communication, time management and organisation. It should not come as a surprise that a lot of the characteristics are transferable skills that are sought after in a range of industries, not limited to areas such medical journalism, health policy, health technology, entrepreneurship, pharmaceuticals and medical illustration. It is important to note that the decision to diversify or change career paths is one that should be an individualised – you should be the one making this decision on your own terms. This is not about encouraging doctors to leave the profession - far from it. It is about ensuring doctors feel fulfilled and valued, doing what they enjoy and are passionate about, whether that may be in conventional medical jobs or in alternative careers. So where do you start if you want to take this leap? Here are a few points to consider: 1. Ensure you know why you’re considering a career change and what you’d like to achieve in your alternative career – do you want a completely fresh start or do you want to occasionally dip your toes in the pool of conventional medical jobs? 2. Capitalise on skills you already have – for example, you may be multilingual and a career in medical translations would serve you well. Do you have additional degrees or experience in the respective fields? 3. Do your research and make a plan – know what your options and interests are. Will you need to do an additional degree or acquire a specific skillset? Do you have the funds to achieve these? This will help you focus on the right alternative career option. 4. Be realistic – changing careers can be stressful and can even have financial impact especially when starting off. This can be alleviated by having a focused plan on what your goals are and what you want to achieve in this new chapter of your professional life. 5. Network, network, network! – changing careers will involve making new connections in your desired field. This could be through social media or in-person events. 6. Speak to someone – this may be colleagues, family or even a careers adviser. The decision to change career can elicit a range of emotions ranging from relief to disappointment to resentment. It is important to talk about this significant decision with people you trust and whose advise you can rely on. Having considered the above, the next steps would be to start looking at resources out there. Check out the list we’ve complied below to start you off: Medic Footprint, a platform by doctors, for doctors, which aims to support doctors’ careers has plenty of resources and opportunities available (https://medicfootprints.org/). Some institutions offer conversion courses, which may be a means of fast-tracking a career change. Completing such a course would serve to enrich your skills simultaneously improving your job prospects – Prospects.ac.uk allows you to search relevant courses across institutions within the UK. NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Programme offers a free year-long course, open to all NHS staff, aimed to support successful applicants develop innovative ideas to improve healthcare. Applications are open from the 3rd to 30th October. Platforms like Future Learn or Open University offer a wide range of courses at all levels with different flexibility options. The NHS UK website has a section on alternative roles for doctors, which explores some of the options available and suggestions on the necessary steps to take. Finally, this guide is not to pressurise anyone into switching careers - the decision to diversify your medical career or switch careers altogether is yours to make without guilt or pressure from others. It is a significant life decision that should be given serious thought with all the necessary information available to you - something which we have tried, albeit briefly, to provide in this post.

What is the FPP? The Foundation Priority Programme (FPP) is designed to support certain areas in the UK that have additional needs or have found it particularly difficult to attract and retain doctors through the foundation and specialty recruitment processes. This may be due to their location e.g. rural or remote areas, under-doctored locations and shortage specialties. In order to address this, these foundation programme posts have been incentivised. What benefits does the FPP offer? Specialty themed training: Academic, General practice, Intensive Care and Stroke Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Paediatrics, Pathology, Pre-hospital care, Psychiatry and Respiratory Medicine Longer training over 3 years: Less than Full-Time training Financial incentives: an additional £7000 per year Additional qualifications: PGCert Focused development opportunities and training: Entrepreneurship, Digital health, Medical education, Simulation, Leadership and Management International placements: in New Zealand Location: Remote, Coastal or Rural placements Application Process The application process is the same as applying for the standard Foundation Programme and is based on your total foundation application score, derived from your Educational Performance Measure (EPM) and Situational Judgement Test (SJT) scores. You rank the individual priority programmes based on your preference. Be sure to look at the different rotations offered by each programme thoroughly along with the added FPP benefits. You do not have to rank all of the programmes available, just the ones you are interested in. Programmes you are not interest in are listed in the ‘not wanted’ column. You are offered