27 September 2010
After years of intense studying and practical training, 150 junior doctors have started work at Epsom, St Helier and Sutton hospitals, and are already settling in well.
Of the new faces, 39 are newly graduated doctors who have begun their first year of ‘real-life’ hospital work. The remainder have already worked in hospitals and are in their second, third or more years of training.
Over the next 12 months, the 39 newly graduated doctors will go through the foundation (year one) training programme, which consists of three separate placements and includes at least four months spent in medicine and four months in surgery.
One of the new recruits, Dr Ravindran Kartighan said: "After six years of training, we’re now applying the knowledge that we have spent so long learning. It was a bit daunting at first, but this is what we have been trained to do. It’s a fantastic feeling, and I’m sure that we are all looking forward to the future with the Trust."
A fellow doctor, Dr James Somauroo, has also just started work at our hospitals. He said: "I always knew that I wanted to be a doctor - I just couldn’t see myself doing anything else, so it’s a real privilege to be here and I am really enjoying it already. It’s an honour to care for and treat the people who come into our hospitals.
"Everyone has been very friendly and welcoming and the Trust has been very supportive. We’ve all been welcomed to the hospitals and it’s clear that we have an important part to play in the care the Trust gives to patients."
The Trust’s Medical Director, Dr James Clarke, is responsible for overseeing the work of all of the Trust’s doctors, including the 150 new juniors. He said: "We would like to say a really warm welcome to the new doctors and we hope that they enjoy working and learning at our hospitals.
As a university hospital trust, we help to train the doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals of tomorrow. With expert training and, under the watchful eye of more senior doctors, the juniors will put the theory they have learnt at medical school into practice.
