Classic speciality switch post... O&G to GP - good idea?
Hi all :D I am a LONG way through O&G training (just finished ST6, currently on career break), but have realised for the last year or so that I don't want to be an O&G consultant (too much acute stress/responsibility trying to stop mothers + babies dying, a lifetime of busy overnight on calls, working weekends/Christmas's etc). I have a couple of options... finish my CCT (it's only 1 year more full time, so currently planning on doing this anyway) and then try to get work as a private menopause specialist/do daytime locums as available (there are clinics available at my current hospital, but it's pretty sporadic so would be difficult for childcare), or do GP training... my sister in law is a salaried GP and she works 2 days/week and from a lifestyle perspective it would really suite me...
In terms of background, I'm 33y/o female, married, currently pregnant with our first baby and thinking about what I want life to look like when we have little kids. My husband has a good job and we could just about afford to live off his salary alone, but it would be tight, and I want to don't want to drop work altogether (but I'm saying I don't need a job with mega bucks). The 2 days/week GP life with some of that being gynae-focused sounds pretty dreamy, plus maybe 1 session at the private menopause clinic/week and maybe increasing GP sessions when the kids are older. BUT am I crazy retraining when I will already have my O&G CCT? I think probably not, because I know I don't want to be an O&G consultant and O&G locum life wouldn't be very stable, but it is also a bit depressing having to relearn all the general medicine I have spent the last 10+ years forgetting... plus doing an additional couple of years of hospital rota's isn't exactly attractive... (I would probably do GP training at 60% so I could balance looking after the baby/any future babies).
Any thoughts? Anyone out there who switched specialities and is glad/regrets it? Particularly if childcare was a motivating factor? The main motivation is lifestyle/flexibility/work-life balance, but I do also really enjoy building relationships with patients/satisfaction of helping people, so I think I would be suited to GP-type work. I would def like to do minor surgery (and have the surgical skills), but as much as I loved getting elbow deep in a laparotomy in my earlier years, I'm really not concerned about missing proper operating and reckon I could still do a bit of O&G locum on the side (reg level) if I felt the need. I do realise GP involves a lot of admin, far more than hospital O&G, but I guess that can't be as stressful as having people bleeding out in front of you?!
Any advice super welcome, thank you :D