Flight Lieutenant Kiran Gill
Job role: Medical Officer

Joined the RAF: August 2005

Overseas travel: Falkland Islands, Germany, Bavaria, Austria

Career highlights:

• Officer training at RAF Cranwell, I pushed my limits and achieved things I didn’t know I was capable of
• The level of GP training I received, I felt it was much better than NHS training
• Attending a two-week Army exercise in Kenya, where we provided medical care for the local population

‘It was the opportunity to work overseas in an operational or humanitarian aid role that attracted me to the RAF. I joined my local University Air Squadron (UAS) to find out more, it was an amazing experience and really made up my mind. I applied for sponsorship in my third year at university and was offered a short service commission

‘UAS was loads of fun, everyone is really motivated and there was always lots on; we went hiking, climbing, skiing and sailing on a regular basis. For me it was really nice to have a complete change of scene and time away from medical studies.

‘The RAF run an incredibly supportive training system, you’re given regular study leave and encouraged to go on courses. For the first few months I’d have a consultation with my trainer after each clinic and each week we’d have a dedicated tutorial. I don’t think you’d ever get that amount of time or interaction in the NHS.

‘I recently returned from a deployment to the Falkland islands, which was fantastic. As well as attending to all service personnel on the island – including families – I also got to go out with the Search and Rescue crew to emergency situations at land and sea.

‘I’m now based at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire where I’m a GP, I see about 25 patients a day during a morning clinic and my afternoons are dedicated to routine medicals or emergency appointments. I love being a GP, it really gives you the opportunity to build up a relationship with patients and keep up with what happens after treatment.’

Web Chat session with Flight Lieutenant Kiran Gill - Wednesday 24 June 2009

catherine: Did u enjoy ur basic training?

Kiran Gill: Basic training was a lot of fun. I did it after completing my house jobs (my first year of working as a Doctor). So it was quite a nice break actually. And it's not as bad as people make it out to be. No-one actually yells at you which was quite a surprise! And as I was medical cadet, I knew a few people who were on my course with me. So it was an opportunity to spend a bit of time with my friends which made it a lot easier. Also it was great having come fromt he UAS as i just had a bit more of an idea of what to expect. Having said that the direct entrants didn't seem to have any trouble. And to be fair we all just much in and help eachother.

Potential Reg Officer: How long is the Med officer training?

Kiran Gill: We do the SERE course (Specialist, Entrant and Re-entrant). Which is a condensed course. When I went through it was 2 months. But it's currently 3 months now.

James: what are the age ranges of people who join the RAF to train for medical service. I ask this question as I am considering a complete change in direction

Kiran Gill: I don't know what the age ranges are (sorry!) but if you look on the website - officer's page - it should be on there (It's under medical and medical support pages). But we do take fully qualified GPs (doctors). So ages vary. It's not just people straight from school so we do take older ages.

Jivan T-N: Hello Kiran, what is the best way I prepare for the officer selection process

Kiran Gill: It was a while ago!!!! But I'd say be as well read as you can. Because obviously to be an officer in the Air force you should be as well informed as you can be. But don't feel you have to stick to broadsheet newspapers - read a variety of papers. It's always useful to know what we fly! And if there are any military bases near you or in your region just know about them. Just have an idea what's close to you. There's so much I could add here really but lots of questions so might come back to this.

tommo: Do you have to go to university in order to be an officer?

Kiran Gill: No. You just need two 'A' levels (Actually I THINK it's just that but please check!) However, if you go to university, you get promoted quicker as a junior officer. To take in to account the life experiece you've had at uni.

Benj: Does the Airforce decide when you can take holiday or are you allowed to put in a request?

Kiran Gill: You're entirely allowed to pick (well obviously for us if there are no other doctor's or they're short of doctors then it's just professionalism not to take leave if no-one else is around). Also we get a lot more leave than in the NHS, which I'm BIG FAN OF! And I do feel bad for a NHS buddies! And also on top of leave you're entitled to 2 weeks adventurous training.

RODDUZ: What's living on camp like?

