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Otolaryngology (ENT)
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Isobel Fitzgerald O'Connor
i.fitzgeraldoconnor@nhs.net
Former LTFT Trainee - Now an ENT Consultant
‘I worked as a LTFT Training for 8 years and would have left medicine otherwise. It enabled me to continue my surgical training and take my FRCS exams whilst caring for 2 children and living apart from my husband who was a locum consultant in another city. When I started I was the only trainee working LTFT Ttraining in my speciality, there have since been 6 others and it is now a well established pathway in the region I trained in. I’m keen to encourage trainees who might benefit from working LTFT Training to continue to work whilst maintaining their caring responsibilities.’
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Anna Kaleva
Anna.kaleva@nhs.net
I am an Otolaryngology trainee, currently ST6 (October 2020) working 80% LTFT. I started my specialty training in October 2016. In January 2018 I started 12 months of maternity leave, returning in January 2019 80% LTFT. My husband works away during the week so I am responsible for all childcare Mon-Thurs. The trust I returned to had not had an ENT LTFT SpR previously. Although everyone is very supportive, their experience with how to make the arrangements is limited. This meant I had to do a lot of my own research on how to organise things and how it affected my educational requirements for training. Since then, I have also had great support from Miss Fitzgerald-O’Connor. Thanks to her I have learned from her more about how LTFT works, what ways in which a placement can be modified to accommodate LTFT and tips on handling potential difficulties which may arise in due course. Having a mentor has been hugely beneficial, it has made me feel empowered when negotiating a work schedule and also has increased my confidence that it will be workable whatever the difficulties.
Being LTFT Rep would allow me to share my experience and new knowledge with others and hopefully make it easier for them. I have accumulated a number of resources which I would happily share with other potential LTFT trainees. As I am still early in my training, I will be rotating through a number of trusts and I will learn how to make it work in each one. Hopefully this knowledge will then help others and I will be able to answer questions they may have. Just as having a mentor has helped me, I hope that I can similarly help others.
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Vascular Surgery
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Felicity Meyer
felicity.meyer@nnuh.nhs.uk
I am a consultant vascular surgeon and Chief of Service for Surgery at the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital. I have been a member of the East of England less than full-time training team for the last 2 years and have recently been appointed as the RCS Surgeons Flexible Working Advisor. I have a passion for teaching and training and am mindful of the often hidden obstacles for those trainees who need to work less than full time having struggled myself in the past with small children, competitive career progression and a full-time job. Less than full time training allowed me to achieve my career goals as well as caring for my family. This opportunity should be available to everyone who needs it for whatever reason so that we can get the best trainees to fulfil their promise both within the workplace and outside it.
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Kersten Morgan Bates
kmorganbates@doctors.org.uk
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I worked as a LTFT Training for 8 years and would have left medicine otherwise. It enabled me to continue my surgical training and take my FRCS exams whilst caring for 2 children and living apart from my husband who was a locum consultant in another city. When I started I was the only trainee working LTFT Ttraining in my speciality, there have since been 6 others and it is now a well established pathway in the region I trained in. I’m keen to encourage trainees who might benefit from working LTFT Training to continue to work whilst maintaining their caring responsibilities.
