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I graduated in 2004 in Edinburgh. I did the old style JHO year and then a series of stand alone six month A&E posts with a view to doing A&E. I then got an A&E run through training scheme in Edinburgh but after a year had to re-apply through the MTAS scheme because that came in.

I was unsure about whether to continue long term with A&E so I applied for GP and A&E with a view to keeping an open mind. I got a GP post and continued with that because I was keen on the generalism but I didn’t fancy the long term commitment of working nights until I retire. I did my GP registrar year in Musselburgh.

When I finished, I then locumed for 13 months with a view to going to Australia because it fitted in with my wife’s training - she’s a doctor as well. We planned to go to Australia for one year and do some travelling on the way out, work for a year and then do some travelling on the way back and see it as an 18 month to 2-year period out and then come back and find something more permanent.

However, before we knew it, I had spent five years as a General Practitioner in Australia, during which time my wife and I had a baby and, after she got towards the end of her maternity leave, we were at that tipping point where you either stay long term in Australia or move back.

Given we both have very close families, we decided to come back so they could play some part in the upbringing of our wee boy and so that we could help them as they get on a bit and become a bit more dependent.

The process of coming back to work in Scotland was easier than I thought. I was really unsure exactly what it would entail – I thought it might entail a retainer scheme that I would have to go on. I was pleasantly surprised when I only had to complete a two week supervised position.

Initially, I contacted the performers list and they referred me to NES who then referred me on to the Lothian Medical Director, Dr Nigel Williams. It was decided that, given I trained in Edinburgh and was familiar with the area, two weeks of supervised practice would suffice. It all came back pretty quickly; nothing had changed from when I was last working here.

At the end of the two weeks, it was all a very smooth, quick process which I really appreciated – Dr Williams asked the two GPs I spent time with if they had any concerns, they said no and I was on the performers list the next day. I’m very grateful because I was really keen to get back and working given that I’ve got dependents.

I had been working fulltime in a comparable healthcare system and had been doing CPD throughout in Australia so they had no real concerns. The induction was quite useful and reacquainted me with systems and processes.

Now I’m working exclusively as a locum in and around Edinburgh Looking to future, I would intend to ultimately settle down, get a partnership and stay in one place for the foreseeable future because I prefer to feel invested in that regard. I want to find a good team that fits in with the way that I work and I’m going to be quite patient in that. The purpose of locuming is very much to dip my toe in the water and see lots of different practices. I have also applied to LUCS (Lothian Unscheduled Care Service).

The climate has been a shock coming back to Scotland, but there are things that Australia really doesn’t have like the history, the proximity to Europe and all the cultural aspects of Edinburgh. The Edinburgh festival was on when we returned back so we came back at a really good time. Being so close to family was the main reason we came back and it is great to be nearer them. We’ve seen my family and my wife’s family a lot since we’ve been back and that’s been good.