Dr Carly Welch

I have been a member of the BGS since 2014, when I was still a Core Medical Trainee. Even at this early stage, I found receiving the newsletters and bulletins useful and it made me feel connected to a wider community of professionals interested in the healthcare of older people. Last year, I was excited to hear that I had been elected as the new Chair of the Trainees’ Council. It was a role I had been considering applying to for a while, and after a fair amount of encouragement from friends and colleagues. I formally took over the role from Dr Stephen Lim in November 2019 at the Autumn BGS Meeting. Although I hadn’t been formally inducted in at this point, I already felt like I was joining an extended family.

When I first joined the BGS, I started off by attending a few regional meetings. As a Core Medical Trainee, I had limited study budget/availability, so the chance to attend these one-day meetings and network with geriatricians across the region was great. I started attending national meetings during my registrar training and became more involved in the meetings within my own region, acting as a trainee representative.

Being involved in the BGS has offered me the opportunity to meet so many friendly people, who are all working to improve the healthcare of older people. I would certainly encourage anyone thinking of applying for roles within the BGS to apply!