Kiran Gill: It's quite like living in halls actually living in the Mess. You know, your meals are provided, there are lots of social events going on. And the accommodation is reasonable. The thing that really surprised me when I first started was how like normal life it was! When I was at uni I thought you'd be stuck here at weekends and stuff and that was wrong! You can go out at the weekends, if you want to go to tesco's or anything you can. And the evenings off as well. And the sporting facilities are excellent. I give every sport a go - but I don't have a main sport.

naspray11: "adventurous training" sounds like good fun. what does it entail?

Kiran Gill: A few of you have asked about adventure training - Skiing, snowboarding, hiking, sailing, I think that's about the stuff I can remember off the top of my head. I did lots of this whilst at UAS (University Air Squadron) and I say it's probably that that was a bit part in the decision to join up. They encourage to participate and if you have any ideas about adventurous training they'll give you a lot of help putting trips together. The adventurous training ISN'T HOLIDAY it's still counted as training. But yes it is open to everybody. And I've had friends who've organised surfing trips as part of adventurous training (I didn't manage to get on that one unfortunately).

cazwho: Hi my name is caroline i am looking into becoming a RAF medic, looking to completely change my life. I have a had a first meet and greet as it were, and asked to be sent an application form, my meet and greet was on the 22nd of may and i am yet to receive my application pack i am stuck for what i should do, should i be patient? i have tried to ring and leave a message but heard nothing back! How long before your process had started? caz x

Kiran Gill: Which AFCO did you visit? Please let me know. And I'll try and rattle someone here to find out for you!

Beccii: iv just moved in to my last year of school and its my dream to be a operating department practitioner but i have no idea how to go about it. please help !

Kiran Gill: Take a look on the careers website for what results you need and then contact your local AFCO (careers office). Good luck.

Jivan T-N: Hello Kiran, is it true after a few years in the air force you get to choose where u be based? even if its over seas?

Kiran Gill: You can always put preferences in for postings, however, it's not always possible to get what you want. And that's a very important point actually you must be aware of that when you join up. Generally our posts are two years long. And as medics we're expected to move on after that time I guess for our own development as well. I've worked on a training base, aa multi engine, and fast jet base. And it's been really good for my development. However it has meant I haven't always got where I wanted. You can choose to moan or just get on with it!

Michael: If you were to apply for a cadetship, how much choice over speciality would you get? I particularly want to work in Emergency Medicine, so how does this fit in with the current needs of the RAF?

Kiran Gill: If you want to go in to surgery medicine of medical practice it's quite easy at that point. However within the specialities of medicine and surgery, there are some that are closed to you. Currently, you can't train in emergency medicine in the RAF (sorry). I'm not sure if they have plans to change this. Again this is something you have to seirously consider. I have had friends who've been dissapointed. Other specialities you can't train for in the air force currently; are paedatrics,obs and gynae, care of the elderly, and that's it for the minute as far as I can remember. In surgery, we tend to need general surgeons, orthapaedics and trauma mainly. But again do clarify before you join up exactly what you want to do.

cazwho: AFCO in portsmouth, i just don't know how to proceed for the best. I really want to do this caz x

Kiran Gill: If you go to the medical officer page, on the raf careers website there's a phone number on there - so if you give us a call someone will chase it up for you. Also call the AFCO so it comes from both ends. We should be able to get it moving for you.

naspray11: As a medical officer how many normal officer responsibilities do you have?

Kiran Gill: Whilst I was doing my GP training, they were very good at letting me do the clinical parts so I could get my GP training all done. I finished my exams with four months to go. So in that final four months once I was a GP I started to do more managerial and station tasks as well. That was good preperation for my current job where I'm Deputy Senior Medical Officer (SMO) and I'm expected to hold the fort whilst my boss is away.

Triv: What made you choose the RAF instead of the NHS route?

Kiran Gill: I think the RAF is a very supportive organisation. I had to spend 2 years in the NHS as part of my GP training. And it did feel quite lonely at times. I feel in the RAF people are more invested in helping you. But the NHS work awfully hard. However going back to my point earlier about leave, that's another big plus.

kp: Will you ever get to go to the front lines in a chinook to help seriously wounded soldiers or will you normally be based away from the "action"

Kiran Gill: Medical emergency response teams (MERT) are the people on the front line. The RAF have just started putting GP's through a pre-hospital emergency care training pathway which will mean we can join the MERT teams. It's currently not appropriate for me to out as a GP with those teams, because they are expected to do more specialist procedures. So they need specialists.

