The Joys of Working in Northern Ireland

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In October of your final year of medical school, when it comes to starting the dreaded foundation application that is filled with both excitement and uncertainty there is one thing that is almost guaranteed; when ranking the 18 foundation schools where we spend the next two years of our working lives as doctors, Northern Ireland is almost always the bottom of everyone’s list. It’s understandable, it’s accessible only via boat or plane, leaving family particularly when starting a new job is an apprehensive time for soon-to-be doctors, plus the weather isn’t much to boast about. Unless you are from the Emerald Isle, or studied in one of our two medical schools, it’s unlikely Northern Ireland is in anywhere near your radar, but in this short excerpt I will hopefully convince you to consider ‘our wee country’ as a rewarding and exciting place to work. 

According to an article in the BMJ Open, in 2024 Northern Ireland was found to be the most deprived country in the UK, with 37% of our population living in the top 5 most deprived areas in the UK (1). When looking at the Northern Ireland Executive on health inequalities in the country, in 2018-2022 preventable mortality in the most deprived areas was three times higher compared to the rest of the country, with drug and alcohol related illness contributing to the largest health inequalities in these areas (2).  Northern Ireland needs doctors, and working in the NHS here is busy yes, but so rewarding. The disease burden is high, the training, the work, the patients are what makes working here enjoyable, interesting and fulfilling.  There is a clear need for us in Northern Ireland. 

Now let’s focus on what really makes Northern Ireland special, there are two obvious reasons for this; 1. The natural beauty and 2. The people. As part of the island of Ireland, there is a reason why it is famously known as the Emerald Isle. The country is renowned for its unmatched natural beauty, with more shades of green than comprehensible. We are a small country, so you are never more than a 2 hour drive away from most major cities and landmarks. What we are most famous for is the Giant’s Causeway, heralded as the 8th natural wonder of the world (3). While the surroundings are enough to convince many to visit, the people are what convince many to stay. Northern Ireland is a place steeped in history, the people are hearty and welcoming. The capital city of Belfast came 7th in a public vote for friendliest cities in the whole of the UK (4). We are known for our humour and resilience, which are key benefits in work colleagues as well as the patients we care for. We have a saying for everything, and learning our colloquiums is like learning a new language.  Northern Ireland is constantly expanding in its diversity, especially in the health service. There is a reason why this place is nicknamed the ‘place of a thousand welcomes’. 

We have five HSC trust areas in the region; Belfast, Northern, Eastern, Southern, South-Eastern and Western trust. To be able to work in the land where they made both Game of Thrones and Derry Girls speaks for itself. Here you can work, learn, and have come ‘craic’ along the way. Northern Ireland is a special place and the people that live and work here are so proud to call it ‘home’. We are unique in our collective personality, our history and the patients we see on a daily basis. It is an excellent learning opportunity and living here will help you understand what exactly makes Our Wee Country so special. 

Hannah McGarrigle

F1, Northern Ireland Foundation School

References  

  1. Abel, G.A., Barclay, M.E. and Payne, R.A. (2016) Adjusted indices of multiple deprivation to enable comparisons within and between constituent countries of the UK including an illustration using mortality rates, BMJ Open. Available at: https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/6/11/e012750 (Accessed: 14 January 2025).  
  1. Health inequalities ‘a challenge to us all’ (2024) The Northern Ireland Executive. Available at: https://www.northernireland.gov.uk/news/health-inequalities-challenge-us- 
  1. all#:~:text=There%20have%20been%20no%20notable,health%20inequalities%20monitored%20in%20NI (Accessed: 14 January 2025).  
  1. The Giants Causeway, County Antrim (no date) Brand. Available at: https://www.discoveringireland.com/vacations/the-giants-causeway/#:~:text=The%20north%20Antrim%20coastline%20in,a%20flow%20of%20basaltic%20lava. (Accessed: 14 January 2025). 
  1. Traveller, C.N. (2024) The friendliest cities in the UK: 2024 readers’ choice awards, CN Traveller. Available at: https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/friendliest-cities-in-uk (Accessed: 14 January 2025).