In our latest blog, Alasdair Spinner recounts his experiences from the recent Annual Scientific Meeting of the Royal College of Radiologists.
The Royal College of Radiologists Scientific Meeting was held on the 7th - 9th September at the Barbican in London.
It was great to meet radiologists of all modalities, put faces to some names and catch up with people we have placed or who are currently working through their Australian medical registration process.
Some Radiologists said hello just because they are interested in a particular country's medical registration procedure or its college requirements. Some wanted to know what living in Singapore was like, others were keen to explore the options of taking a sabbatical in Australia or New Zealand - an option many doctors in the UK take up, providing them with unique professional and personal experiences, new friends and unforgettable experiences for their families with the prospect of picking up their careers when they return.
Not all queries were directly career related. One doctor, close to retirement, asked me if I knew what the average price of a new Winnebago was in Australia. Another queried what the strength of teabags was there. She'd heard you had to stew 2 teabags in a cup to replicate the strength of an average British cuppa. Luckily, I was actually able to provide informed answers to both queries. Quite a few mentioned the cricket, naturally, but the Scottish "perennial losers of sport" side of me, thankfully offset my Australian "bad loser" genes.
Our stand's location proved an unexpected bonus. Beside us was a teleradiology group looking to develop further contacts within the NHS for providing on-call reporting services from Sydney during Australian Eastern Standard Time (night-time in the UK). It's a fascinating business model and a successful one. Their only hindrance to the continued expansion of this business is a shortage of UK trained General Radiologists with on-call or emergency experience willing to work in Sydney.
The benefits of doing this clear. Based in an office a short walk away from the Opera House (my favourite term for it is Nuns in a Scrum) you can enjoy Sydney life at its best. You could choose to live by Manly, Shelley or Fairlight Beach or further afield at Curl Curl, Avalon or Whale Beach. Alternatively the inner west and surrounding suburbs can provide a cosmopolitan fusion of traditional Australian, Italian, Chinese, Korean and dare I say it – even hipster communities. Many of their existing radiologists travel to work on a ferry, soaking up the harbour every working day (not to be recommend with stormy seas however). This opportunity has no requirements to work and live in an "Area of Need". There are no complex Australian medical registration or college eligibility requirements as you will be reporting back into the UK. Contracts can be as short as 6 months or up to 3 years with the option of applying for your Australian Fellowship while you are there. It was really interesting to hear about teleradiology. Needless to say, once they understood Head Medical's network within Australia, the size of our database and my knowledge of Sydney they were happy to partner with us.
If you are interested in this unique opportunity or positions elsewhere in the world please ring me for a chat! 0131 240 5276 or al@headmedical.com
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