At work recently, I had my appraisal to look back on what I’ve accomplished in the past year and to look ahead at what’s on the agenda for the next twelve months. I never really have liked appraisals since working in retail and always tending to find out nothing of any relevance. Or, later on, bigger things that probably should have been heard of well before the appraisal. Let’s just say it was a learning curve. It always very much felt like a tick box exercise where both parties were only there because they had to be and not because it was of any worth at all.
My opinion on this changed slightly when I moved to the NHS and had goals that started to mean something and the achievements felt significant. Plus they started to actually happen. I was setting goals and ticking them off one by one, relishing every opportunity given to me.
Then two things happened. Obviously, the pandemic put a big stop on some things and dragged out the completion of others until they were safe and it was reasonable to be completed. Which brings me to my second thing, qualifying in a profession is not only a start but also bit of a big goal completed that then means I could potentially lose focus in where to go next. I have thought about what’s next, don’t get me wrong, but I also know that there’s certain things available to me that I do not want. Even if some of those things are expected or assumed.
In a previous career that I did not like I undertook a pathway and became a manager. I managed a small team of people, and through no fault of their own that was the worst part of my job. I don’t enjoy being responsible for others, or delegating work or any side of that. I do enjoy working in a team and working together with others to complete things. It may seem like Mortuary Manager roles would be something I might be focusing on for the future but this has never been my aim and currently isn’t either. I’m open to change for the future and it may be that one day this appeals to me. However right now, I cannot think of how I would or could be able to focus on other projects while I did this role.
Like I say, one main reason for this is my desire to pursue other avenues relating to my career but outside of my work. As of September 2021 I became a Council Member for the Association of Anatomical Pathology (AAPT). What this means is that I can become a real part of the progression and representation of APTs in a way I always hoped for. I can work on different projects to help develop and improve our work, in addition to that I will be able to represent the AAPT at different events and meetings with other organisation and disciplines.
In addition to this, it may seem like a real dream but I have spoke before about my other hopes for what the future might hold. In one vein, I have spoke previously about I think that one day I would like to pursue a PhD one day. I’m still yet to really think of or commit to a definite topic as such, but I have a few in mind which I think that could work. I also have previously spoke about and pondered about the realistic idea that I might be able to write a book one day. Being an author of my own publication is an absolute dream, but then so was becoming an APT and being where I am right now several years ago so anything is possible.
Looking ahead, we have decided that both the hospital and Zoom Death Cafe’s will not happen again until January 2022. I’m hoping to be able to register for my next training course by the end of this year to begin next year and I also will be training a colleague over the next year or two to become qualified. All of this, alongside the the above goals I am aiming for and the work with the AAPT means that 2022 is shaping up to be a good year!
I am totally aware that I said that I would try to blog more regularly and this has not happened so far. This week I had a lovely message and donation through my Ko-fi account (the link is in my About Me page where you can donate to buy me a coffee!) which really reignited my enthusiasm for writing and blogging. I don’t mention that to try and encourage more donations, but if you would like to then I would be very grateful. I will aim to be more present on here going forward but that is certainly an aim more for 2022 than for the remainder of 2021 where I feel like I need a bit of a break from everything for a while again.
MG x
Mortuary Gem 
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