Spotlight on... Simon Tallowin

My name is Simon Tallowin. I’m an F2 Doctor in Birmingham, a Captain in the Royal Army Medical Corps, and the Armed forces trainee rep to the FMLM.

In case you are not aware, I should explain that the Armed forces is a designated region in the FMLM network in exactly the same way as Wales or the North of England is, despite having members spread throughout the UK, or indeed further afield.

So does this mean military trainees need to choose between local regions and the Armed forces?

Absolutely not. Whether regular or reserve, military members have the best of both worlds in being able to enjoy the opportunities in their local region, while also having specific military representation to the FMLM.

The FMLM website includes a number of military specific resources that highlight the specific unique perspective of military medical leadership.  Brigadier Cordell delivered an excellent webinar on leading and managing change in the armed forces, which can still be viewed online. If you have heard about the military healthcare review ‘DMS 20’ but never delved into the fine print, a new trainees overview explains the key changes. Vital reading for anyone planning a medical career in the Armed forces at present!

In addition I’m developing a ‘Transitions’ document for General Duties, collating all the useful things that trainees wished they had known before embarking on their first dedicated military medical posting. If you think you can offer some advice to your colleagues about to start, I’d love to hear from you.

A joint conference between the Midlands and East and Armed forces regions is currently being planned for October so I hope to meet many of you there. If you have any queries or comments in the meantime, please get in touch.

Simon Tallowin

simontallowin [at] gmail.com