‘Working in the hospital where I was born is like coming full circle’

Starting a new job can be stressful, but for resident doctor Namling Limbu, it felt a bit like coming home.

His first shift after graduating medical school was at the William Harvey Hospital in Ashford, where he was born 24 years ago.

And the family connections don’t end there, as his mum Lila works in the domestic team at the hospital.

Namling, who lives in Ashford, is working with the cardiology team for his first training post but hopes to eventually work as a GP.

He said: “I am very lucky to be able to start work at the place where I was born; I had ranked it as my top preference as I had heard a lot of good things about the training but there is a lot of competition.

“The process for applying for your first FY1 post involves ranking the different areas of the UK where you’d like to work, then listing your preferred hospitals.

“Once I had managed to get into the Kent deanery I knew I was one step closer and I was delighted to secure a post at the William Harvey.

“Not only is it a really welcoming place to work but it is a 15-minute drive from home and it means I am near my support network of friends and family, which is useful when you are starting a new job.”

Namling decided on a career in medicine as a teenager at school.

He said: “I knew I wanted to do something science-related that allowed me to have a big impact on people’s lives, so being a doctor ticked those boxes.

“It was when I was picking my GCSEs in Year 9 that I first looked into it properly and then a lot of hard work to pass the exams and complete medical school.

“My mum was the single biggest reason for me performing well academically which laid the foundations for me to get into medical school and eventually graduate as a doctor.

“Without her support, I simply wouldn’t have made it, so it does feel like a full circle moment for me and I’m glad I’ve made my mum proud.”

He rarely sees his mum at work as they have opposite shifts, but said other colleagues have been supportive.

Namling said: “We are part of the Nepalese community so it feels like there are a lot of family members working here supporting me.

“Everyone has been really friendly and helpful, and it feels really positive to be able to start to help patients myself – as a medical student we were really just shadowing the doctors. 

“It is quite a big step up in terms of the responsibility but it is lovely to be able to make a difference.”