Out of Programme Experience

Taking a step away from medicine to pursue something different can be a daunting experience, and one that many people don’t ever consider for fear of the effects it may have on their career path in Urology. I wanted to share my experience, in order to show the many benefits that OOPEs can have, both personally and professionally.

In 2011, whilst a core trainee in general surgery, I made a bold decision to leave medicine and head to the USA.  I had enjoyed surgery, but was wondering if there was something else out there to experience beyond the endless slog of exams and training. But where to start? In my case, I knew a post-doctoral fellow who had worked in a laboratory in the USA.  I did some research and the head of surgery at the adjacent university hospital, also ran a lab in the same building.  Several emails later and I flew out to Burlington, Vermont to be interviewed for a research associate post. To my delight I was successful and after some faffing with visas I started the job in the March of that year.

I spent 16 months in total in Vermont, it is a period of time that I remember well and I am so thankful that I was given such an opportunity.  I worked for the head of surgery running my own experiments; I was my own boss, which was an entirely new experience, but a great lesson in time management.  I learned a whole new technical skill set, sometimes by trial and error and often by seeking out experts within the university.  My research earned me a first author paper, and an international presentation in Las Vegas.  In addition to that, being an employee of the university, I was able to take advantage of free class credits to take a Post Graduate Certificate in clinical and translational research.  This was an incredibly valuable course that still is as relevant as ever to my work today.

I also had opportunity to meet post docs, surgery residents, histopathologists, emergency doctors and understand what it is like to work in medicine in the US.  I travelled as much as possible, visiting Portland, New York, Boston, Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto to name only a few. In the winters, I learned how to ski and snowshoe and, in summer, I cycled, kayaked, swam in freshwater lakes and hiked up the many mountains Vermont has to offer.  I also got to see the natural wonder of a New England autumn leaf season. 

When I returned, I re-interviewed for core training and have never looked back. The experience of stepping away from medicine actually renewed my passion for it, and I would encourage anyone considering such a move to do the same.  The academic slog of medical school and post-graduate training can sometimes feel like you are on an endless conveyer belt.  

Leaving medicine doesn’t mean walking away from your career and profession. In fact, it can be a life-changing experience that can serve to make you an even better urologist.