NHS Careers for Young People: Starting Out at 21
What are NHS careers for young people really like when you are only just beginning your working life? In this episode of The Right Chamber, Lilly and Abbie join Victor and Jasprit for a relaxed and refreshingly honest conversation about starting their careers in the NHS.
Neither Lilly nor Abbie followed a carefully planned route into their current roles. In fact, their journeys show how an unexpected opportunity can sometimes lead somewhere completely new.
Lilly talks about moving from working in a pub to searching online for NHS administrative jobs. Meanwhile, Abbie explains how her original career plans changed after she realised that the path she had expected to follow wasn’t right for her.
Their experiences demonstrate that you don’t necessarily need to have your entire career mapped out at 20 or 21.
Finding Confidence in Your First NHS Job
Starting any new job can feel daunting. However, joining a large organisation such as the NHS brings its own challenges.
Lilly and Abbie discuss learning how to communicate with different colleagues, developing confidence and becoming comfortable with new responsibilities. They also reflect on being similar in age to many of the medical students they support.
Despite their age, their work carries significant responsibility. For example, they help coordinate teaching, placements and assessments for future doctors.
Abbie describes the organised chaos of an OSCE examination day and the realisation that the team is helping to run important assessments for medical students. Lilly also shares her own memorable encounter with an OSCE bell!
From Awkward Beginnings to Office Banter
Their working relationship did not start quite as smoothly.
Although they were pleased to find another young colleague in the department, Lilly and Abbie admit that they initially didn’t know what to make of each other. For a while, they barely spoke.
Fortunately, things changed.
Today, their friendship and office banter form an important part of their working lives. The pair discuss how their relationship developed and why having supportive colleagues can make such a difference when you are finding your feet professionally.
Discovering NHS Careers for Young People
Perhaps the biggest message from this episode is that NHS careers extend far beyond the roles people immediately associate with healthcare.
Doctors, nurses and other clinicians may be the most visible members of the workforce. However, many other teams contribute to healthcare behind the scenes.
Lilly and Abbie’s roles offer a perfect example. They may not provide patient care directly, but their support helps medical students develop into the doctors who will care for patients in the future.
Their experiences also demonstrate how an entry-level opportunity can become the beginning of something much bigger. Along the way, young employees can develop skills, discover new interests and find career paths they may never previously have considered.
Sometimes You Just Have to Give It a Go
As the conversation draws to a close, Lilly and Abbie reflect on what they would tell other young people who are unsure about their future.
Most importantly, changing direction does not mean you have failed. Your original plan may not work out, and the job you eventually enjoy could be something you have never considered before.
Sometimes, an unexpected opportunity is worth exploring.
As Abbie puts it, you’ve just got to give it a go.
The Right Chamber explores the people, professions and stories that make the NHS what it is, revealing perspectives from across healthcare that patients and the public might not normally hear.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6BMxswWTqa82B27ZAxJZcj?si=f773c28d0b3a4a8c
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-right-chamber/id1754140706
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/cfabe121-fc4c-4cc4-a4cd-423750cb1a85/the-right-chamber
If you enjoyed this episode, please like, comment, share, and subscribe for more real stories from inside the NHS.
Follow us:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rgucms/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rgucms
Also subscribe for exclusive content and updates. https://www.youtube.com/@TheRightChamberPodcast
——————
Produced by the RGUC Digital Media Team – https://iclinical.co.uk/digital-media-links
Music credit: Kalte Ohren (septahelix remix) by septahelix (c) copyright 2019 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/septahelix/59527 Ft: starfrosch