Rachel: Hi Kiran, how different is the training after registration in the RAF compared to in the NHS? Is post-grad training tailored towards certain areas such as trauma?

Kiran Gill: Essentially my GP training was exactly the same. I was expected to do the same number of specialist jobs in hospitals. My time as a GP registrar was in a medical centre on base where we were seeing families as well. As I said earlier we don't see older ages so I spent 3 months in an NHS general practice. So all in all my training was on a par with what's required from NHS GP's. Second part of your question, yes we are all expected to do and A&E job (accident and emergency), where in the NHS you don't have to.

Dee: is there many oportunities to move up through to different and more complex roles as im going in as a medical assistant.

Kiran Gill: I think you're talking about being a medic not a doctor??? The RAF are putting Medics through paramedic training but I really want to stress that's that is just a small group of people. So don't necessarily assume you will get that. You do have to do Aeromed training though, which some people quite enjoy.

Mikey34: What does normal life consist of as a medical officer? How long are you at base, how often do you go away and what do you do when in both situations??

Kiran Gill: As a GP on base, you are doing what an NHS GP would do (which is seeing patients). We go away approximately every 15 months for 3 months at a time currently. I've only been to the Falklands so far, and worked in an established medical centre, so in fact it was a lot like my job at home. The fun parts of that however were that we were the only doctor's on base. Where as at home you can refer to hospitals, there you have to crack on and deal with various bits of emergency care. There was a hospital on the Island, but it was staffed by GP's as well. so you think "what can they do that I can't do" so you just figure to get on with it. In the Gulf, you are doing clinical sessions, liaising with not just the medical team but the command groups as well. So you're doing lots more mangement really. And your'e also involved in Aeromedical evacuations.

naspray11: What made you choose the RAF over the Army and the Navy?

Kiran Gill: I joined the RAF because of my experience through the UAS. I did look at the Army, and at the time that I was joining they were sending junior doctors out pretty much as soon as they could. That was attractive to me but I felt the RAF had done so much for me, and I enjoy the way they look after you here. That that was the reason I joined. In the RAF as a GP you're only deployed once you're fully qualified. And I think the Army are moving to that now as well. And with the Navy I didn't want to spend my life on a boat (sorry!)

naspray11: How useful are foreign languages to med officers? e.g. knowing spanish and being posted in the falklands

Kiran Gill: Spanish in the Falklands would be really useful! As we see not just military people, but also the civillian contractors lots of whom are from Chile. Also there are lots of Spanish fisherman we're called out to on the search and rescue hellicopters so that's always useful as well. A foreign languages like Spanish, Urdu, the middle eastern languages would be quite useful actually.

naspray11: Do all universities have a UAS?

Kiran Gill: Not all of the do. But whatever uni you're at you can join any UAS. Eg on my UAS we had people from Durham, Newcastle, Sunderland who all travelled in to Newcastle for our weekly meetings. However, our base was an hour and half south of Newcastle. So you can always find a UAS to join.

Michael: What is the structure of the training after you finish University? How does your F1 and F2 training fit around your millitary training?

Kiran Gill: Now you do your F1, F2 year (your first two years of working in hospitals just after leaving uni), and then go on to Officer training. That's it pretty much!

ali1994: is the female life in the raf different from the mens life???

Kiran Gill: Not really as the medics do go to the front lines. It's no more different for me anyway than being a GP on Civvy street. Obviously there are more men than women, however, that's the case in NHS medicine as well!

James: I see that qualified GPs are encouraged to apply to the RAF up to the age of 50. in your experience what ages are the people who apply to be trained by and serve with the RAF

Kiran Gill: It seems like a good mix between people coming up as medical cadets through university, and those applying as direct entrants already fully qualified. I think with the state of the NHS at the minute the RAF is becoming even more attractive to fully qualified doctor's as we can offer you stability. And it does seem like a good mix.

Matthew: In terms of relationships and family, do you feel your career in the RAF has an adverse affect on this?

