Junior Doctors Unemployment in August

[PurpleFairyLights]

Name changed but long term poster. Have a child that is in this situation with 100k of student debt.

https://www.itv.com/news/granada/2025-05-07/bma-we-could-potentially-see-thousands-of-unemployed-doctors

Unbelievable this was allowed. Most countries protect their medical graduates.

Looks like you are working in shifts.

A lot of A&E shifts finish around midnight and on a busy twilight shift staying extra hours is completely normal.

What on earth is the purpose of MN if not to engage with other views on a single topic.

The intolerance of other, clearly informed, views is extraordinary.

But it's interesting to compare the tone of the different groups.

I think the trouble is that the over invested mums on here didn't realise that graduating from medical school doesn't guarantee a job for life. There are about 12000 UK graduates this year. They do get employed at the most junior levels, but every year a proportion of them do not get any further. This has to happen, and ALWAYS has happened because by hook or by crook that large number of graduates has to be pared down to the 2000 doctors who are needed to replace the doctors who retire every year. There are no extra consultants or gp jobs.

If we had to pay 10000 extra doctors every year the NHS would be in an even worse state than it is now.

Why do you assume none of us on this thread are not lawyers?

Someone with a similar posting style to you called us "mummies" and assumed none were doctors.

No idea why you care so much about our disgust at unemployed doctors.

No one finishes at 2am in the NHS 😂😂😂😂😂. Oh yes they do. A&E shifts for F1s do. Really, please go away and educate yourself.

I am genuinely curious as to why your DC is merely going to return home for a year. Another poster was puzzled too. Surely he could do something to augment his CV in that year? It doesn't seem the best of idea to simply go back to the parental home. Hopefully he's got some plans which will boost his chances for next time around?

None of my DCs' shifts have ever ended at 2am but perhaps London is different.

And we were talking about London/ City hours - precisely because you asked the question. A direct comparison: London - London.

@oddandelsewhere pretty much every word of your post is rubbish. No one expects to go just get into training, but they do expect a job of some kind, as that’s what they were told would happen when they started.

There are going to be 20,000 unemployed doctors, including qualified GPs and consultants, v v soon, while waiting lists are 7 million +. But hey, we’ve got lots of lawyers so we’ll all be ok 😂

Oh well if none of yours have ever done it it must be true 😂😂😊

PS see the mummy insult is back. I’m a v v proud mummy thanks.

Well the good news for lawyers could be that there might be far more clin neg cases up for grabs if middling UK doctors replace better international doctors. Just not such good news for patients I guess.

None of mine have worked outside London. So I can only assume the regions are different or other hospitals that mine haven't worked in are different. That's fine, surely?

DC is applying for trust grade jobs and signing up to locum agencies. Trust grade jobs are being targeted by IMGs too.

Unfortunately does not have a trust fund. In the real world you need a salary to be able to rent and you need 15k to do a masters. DC already has two degrees.

What alternative would. you suggest? Are you offering to fund?

Not fine if you quote it as fact. It’s not. Shifts do end at 2am.

And what would you like Purples DS to do to enhance his application ? There are no jobs for him.

What degrees does he have OP? In this situation I would certainly hope that my DC would show initiative. Perhaps look into overseas charitable work? Apply for RA jobs if he has a good second degree?

The example I gave was from London.

The comparison with the "regions" was ridiculous.

Training in London is really not anything to boast about.

Really ???? Yes, just go abroad, because that’s free to arrange. Not sure what a RA job is - is that like a PA ? It’s like some people live in another world.

Anyhoo, it’s good to know this topic is being discussed at Uni open days. Lots of new people understanding the rubbish way the NHS treats doctors.

The areas which are not London are the regions.

Mine have only worked in London - fact. Not any sort of boast contained within my post. I merely recognised that that could account for different shifts. I certainly find it odd that mine have never come off shift even in A&E at 2am. That does surprise me. But different hospitals must vary.

DC wants to continue as a doctor in the NHS so applying forveverything. Does not want to go abroad.

Good attempt to derail. Our doctors are unemployed because of the huge number of IMGs applying for training places..

RA = research assistant. It's an academic role. It could be of some use if OP's DS has a good Master's level degree. Perhaps he could approach labs working on projects he's interested in in his preferred specialty. It's a reasonable suggestion. It's only the start of June so he may well get something for September if his CV fits the profile of a particular project.

@mumsneedwine it isn't rubbish, it's the truth and I'm sorry that you were led to believe any different. We have no jobs long term for every new graduate beyond the first two years. Medical schools were expanded with no comparable expansion of senior doctor numbers. Those who don't find employment in the NHS will do what they always have done, either find other employment or go abroad.

Employing 10000 more doctors than are needed in perpetuity is not going to happen, even though there are millions on waiting lists.

@oddandelsewhere you don’t understand at all. There are 12,000 graduates for 13,000 training jobs. So should be simple (it was designed to be that way). No one is asking for more jobs, just priority for doctors already in the NHS.

Ive been led to believe nothing, my DD is starting training, but lots of the hundreds of other doctors I’ve helped are not. Usually an F3 type job would be available but this year they are not.

We have unemployed consultants because of the recruitments freezes, meaning less doctors are employed.

If you are going to comment, check your facts first. I was at a conference of Unis today and it’s a v v hot topic with the admissions tutors attending.

There are also enough F1 jobs for no one to be made a placeholder. But there are 1,000 of them this year as spots have been taken (using a random number generator) to graduates from abroad. Not better, probably richer as they can pay their way in.