Wednesday 25 November 2015

One Week Left to Apply for GP Training


There is one week left to make that all important decision to apply for GP Training August 2016 entry.  The North of Scotland GP Training programs are ranked amongst the highest in the UK in the annual GMC training survey.  Couple that with the amazing lifestyle opportunities available in the North of Scotland and you have a great package on offer.


Wednesday 18 November 2015

North of Scotland, The Outdoor Capital of Great Britain


The North of Scotland really can boast of being the outdoor capital of the UK.  The opportunities are endless.  Whether it is hill walking, climbing, cycling, skiing, kayaking or sailing there is something here for you.  The scenery is breathtaking as can be seen in this short video of the Cairngorms and the North & West Highlands.  

Our Grampian scheme is within an hour drive of the southern and eastern Cairngorms whilst our Caledonian scheme based around Inverness is within easy reach of both the Cairngorms and the North West Highlands.  Our rural track scheme bases in Oban, Fort William, Stornoway, Wick Shetland and Orkney have all this on their doorstep.

So if it is the outdoors that you enjoy, there is nowhere better to go for your GP training!

Wednesday 11 November 2015

View from the other end...


It was an ordinary appointment in an ordinary surgery in the North of Scotland.  I was seeing Janet (predictably, not her real name) and her mum and they set me thinking...They’re part of an extended family of just six who've seen me through my working lifetime since they cover five generations and a quarter century of my own Practice here.  It’s an amazing privilege to be involved in their lives and loves (not literally!), their aspirations and fears and ultimately one of their passing. If the involvement itself wasn't enough, there’s been a plethora of medical interest and curiosities intertwining with their complexity. Out of this six, I've been involved with a multitude of conditions. And that’s before considering how life events such as redundancy, emigration and planning disputes have affected their respective health. Finally, into the mix, I’d need to add their interests such as, photography, dancing and dubious football alliances.

This is the joy of continuity across families and generations and only General Practice can offer it. For me, it’s a genuine privilege and has sustained me through QOF and more NHS restructuring than anyone should have to endure in a working lifetime.  Patients value it, we value it and we should be spreading the word among our own- this is why General Practice is different, this is why it’s interesting- even after 30 years!

Alex Thain

Wednesday 4 November 2015

One Week Till August 2016 GP Training Applications Open


Applications for August 2016 GP training open Wednesday November 11th and will remain open for 3 weeks and will close December 3rd.

We have 3 programs here in the North of Scotland.  The Grampian program is based around Aberdeen and offers a mixture of opportunities with both town practices in and around Aberdeen and more rural options across Aberdeenshire.  The Caledonian program is centered on Inverness and again has a mix of general practices both in the city of Inverness and more rural practices across Moray and Highland.

Our final program is the National Rural Track program that is based around our Rural General hospitals in Oban, Fort William, Stornoway, Wick, Orkney and Shetland.  This innovative four year program offers fantastic training opportunities within the hospital posts along with the rewarding and challenging experiences of rural general practice.

Not only do our programs receive the best feedback from our trainees in the GMC survey but Grampian and Highland also consistently rank among the top regions in the UK in quality of life surveys.

Whether it is the vibrant social life of the cities of Aberdeen or Inverness or the fantastic outdoor opportunities that abound in the North of Scotland, we have something for everyone.