Struggling to make ends meet as a junior doctor. AIBU?

[HK3444]

Struggling to make ends meet. Rent has gone up, food bills are going up and struggling to support my kids.

I’m someone worked really hard through medical school, it felt like endless exams and accumulated student debt with the hope that I’d be able to support my family comfortably at the end of the degree and but also feel job satisfaction bettering the health of others.

Not sure what this was all for… can’t believe I’m in this situation as a doctor

Drs should be paid more.
But do not pretend Drs are paid less than hospital cleaners, that is a lie.
And do not pretend Drs can not afford to eat.
Claiming rubbish "facts" just makes people turn away and not support you. Most of us earn way less than you do. That is fine, you should be well paid. But if most of us manage on less than you earn, we know some of the claims on this thread are bare faced lies.

This is all just a publicity stunt to try and fire up some support from mothers.

They have failed to realise the general lack of support countrywide….

The age of current consultants retiring is completly irrelevant as they are not the ones sticking. The retirement age of junior medics is currently 65 years. Do you think lawyers can't afford to retire at that age?

I suspect as in other industries the "how can we afford to pay people more?" may have a relatively simple solution - pay the higher earning employees less.

The assumption that once you've been in a job for a while you should earn vastly more than when you started needs to go. It's at the start of their career that people need the money most - when they don't have savings, or the luxury of their own home, and small children to look after; not when they're 60 years old living in a big house with the kids all flown the roost.

The way middle-class society today favours the old and the middle-aged at the expense of the young is utterly shameful, and stop trying to fob people off with "it will get better!" (it isn't obvious, in the current economy, that it ever will).

The Pensions of doctors is something they never highlight, but they are incredibly fortunate. I don’t know any lawyers that are retiring at 55 or even 60 - no.

How does that help when they need to feed and clothes and house themselves and their children when they are in their 20s and 30s?

You took an oath to do no harm, anyone striking is going against that. I’m in a similar profession where costs were extraordinary, with very lower salary. But like you, I entered it knowing my future earnings would increase and it’s a profession. The short term focus on your junior pay is an embarrassment to the profession.

I have many medics as friends - most retried at 55. Some do the odd private morning for fun.
It is an industry and career that gathers pace in terms of financial rewards and pension pot’s accumulated wealth. The JD want instant gratification for just turning up, and medicine doesn’t work like that.

I don't ...I commute in cos I can't afford London rent and changing hospitals every 6 months makes commuting the only option

Then they should all sacrifice the pension if they want higher salaries now!! The short termism is crazy, they need to give up their generous pensions and take a higher salary if the priority is the short term.

They are not on the breadline you know!!! This is mostly about big houses, school fees and ski trips.

They can’t have huge pensions AND huge salaries. It is a public sector job at the end of the day, and we simply can’t afford jet set salaries and gold plated retirements at 55 🤷🏼‍♀️

Wow you really are angry.

Nothing BS about my post, the Govt can resolve today, why are they refusing to negotiate and offer a Scottish style deal? No strikes in Scotland.

Militants? you ve shown your true colours there haven't you.

You don't know when the GE will be called, might be May, might be Jan 2025.

Pre strike, under funding of the NHS was causing between 300 and 500 additional deaths PER WEEK (Royal College of Emergency Medicine)

Where was your outrage over this?????

I think retirement age for medics is higher than 55 years at the moment. They may be able to retire by 60 but I know plenty of lawyers who are able to retire at 60 years too.

@Mariposistaa Because infertility in female doctors is very high due to leaving starting a family "until they are consultants".

For doctors under the age of 50 this no longer applies. My husband is in his 40s and if he stayed in medicine his retirement age is linked to the state retirement age at 68 years old, under the 2015 pension scheme which all younger doctors are now on.

Lol Earlier you said 58, now its 55, what do we next bid? 51 ???

Do you think lawyers can't afford to retire at that age?

I’m a lawyer and I’ll be working till I drop. We don’t all work in the City. I earn about half of what my husband (NHS consultant) brings in. Less, if you include his PP income.

JD’s are poorly paid early in their careers, just like most graduates. Pay has eroded for everyone.

@Newchapterbeckons Could you please stop spouting unsubstantiated nonsense?

My outrage is because patients are DYING

Whilst you play political games that no party would ever agree to.

Because you are an absolute disgrace to the profession.

Where has your idea that they have gold plated pensions at 55 years come from? Retirement age for current NHS staff including medics is 65 years.

Nurse here, junior drs have my full support to strike. I’m also on wait g lists but the junior drs deserve way more for their role, way more.

Ah why? Because it doesn’t suit your publicity stunt to remind you of the poor patients that are dying because of this strike?

Because it highlights how deeply unethical you are?

Your pledge to do no harm? What happened to that I ask you?

It's not right that anyone who's working should struggle. That's especially true when someone is working in a highly skilled, highly responsible job.
Junior docs should have their pay restored and should be recognised not as "juniors" but as skilled, qualified and in many cases incredibly experienced doctors who just aren't consultants. Keep striking until you get a half decent deal!
And let's not even start on the astronomical cost of housing at the moment. Appalling.
My only word of comfort is that almost everyone - even people earning very, very, good wages, struggle financially when their children are small and they're paying for childcare. In a few years time things WILL be easier.

Good luck finding anyone still working beyond sixty! They don’t need to, because over a life time they earn more than enough to have a very comfortable life and retirement.