Yolanda Martinez Pereira

How did you get to where you are today and how did you land your current role? (obligatory question)

I sometimes still think that I am here by mistake! I enjoyed my time as a general practitioner in Spain, but I hit the “frustration wall” after 5 years of very long working days and nights, low salaries and low expectations for improving my clinical skills. I had no access to referral practice or pet insurances, and I was exhausted of dealing with welfare dilemmas. I reached the point of either taking action or leaving the profession completely. Then I was awarded a travel grant, left my job and mortgage behind and adventured to the UK for a 3-month externship. I was immensely lucky to find my first mentor, who inspired me with his love for knowledge, his passion and his willingness to help others. This was the beginning of learning English, self-funding an internship with out-of-hours work, obtaining the RCVS Certificate in Cardiology and getting a residency position in Edinburgh, all in two years!!. I completed my residency, followed by a year in the Small Animal Teaching Hospital in Liverpool as a clinician/teacher, and obtained the ECVIM Diploma in Cardiology. I met amazing mentors, made very good friends on the way and met my soul mate Romain, who I married during my residency. But at the end of all this I realised I had invested 5 years in my career with little attention to work-life balance and personal relationships. Decided to find the balance, I left my job in Liverpool and came back to Scotland with Romain, doing part-time mobile cardiopulmonary referrals. I then became a mum, which taught me how to look at life from a different perspective. Then the position of Lecturer in Edinburgh appeared unexpectedly, and I knew this was my opportunity to make a difference helping others (pets, residents, students, colleagues). When I took the full-time position, I had a two-year-old daughter, a 7-month-old boy and many invisible barriers, many put up by myself. With the support from colleagues, mentors, coaches and my family, I have learnt to embrace my strengths and accept my limitations, and I have managed to achieve much more than I ever expected, managing the Cardiopulmonary Service, directing the PG residency program, becoming an active researcher and teaching UG. I was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2016, and I can say I am still learning and keep a passion for my job.

How did you learn to embrace risk-taking?

I don’t think I ever “learnt” it, but I had to embrace it for different reasons. From frustration, thirst of knowledge, to the need to “make things better”. The underlying drive is that I want to help others, even if the task does not look straightforward.

Tell me about a recent career setback. How did you recover?

It is not recent, but it was a big one!. When I decided to have a family I was prepared to drop my career, if required. I still think that becoming a mum is the biggest achievement I have ever done. But it came with the price of de-skilling from specialist interventional surgeries, not keeping up-to-date with publications, skipping congresses, etc. By the time I took the Lecturer position, my self-confidence was low, whereas the expectations of me were very high. I was honest with my colleagues and kind to myself (embrace your strengths, accept your limitations!) and accepted the help from my colleagues, who assisted me regaining my self-confidence and skills.

What do you wish you had known before taking your first clinical/ academic/ teaching /management or support role?

To me, the realisation that you do not have to demonstrate that you can do the job by giving 200%. You should start the way you want to continue. You will learn and you will develop within your role, you just have to trust yourself, celebrate your achievements and learn from your mistakes.

Which career skills were the most difficult to develop?

Delegating and developing a strategy while controlling procrastination! Also learning which style of management works for me, regardless of how unconventional it may appear, compared to others.