11 Plus Exams Forum

After reading a post about junior doctor working hours I was wondering if it is the case that to progress up the career ladder you have to work obscene hours. OH works in th City and those that work 9-5 get nowhere but those that work 7-7 seem to progress. OH works a 70 hour week and that's not including the blackberry in the evenings! I have friends who are lawyers and they work 18 hour days 6-7 days a week. Is this the norm?

T.i.p.s.y wrote:After reading a post about junior doctor working hours I was wondering if it is the case that to progress up the career ladder you have to work obscene hours. OH works in th City and those that work 9-5 get nowhere but those that work 7-7 seem to progress. OH works a 70 hour week and that's not including the blackberry in the evenings! I have friends who are lawyers and they work 18 hour days 6-7 days a week. Is this the norm?

That is absolutely the norm for young lawyers in the early years of their careers. I know you are very young, Tipsy, so your friends will probably fall into that category. As they climb the greasy pole, though, they get to spend more and more time on the golf course while the youngsters slave away earning money for them in court or in the office, so there is light at the end of the legal tunnel. Does your OH get lots of nice City bonuses?

Does your OH get lots of nice City bonuses?

Yeh, this year was ******* marvellous!

Thank goodness for the asterisk!!

From August 2009, max time at work and seeing patients is 48 hours - under EWTD. Many trainees feel this inadequate for suitable training. Study for post graduate qualifications is done both during and on top of this. Could go on about when I was young - 84 hours per week and one in 3 120 hour weeks but I won't.

rachag wrote:From August 2009, max time at work and seeing patients is 48 hours - under EWTD. Many trainees feel this inadequate for suitable training. Study for post graduate qualifications is done both during and on top of this. Could go on about when I was young - 84 hours per week and one in 3 120 hour weeks but I won't.

except that doctors are often self employed for some or all of the working time.. so doesn't count. Also often cover a single handed practice which the government requires to be open from 8am to 6.30pm 5 days a week = 52.5 hrs and they would like it to be open into the evening and saturday morning as well? Not sure how that will work!!!

T.i.p.s.y wrote:works in th City and those that work 9-5 get nowhere but those that work 7-7 seem to progress.

City:

8 to 6 typical. Operations/Support work longer and Juniors working on bids never leave the office in their early years.

I don't think anyone has worked 9-5 since the 1970s.

I don't think anyone has worked 9-5 since the 1970s

Trust me, there are plenty who do! They tend to be the ones who make sure they take their hour and two fifteen minute breaks everyday and threaten with union speak if it is hinted that they should stay on 10 minutes to fix a problem they created!

I'm surprised that most start at 8 given that the markets open at that time. Most are expected to be in by 7:30 although the 9-5 group would recoil at the thought!

Really depends on the role.... what does your OH do?

what does your OH do

After 8 years I still don't know! It's all very dull to me!