As the saying goes, you learn from your patients. Many compliments from patients have highlighted how happy they are with the standard of care delivered. One of the most rewarding aspects of the job for me is when patients recognise my work and express their willingness to be treated by me again. It values my work and seniority and reaffirms my desire to grow and progress in my professional career.

I began my career as a specialty doctor in 2008. From the start, I used the opportunities within the department and the wider resources to help gain the necessary clinical and leadership skills to develop. I was determined to ensure that being a specialty doctor was not a stalemate but a good career choice, offering a career path that could be shaped to suit your desired work-life balance.

I utilised the SAS development fund to attend courses to enrich my clinical and leadership skills, which helped me develop my clinical practice in niche areas, which for me were regional anaesthesia and pain medicine.

The newly acquired skills helped me to raise my profile and contribute more clinically in these areas. Alongside clinical development, I embraced opportunities for teaching and training. I was involved in rota management during my initial years and later became the joint clinical lead for ophthalmic anaesthesia.  

I am currently the clinical governance lead for pain medicine. I am also a faculty member of the Bucks Ultrasound Guided Regional Anaesthesia courses, which provide teaching and training to resident, SAS and consultant doctors. I have also completed leadership and management courses, and recently I achieved a post-graduate certification in career development.  

In terms of leadership and management roles, I am an LNC member, Oxford regional SAS committee regional chair and SASC deputy chair. I believe these will all help in my journey towards becoming a specialist.

When the 2021 SAS contract was introduced, the specialist post drew my attention and I started researching requirements for the post – namely the generic capabilities framework. I realised that my years of work and development had already helped me meet these requirements. I would strongly encourage every SAS doctor aspiring to become a specialist to thoroughly read through the contracts and related guidance.

I’ve had my clinical skill and experience discussed and noted at appraisals, and management made aware of the level of work done. I am currently collecting evidence to show that I work at the level of the specialist. This is relayed through successive appraisals by mentioning this as one of my PDP objectives, and liaising with the SAS tutor and SAS advocate who are your allies in this journey.

Networking and being involved in discussions with the wider team at both the departmental and trust levels and educating others about the specialist role are very helpful in your journey towards becoming a specialist.

With the current financial climate and associated challenges, it is important to emphasise that there is only a small difference in pay – scales help in building the business case.  

Having difficult conversations should not be a disillusionment but instead an opportunity to counter arguments by using relevant documents and guidance published by the BMA and NHS employers about the specialist post. These help to substantiate your points and promote a meaningful discussion.

I hope this advice helps other speciality doctors on the pathway to becoming a specialist.

John Vinu Edwin is a specialty doctor