When I initially wrote this topic in my upcoming book, I had just become a newly qualified GP.
And the job market didn’t look great.

It was even in the news that newly qualified GPs in England were driving Ubers, working as childminders, or picking up whatever work they could find while waiting for stable roles.

It wasn’t panic — but it wasn’t reassuring either.

Luckily, I wasn’t stressed.
Not because I’m special, but because I had a three-month emergency fund and a plan.
That gave me:

• security

• clarity

• and space to think

And that’s really the point:
You cannot rely on one NHS paycheck anymore. You need a backup plan.

Here’s where to start.

1️⃣ Build Your Emergency Fund (Your Real Safety Net)

Before investing, before business ideas, before anything else — build a cash buffer.

For most doctors: three months of expenses is enough.

Why three months?
Because even in a tight market, doctors are highly employable. You’re unlikely to be out of work for longer than that.

That buffer gives you:

• time

• calm

• the ability to make decisions without panic

Keep it in a high-interest easy-access account.
It’s not supposed to grow.
It’s supposed to keep you steady.

2️⃣ Once the Buffer Is Ready, Start Investing (More on This Soon)

This newsletter won’t go deep into investing — we’ll dedicate full chapters and future updates to that.

All you need to know for now is:
Once your emergency fund is ready, start investing consistently.
Your future self will thank you.

3️⃣ Build a Side Income — Start Small, Start Now

Here’s the truth many doctors overlook:

We are already multi-talented.
We already have skills outside medicine.
We just rarely use them.

Real examples from people around me:

• A Cambridge 4th-year medical student running a business helping applicants get into medical school

• A colleague who teaches exam prep as a paid side gig

• A friend who runs a YouTube channel about astrology — purely because he enjoys it

• One of my GP colleagues (under two years qualified!) is now exploring launching a GP recruitment business for Australia

• (And I myself: maintain a newsletter blog/ write a finance book (coming out mid 2026)/ flip Poke’mon cards (yes, I do that & have bagged about £500 profit in half a year) and do swing trading)

None of these people started with a business plan.
They started with curiosity.
With a simple question: “Why not?”

Side income isn’t about replacing medicine.
It’s about:

• creativity

• identity

• optionality

• and planting seeds that may grow into something bigger later

Sometimes it makes money.
Sometimes it just makes life feel lighter.
Both outcomes are wins.

4️⃣ Think 5–10 Years Ahead (Not Just One Month Ahead)

Right now, my week looks like this:

• 4 days working as a GP

• 1 day as a breather/reset

• 2 days dedicated to learning and building — investing strategies, property, writing my finance book, exploring AI, and developing future creative ventures

And the questions I keep coming back to are:

“In ten years, can I maintain my lifestyle by working just 1–2 days a week?”
“Could my side income eventually overtake my GP income?”

That shift in perspective — from short-term earnings to long-term optionality — is what creates true autonomy.

Final Thought: Build Your Safety Net Before You Need It

Medicine is changing.
Job markets shift. Contracts evolve. Careers take unexpected turns.

But if you have:

• a 3-month emergency fund

• a habit of investing

• a small side income you enjoy

• and a 5–10 year vision

…then you’re no longer tied to a single unpredictable paycheck.
You have options — and real security comes from having options.

Let’s keep building that future together.