September has some key anniversaries for me, starting with this: I moved to England 14 years ago today

At the time I thought my career had gone waaaaay off-track

The plan was definitely “SpR in England, go back home to Scotland”... I’ve lived here for 13 of the last 14 years https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😬" title="Grimasse schneidendes Gesicht" aria-label="Emoji: Grimasse schneidendes Gesicht">

I moved to England cos I wanted to avoid Modernising Medical Careers, and have a Calman SpR number, which wasn’t going to be an option in Glasgow

(I wasn’t even shortlisted for job I got: 3 numbers, they shortlisted 15, I was no 16 - only got an interview cos someone pulled out)

I rocked up in Lincoln on a Sunday evening in September 2006, shocked to discover that in this barbaric new country I had somehow found myself in, “open 24/7” meant “closes at 5 on a Sunday”

Scotland https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="➡️" title="Pfeil nach rechts" aria-label="Emoji: Pfeil nach rechts"> infinitely more civilised https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😉" title="Zwinkerndes Gesicht" aria-label="Emoji: Zwinkerndes Gesicht">

As it turned out, coming to England meant I was prepared to take more risks with my career than I probably would have if I’d stayed in Glasgow

Lincoln became Nottingham (planned) ... and Nottingham became Sydney (less planned!) https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😁" title="Grinsendes Gesicht mit lächelnden Augen" aria-label="Emoji: Grinsendes Gesicht mit lächelnden Augen">

Sydney opened up doors which eventually took me to my present job (which is ultra-niche, very me, and I love it), via Great Ormond Street

... I’m not sure I’d’ve made those choices and taken those risks if I hadn’t had to leave Glasgow

Don’t get me wrong - I still miss home every day (increasingly more so the more England and Scotland seem to diverge in terms of the sorts of country they are), and the core of the paediatrician I’ve (sort of) grown up to be was absolutely formed in Yorkhill in Glasgow

The main lesson though is that careers are funny things

What looks and feels like a disaster can be the start of something new, as long as you don’t give in to defeat

Roll with it

You can’t always predict where it will take you