Simon Carley (MD, FRCS (ed), FCEM)

Name : Simon Carley (MD, FRCS (ed), FCEM)
Employer : Central Manchester and Manchester Children’s University Hospitals NHS Trust
University : University of Manchester
Subject : MBChB
Graduated : 1992

After graduation I started work as an anatomy lecturer in Sheffield, after which I did a surgical rotation in Manchester. During my rotation I realised that the traditional general surgeons were being replaced by single-organ specialists but this didn’t hold much appeal for me. I completed my SHO training through paediatrics, ICU, anaesthetics, and research. I then got onto an SpR rotation in the north west involving a research secondment, during which I did an MD.

Working life

People often think the hours are awful but they are not. We do one long clinical day 8.00 am to 11.30 pm plus being on call, one short day 8.00 am to 5.00 pm, one admin day, and one weekend out of four on-call shifts which includes shifts on weekend days. It adds up to 40 hours per week, which means I get a great work/life balance. Unlike other specialties it is much easier to hand over the reins to the next consultant when your shift is over and though you work more antisocial hours than other consultants, you get more time off during the week to spend valuable time with your family.

Choosing emergency medicine

I love the diagnostic process and the problem solving that this specialty requires. I also enjoy the educational aspect of my work. Emergency medicine (EM) is increasingly recognised as an area where you can learn a lot of generic skills and entails a breadth of knowledge and experience. This makes it an interesting area to work in. The toughest part of the SpR training was working a shift rota while trying to prepare for exams and having a family life outside of medicine. However, it’s only for a short time so you just have to keep yourself motivated. It also taught me that as an SpR you have to be flexible with your juniors.

Best and worst

It’s exciting dealing with the critically ill and injured, but it’s also incredibly satisfying doing small things like popping a pulled elbow back in. Some people find the shift patterns difficult – it is often tough when you are the only consultant in the hospital dealing with a case when your colleagues in other specialties are tucked up in bed.