Junior doctor representatives from across the UK came together at BMA House in London on 29 April for the Junior Doctors Conference 2023.1 Here are the highlights.
“Don’t call us junior”
One of the most discussed motions at the conference called the term “junior doctor” “misleading for the public, demeaning for doctors, and [one that] undersells the incredibly valuable work that doctors of all grades do.” The motion, which passed in all parts, called on the BMA to survey members for more appropriate internal nomenclature for doctors who are not specialty and associate staff doctors, consultants, or GPs, but also to rename the Junior Doctors Committee the “Doctors Committee.” It said the BMA should then lobby employers and stakeholders to ensure the new name is reflected throughout the NHS. …