an FPP post based on your total foundation application score (EPM + SJT). If you are not allocated an offer in the first round, you may be allocated an offer in the second round. Declining an FPP offer will place you into the normal Foundation Programme application. My FPP experience I am currently in my second year of the FPP as a foundation year 2 doctor. I have particularly enjoyed my FPP as it has been a way to curate the work life balance that I always knew I needed while participating in portfolio enhancing activities. The FPP I chose: Leadership & Management I undertook the FPP focused on Leadership and Management in a District General Hospital in North Kent over 2 years. The programme consists of: 80% clinical work and 20% non-clinical work Undertaking Quality Improvement Projects Participating in a Medical Leadership Programme at the Hospital focused on Quality Improvement training Undertaking a PGCert in Healthcare Practice (Leadership) Why I chose this particular FPP? Interest in Medical Leadership: I have a growing interesting in Leadership and Management in Healthcare. I wanted to the opportunity to explore this further in context of the hospital; understanding how decisions are made, how finances are managed and how change is ultimately achieved in such large organisations. PGCert: With a pre-existing interest in Healthcare Practice and Leadership, the PGCert was an added perk. I have always been interested in gaining a postgraduate qualification and this was a manageable way to balance this while working. They normally cost between £3000 - £5000 if they were self-funded, however the PGCert is fully funded by the deanery on this programme. Time: This was a big reason for me. Having 1 study day a week (80% clinical rota), has helped me to balance the various aspects of my life more efficiently. The fact that this lasts for 2 years has worked even better. I am able to utilise the luxury of working from home on my projects and assignments. Skill Acquisition: I was keen to learn more about Quality Improvement and how projects can be utilised effectively to bring about the maximal amount of change. I have also had access to resources such as the FMLM, Leadership training and been encouraged to pursue further leadership development programmes and training. What does my average week look like? Monday: Full Day of Clinical Work (9- 5pm) Tuesday: FPP Day - Attending PGCert Lectures, working on QIPs or PGCert Self-Study Wednesday: Full Day of Clinical Work (9 - 5pm) Thursday: Half Day of Clinical Work (9 - 13:30pm) followed by Foundation Programme Teaching (1:30 - 2:30pm) followed by Self-Development Time (2:30pm - 5pm) Friday: Full Day of Clinical Work (9 - 5pm) Would I recommend the FPP? Yes, but it depends on which programme you are applying for. With every FPP there is a 'catch' of some sort, whether that be the location, the hospital, the rotations you will participate in. It is very important to weigh up what is important to you. For example, I worked in a poorer performing District General Hospital. For some people this would not be ideal, as they would prefer the training opportunities offered in a Tertiary Centre. However, for me, I was grateful to be placed in this hospital as it presented multiple opportunities to contribute to meaningful change, I was in my ideal location and the hospital has a very ethnically diverse workforce which was important to me. My programme was perfect for me and my extracurricular interests, however this is the last year that they will be offering it at my hospital. I hope you have found this article to be helpful in shedding light of the Foundation Priority Programme. It is an option that not many people consider, however if it aligns with your needs and interested, it is definitely worth exploring. Applications are open from 09:00 (BST) 7 September 2022 until 12:00 noon (BST) on 20 September 2022. PLEASE NOTE: This is not a comprehensive guide. To find out more information about the Foundation Priority Programme, visit: Health Education England Foundation Priority Programme https://foundationprogramme.nhs.uk/programmes/2-year-foundation-programme/foundation-priority-programme/

I vividly remember how it all began. I was a bright eyed young girl, optimistic about my future in Medicine. It was results day and my dreams had just been made a reality. After all that I had been through, with teachers underestimating my ability, impostor syndrome and lacking clinical work experience; I got into medical school. It felt surreal at the time but as the excitement kicked in, I set up a Wordpress blog and called it ‘The Melanin Medic’. I was determined to write about my Medicine application journey, life as a medical student and hopefully as a doctor. At the end of August 2017, I wrote my first article the Summer before I started Medical school, titled ‘Getting into Medical School’. I didn’t tell anyone about it as I started my new life as a medical student. I guess you can say that the article sat there gathering dust for almost a whole year, until one day while studying with friends during exam season I shared the idea with them. