It’s the time of year when many colleagues make career transitions requiring ‘orientation’ programs for those entering medical school, or commencing new phases of training and practice.

I am often asked to present sessions with titles like ‘Surviving stage X of your career and maintaining work–life balance’.

On reflection, there are five basic rules I wish I’d been given at the beginning of my own career.

A lack of compassion or interest for the patient is often tolerated in an otherwise well-performing student or trainee, usually with the throwaway line that those people will enter roles in research or administration.