People generally progress from F1 (first year) to F2 (second) easily, but after that it’s a lot less guaranteed. You don’t progress automatically with years worked, you have to apply to increasingly competitive training programmes and pass difficult post grad exams (that we have to pay thousands of pounds for) in order to progress. I know people who’ve applied 3 years in a row to

In order to progress on a training pathway you also have to change hospitals/locations every year so it’s really disruptive to your life. So it grinds my gears a lot when I hear people say ‘but in a few years you’ll be a consultant and earning big bucks!’ - I’m still many years away from that, and it’s a huge sacrifice to get there.