Personally joining the Army was a great decision. Its given me that stable career everybody wants. The opportunities within the Army are second to none whether it be from gaining qualifications in your chosen field to travelling the world doing various activities. If you give the Army your everything the Army will give you everything. As cliche as it sounds the army really does give you friends for life. You are all equally motivate and go through the same experiences which bonds you more than anything else in life.

All doctors at some point will have a difficult time, and many will have considered leaving medicine or the NHS. That might be why you are reading this! I am very glad that I decided to find a different way to continue my career, and would recommend that anyone having doubts has a look to see what else is available. If you love adventure and a bit of a challenge, the Army is an excellent opportunity. You will need to take 3 years out between FY2 and starting specialty training, but most Army doctors will tell you this is the most enjoyable 3 years of your career! After those 3 years, you will likely have a great looking CV and a much clearer idea of what you want to specialise in. The majority of doctors will stay employed by the Army during the training years, although some may choose to return to the NHS to train, this is usually if they decide to do a specialty that the Army doesn't provide (eg Paediatrics). It has been an excellent career change for me, and I would highly recommend it to anyone.

I enjoy being part of a team and taking part in adventure training.