Kiran Gill: I think people need to know that it does and sometimes it can be a selfish decision on our part going headlong in to the Forces. My parents are understandably nervous about me going away and I think you need to prepare your families that it is an inevitable fact. When you're away generally there is support for families on station specially for partners there is support. I know there is support for families, especially mums left at home with young children there is a support network. because they won't be the only people in that situation with a family member being away. I'd just like to say your family / partner need to know what you're getting in to. So that they can support you.

Beccii: do you find your job never gets boring in the RAF

Kiran Gill: Yes! How I would LOVE to be bored! At the stage of my career that I'm at, getting involved in station activities is still quite new and it's challenging. But actually in a great way. I'm finding out what I'm capable of. And really feel that I'm being developed. There's always something new EVERY DAY! So be prepared.

RODDUZ: Is it going to be hard for me to go into the ranks when I have the qualifications to apply for officer. It's just i realy do not think the commissioned route is for me at all? Thanks

Kiran Gill: You can apply as a rank and try and go for your commision at a later date I guess? As long as you have the right qualifications. At the end of the day it's up to you what you feel right with.

Edod: Hi, I've got a place for med school and thinknig of joinging the UAS, how much time did you commit to this? i'medoing the fast track 4 year course and i'm worried about being under alot of work pressures at uni!

Kiran Gill: As much time as you can spare. The UAS system has changed since I went through, but as a flavour of what I did, once a week we attended training nights, which was an opportunity to socialise with the other people. And we also received a lecture about different elements of the RAF. Also I try and get down to the base once a month. However, that wasn't always possible given how much work you have to do at med school. I'd say especially as you're no a fast track 4 year course doing something like UAS is a nice break. Ultimately they understand that you're at University to get your Degree though. And during finals it wasn't an issue that I didn't attend regularly.

Karl: How did you find your selection interview? What types of questions can I expect to be asked?

Kiran Gill: Okay that was LONG time ago!!!! The general interview was quite tough, but I guess that's just because they're just trying to get an idea of the type of person you are in a very short space of time. As far as I remember, my specialist interview was about seeing what I wanted my career path to be. I honestly don't remember being quizzed on medical questions.

Jivan T-N: as soon as i finsih 6th form (im in yr 9 now) and get my A levels I want to join the RAF as a pilot (officer cat eogray)but some people are telling me to get a degree as it increases your chances of getting in. But i would hate to go to university i want to go in the RAF asap. so is it true, will getting a degree increase my chances of joining the RAF as an officer (pilot)

Kiran Gill: No you don't need a Degree to join the Air Force. Check out the qualifications of pilot on the raf careers website. If you want to join up more than you want to go to university then you can (sorry to your parents!!!)

naspray11: Does being in the UAS enhance your chances over being a direct entrant?

Kiran Gill: No. That's all really.

adam: hi, i undestand that when you successfully gain your commission into the RAF as a medical officer, you start as either a flight lieutenant or squadron leader, how is this decided and what is it based on? Is it to do with your performance during IOT?

Kiran Gill: You start as a Flt Lt if you still have your post graduate training to do. If you are fully qualified as a GP there is potential for you joining as a squadron leader. You'd have to clarify the terms before you join. It's certainly not to do with your performance during IOT. And actually I personally think it's quite useful to join as a Flt Lt, because you get an idea of what it's about before you get up to a senior rank.

Benj: Whats the food like in the Mess at your base?

Kiran Gill: REALLY GOOD but I am going to moan. Unfortunately they're just bringing a new dining system in (It's not called pay as you diet!) which means it's going to be civillian contractors. So join now whilst the food's still good!!!

naspray11: How hard are the fitness requirements?

Kiran Gill: You're expected to have a decent basic level of fitness. As a guide, if you can run 3 miles in 24 minutes, you're okay! I'd encourage everyone to be as fit as possible especially before starting training. Becuase it is physically demanding. Once you're in, again I think it's important that you keep up with your fitness especially as wer'e required now to deploy to hot places and work in difficult conditions. (I'm not a fitness freak I promise!)

Kiran Gill: I'm passionate about being an RAF medical officer, and believe our troups really need the best kind of medical care. If you’re considering joining, I'd say it's definitely more a way of life than just a job. And people that have that attitude, do so well in the Air Force. I LOVE my job!

Views expressed during the web chats are those of individuals and do not necessarily reflect RAF policy.