02/09/2025
Why I Chose to Work Less Than Full Time (LTFT) as an NHS Foundation Doctor 🗓️🩺
Becoming a doctor was never about a single mission for me. It’s part of a bigger vision - one that embraces versatility and harmony.
I work clinically 3 days a week.
There’s a rush in medicine to become a consultant as fast as possible, driven by prestige and ambition. I get it. But what’s the point of moving full throttle only to realise, hundreds of miles down the road, that you missed an important turn?
A medical career is long. You don’t lose anything by 'slowing down'. If anything, you gain more by integrating diverse interests instead of rushing down a single path.
The myth that you have to choose between clinical and non-clinical work? Just that - a myth. It’s not 'either/or', it’s 'and'.
We still need dedicated frontline clinicians, but the future belongs to integrated, hybrid and versatile doctors who blend passions without sacrificing clinical practice and excellence.
I’ve seen the downsides of moving full throttle first-hand - especially recently during bereavements. Integration offers more satisfaction, rest, richer experiences and, crucially, time to reflect. It reduces burnout and brings healthy variation to life.
Since embracing LTFT, my energy has been consistent, and reflection - deep and unrushed - comes naturally with space away from the clinical grind. Like muscle growth, it happens during recovery, not during the resistance.
Work-life integration beats the elusive 'work-life balance'. I don’t want to be known for just one thing. Versatility makes us irreplaceable. What if, one day, I lost the ability to do that one thing? LTFT helps me stay flexible, adaptable and human.
When I say I’m LTFT, some see me as an anomaly. For me, it’s how I thrive, not just survive.
'Doctor' goes far beyond clinical work.
I'm proud to practice medicine 'less than full time', but fully engaged. 🎯
Doctor Chibz 🩺
