As a final year student, it won’t be long until you start paid work. You may be feeling a mixture of emotions – the excitement of starting work along with the sadness of leaving your uni days behind.
With this in mind, we asked final year medical student, Charlotte Smith, to share their thoughts on making the move from university into the working world.
My name is Charlotte and I’m a fifth-year student at Hull York Medical School. I’ve just successfully completed finals and I’m hoping to work somewhere within the Yorkshire deanery for the UKFPO.
I’m from near Beverley in East Yorkshire, so as you can tell, I’m a bit of a home bird!
Charlotte, tell us, how are you feeling about finishing university?
I’m feeling super excited about finishing university. Five years has gone by really quickly. But at the same time, first year feels like such a long time ago.
It’s been surreal receiving my results and knowing I will be graduating as a doctor in July. All that doubt and thinking “Am I good enough?” can melt away and I can prepare for F1 knowing I’ve made the cut!
What are you most looking forward to about starting work?
I am really looking forward to putting what I’ve learned into practice and continuing to develop my skills and knowledge.
Most of all, I’m looking forward to financial independence and moving out of the family home which, at 23 years of age, seems overdue. I can’t wait to meet new people along the way and begin to build a whole new life for myself.
What are you most nervous about?
As a medical student, I have suffered with imposter syndrome and I don’t think that will disappear any time soon – even as a doctor.
I’m nervous to begin the steep learning curve that is the foundation programme and all of the responsibilities that come with it.
The constant worry of messing up and causing harm lingers in the back of my mind. However, I know that I have a strong skill base and knowledge to build on, and that I can always ask for help if I need it.
And finally, what do you plan to do with your summer?
I plan to do a whole lot of nothing this summer! I may try to plan a holiday and some weekends away to explore while I have some time before starting a busy schedule. Graduation and graduation ball are great events to look forward to too.
I also plan to spend as much time as possible with my family and simply relax. I feel like I have been on a conveyer belt up to this moment, from GCSEs to A levels and all the way through medical school. So, it will be nice to just chill and let my stress levels return to a normal baseline after exams.