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t prepared for their response, their encouragement, their belief in me and my idea. It really was the push that I needed to move beyond fear and take a step into the unknown. Before I knew it, one of my friends had created our first logo! Once she shared it with me, I knew it was time to be intentional about sharing ‘the Melanin Medic’ with the world. But at that moment I knew it was bigger than just me and my story. Subsequently, ‘Melanin Medics’ was born. Whilst I knew that other people would definitely be able to relate to the changes I had faced during my medicine application journey, I realised that it was time to create a space for the voices and experiences of black medical students and doctors to be heard. A space where the younger generation could find inspiration and learn from those only steps ahead of them. A space to connect people with others who shared similar experiences. A space to equip people to fulfil their career aspirations and achieve their full potential. A space to celebrate our unique cultural identity. I had one goal when I first started, to make things better for the next generation of black medical students and doctors and now at the 5 year mark, I think I can say that we have done that. Our journey over the last 5 years has looked like, [Olamide] writing weekly blog posts for the first 10 months and operating as a team of 1. When I had the idea to review personal statements for medical school applicants for free, I reviewed 30 personal statements within a 2 week window with a 24-48 hour turnaround. Looking back now, I wonder how I managed to do this but certainly do not regret it at all. After 10 months, I welcomed our first team; a group of 16 passionate medical students and doctors from across the UK volunteering their time to achieve our collective vision. By April 2018, we launched our first mentoring programme, pairing 38 black African and Caribbean aspiring medics with mentors supporting them with their Medicine application and the rest was history. Over the last 5 years, we have held 33 events both in-person and virtually reaching 2376 attendees from across the UK and around the world. We have supported the next generation of black medical students with their Medicine applications, through free personal statement reviews, mock interview preparation, admission tests preparation resources and bursaries, school outreach and mentoring. We have helped hundreds of students to successfully gain a place at medical school and have helped even more medical students and doctors navigate their careers. We have delivered our Allyship & Advocacy Workshops to 2413 medical students, doctors and healthcare professionals across the UK. We have worked with a number of organisations including; the General Medical Council, British Medical Association, Royal College of Surgeons, National Institute of Health and Care Research, NHS England, Healthcare Leadership Academy and more, to advocate and champion the voices of black medical students and doctors. I guess the next question to answer is “Have things changed for the black aspiring medical student, current medical student and doctor?” Unfortunately, the answer isn’t as straight forward as I would have hoped. The truth is, the problems still exist. Black students make up the lowest proportion of applicants in standard and graduate entry medical school degrees. However, we have seen a year on year increase in the number of successful medical school applicants from Black African and Caribbean backgrounds. Racism in medicine is still a problem, affecting exam outcomes in medical school and specialty training, career progression, representation in senior leadership, experiences of bullying and harassment on medical placements and in the workplace. But the impact of racism in medicine goes much deeper, it affects the confidence, perceptions of capability, identity and sense of belonging for many individuals. We still have a long way to go to tackle racism in medicine and undo some of the harms inflicted as a result, but we are hopeful that we, as an organisation can contribute to the solution, just as we have done, in some way. Now at this juncture, I encourage you to play your part to be part of the solution. We need your ongoing support. Diversity in medicine is not a destination, nor is it a tick box activity. We desire for diversity to be an integral part of the medical profession. Our mission is to promote diversity in medicine, widen aspirations and aid career progression for the present and future Black African and Caribbean doctor. Our approach is simple, to support the individual to get in (access), get through (attainment) and get up (advancement), while influencing their environment. In order to fulfil our mission, we have set 5 strategic priorities to be focused on over the next 5 years: Securing the talent pipeline of future black doctors through early intervention and opportunity Increasing the member voice by creating greater opportunities for community involvement Promoting shared learning and increasing collaboration Establishing paths and ladders for black medical student and doctors to support career progression in medical training and clinical academia Becoming a strong charity to better champion the needs of our community We have reached and supported 9150 people across all our services. This is an incredible accomplishment! One thing is certain, this could not have been achieved without the incredible support of community. For every team member, volunteer, every event speaker, every participant, every attendee, every donor, every sponsor, every partnering organisation, every grant funder and every supported, we are immensely grateful. We hope that you can continue to support us as we continue on our journey. On behalf of the Melanin Medics Team, Thank you! Dr Olamide Dada MBBCh FInstLM Read 'The Power of Representation - Anniversary Brochure'