Hello from Mike In Oban.

My name is Mike McIver and I am on the first year of the four year Caledonian GP training programme base in Oban for my GPST1 year. I did Medical School and foundation jobs in Sheffield, South Yorkshire. When I was thinking about what to do after foundation jobs, I organised a week-long taster at Ullapool GP practice. If there was any doubt in my mind, this helped to settle it; I wanted to be a rural GP, somewhere in the North of Scotland. I feel that General Practice in rural locations provides the opportunity to do very varied and interesting medicine and to feel that you really work within a community. I also love this part of the country; the peace and quiet, the mountains, the empty roads for cycling, the beautiful beaches. I opted for the four year course as it offers a years experience in a rural hospital setting and I chose Oban mainly on the basis of location, but I had also heard from friend of friends that the training here was good. I have not been disappointed on either score.

I suppose for a lot of people, the down side of working somewhere like Oban on a temporary basis is either having a long distance relationship or dragging their partner around the country, picking up whatever work they can. Fortunately for me, my wife Janet also loves Scotland and has found a job as a Youth Worker based in Oban, so she lives with me here in the hospital accommodation, along with most of the other junior doctors. ‘Living in’ is a new experience which is mostly good and makes for a closer relationship with my colleagues than I have had in previous jobs. Since I started in August, we have had some fantastic weekends off. With Glencoe, Ben Nevis, the Mountains of Central Scotland around an hours drive away, we are spoilt for choice. Also the boat to Mull for walking and cycling and there are some really nice beaches close enough to go to in the evening after work in the summer.

I've just got back from a 10 days of annual leave, which were fantastic, but back on nights now. It is after 7am so I am going to risk saying it has been a quiet night without jinxing myself. Anyway, I have to go and see a patient so I will write no more this time.