MTAS kiss my ASS!

[jainuk]

via nhs jobs website. there were a couple posts on there. some training some not.

[mase]

Having messed up that stupid form that is MTAS and being sent to my 12th choice, DESPITE being in the upper quartile of my cohort and a very personable person- I resigned my post and decided to locum and reapply - with the aim of getting a ton of help in learning how to bull shit on the application form.

I applied for an FY1 post that had become available- much more prestigious than anything MTAS would have given me, had a good old fashioned interview and got the job!!!!

So MTAS your ass has just been royally kicked!

Hi JainUK,

I am in exactly the same situation as you were last year. Despite having a score in the high 70's (which would have got me into south thames) I put NCT as my first choice, didn't get it and ended up being relegated to my 11th choice. I really don't want to take up this position - but atm I am struggling to see what my other options may be (medical school is not helping.)

I know leaving MTAS is risky and you're not guaranteed a job, but was wondering how you went about it and whether you can tell me anymore info?

If anyone knows anything at all about leaving MTAs and what this will mean for my career I'd be very grateful.

Thanks

[jainuk]

Well i resigned from the post i was given- writing to the dean of that trust. I then signed up to the nhs jobs website and they emailed me whenever f1 jobs became available in london. There were 4 jobs advertised in a one month period i applied for two and got the one i wanted. It does mean however that i will have to do the same thing next year for f2. Risky but I was just not going to upheave my life for medicine. It already eats too much of my life as it is.

hope that helps some

[Eleeeepil]

whats NCT?

Jainuk - do you mind if I ask if your salary is paid per hourly? If yes, how much does a locum training post F1 earn per year roughly?

[Airtones]

How did you mess up the form?

[Yixian]

whats NCT?

North Central Thames Foundation School

[KatMed]

Hi JainUK,

I am in exactly the same situation as you were last year. Despite having a score in the high 70's (which would have got me into south thames) I put NCT as my first choice, didn't get it and ended up being relegated to my 11th choice. I really don't want to take up this position - but atm I am struggling to see what my other options may be (medical school is not helping.)

I know leaving MTAS is risky and you're not guaranteed a job, but was wondering how you went about it and whether you can tell me anymore info?

If anyone knows anything at all about leaving MTAs and what this will mean for my career I'd be very grateful.

Thanks

Thank you JainUK and Mase!
I feel like I have a bit more hope now...
I learned of our F1 allocations this Wednesday, and having applied to North East Thames as my first choice, I have ended up being sent to... Scotland!!..
Really don't know what to do at the moment, it's a bit of a shock. I know that my score wasn't so bad, in that actually there were people at my med school (St.George's) who got in to South Thames with the same score. Really wish I'd applied there instead of SET!!
Another factor was that our form had to be completed in the same week as some re-take exams I was doing, which made the whole thing pretty stressful, I guess I might have got a higher score otherwise.
Either way, I am really scared about the prospect of going to Scotland for 2 years, but also wouldn't want to miss out on working next year, so I was wondering if anyone could please tell me what kind of options there could be for me now?...
I actually think Scotland is a lovely place, but I am in a long-term relationship in London, and commuting could become very costly/stressfull...

Really would appreciate any advice... thank you!

[jainuk]

Hi KatMed,
I am sorry that this has happened- God knows how much I hate the MTAS system. You have three options here:

1.Keep allocation in Scotland. Pros: you already have the place, you might gain valuable life experience. Cons: I dont need to tell you!

2.Give up the allocation and re-apply next year. Pros: you can use time to work on MTAS application form so that you score really highly next time, this would increase your chances of getting into first choice placement. Cons: you will have to use year out to do something worthwhile- as you will always have to explain this gap in interviews etc. I initially signed up to do a Masters.

3.Give up your allocation ad apply via NHS jobs: Pros: It is possible to get foundation posts in London this way- I did. Cons: You have to apply for FY1 and FY2 separately. There aren't a million posts available- I think when I applied there were around 10 posts in London (though there may have been more before/ after the time I applied). Though a small number you are pretty much guaranteed the post as you will be 'competing' against foreign applicants and fairly or unfairly the UK system will always accept UK doctors first.

It is a difficult decision and only you can make it. Mostly people in the medical profession would advise against giving up your placement. I had everyone telling me I was making a terrible decision, committing 'career suicide' etc etc but I valued my quality of life over a job so made my decision. Thankfully it worked out ok.

Good luck whatever you decide!

[Clarkey]

I thought that they had changed the system now so that those stand alone jobs were only available to those with full registration i.e. even though they were F1 jobs you would have to have completed F1 do it it. This would then only leave them open to people who had trained overseas in places like Prague who graduate and can apply for full registration.

Am happy to be corrected if this is wrong.

Good luck whatever decision you make Kat

[jainuk]

Only if this has become the case since aug this year.

The posts I got were F1 and F2 training posts.