I graduated in Italy in 2007 and relocated to the UK as a foundation year 2 doctor, continuing in training posts until 2014.

By then I was married to another doctor and I realised the traditional training route was going to be challenging for us both to embark on concurrently. It would have meant being on different rotations across the country for the duration of our training. In Wales this is particularly difficult, given the geography.

The training route can be gruelling on a person in their 30s. Moving constantly puts pressure on relationships, leaving you without support networks or an ability to put down roots. Both of us being on this journey at the same time was not the right thing for us, so I decided to take a pragmatic approach and took up a specialist, associate specialist and specialty role in my health board.

I had always known I wanted to sub-specialise in breast surgery, and becoming an SAS surgeon allowed me to dive into my area of interest right from the start.

One of the most surprising aspects was the abundance of resources available to me as an SAS. While I could access funds to support my development, including postgraduate qualifications, courses and fellowship exams, my husband had to manage his compulsory professional training on a budget of £500 per year.

Our SAS tutor helped me navigate the opportunities open to our grade and helped me to develop and shape my career progression. The SAS advocate supported job-planning negotiations so I could make the most of the training opportunities available and work only in my specialty.

Specialist roles, with the right investment and support, offer an attractive career path for doctors who wish to focus their skills on particular areas of work. An SAS role in a supportive department may give a great opportunity for career development, while also providing more stability and control over working patterns.