Positives: Senior staff very friendly and supportive. Friendly nurses. Most sub-specialties onsite.
Negatives: Department small, cramped and oppressively busy. 8 hour waits were routine pre-COVID, as well as >12 hour bed-waits. CT is 200m away in the main hospital. Supplies of things like obs machines and blood trolleys terrible. Tiny break room. Irregular departmental teaching.
Other: Hard to know how bad the rota was compared to other ED rotas.
Overall I learned a lot as an F2 in CAH ED, bit of a baptism of fire for my first F2 job. The department logistically is a shambles, limited by the size of the place, lack of nursing staff and bed pressures. But can honestly say I never felt poorly supported, with the Consultants being universally friendly and approachable.