Core Surgical Training Interviews

An A-Z Guide

Sukhpreet Singh Dubb

• Publisher: CRC Press
• Year: 2020
• eBook ISBN: 9781000201710
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Medicine
• Subtopic: Medical Theory, Practice & Reference

Each year the competition ratio for UK Core Surgical Training jobs is high.. For every 3.3 applicants, only onewill be successfully appointed to a CST post. This revision guide maximisesthe chances of interview success. by providing comprehensive application and interview advice. Chapters include Clinical, Portfolio and Management stations and include both advice and real clinical scenarios, enablingtrainee surgeonsto save time and gain interview confidence.

1. Introduction

1.1Introduction

1.2Interview skills

1.1 Introduction

Core surgical training (CST) is a two-year programme formalising and providing a foundation within the general principles of surgery that also allows for themed subspecialty content, thus suiting the needs and aspirations of successful candidates.

Prior to this centralised process, trainees would often spend several years informally applying and training in surgical specialties that interested them, without any formal basis, to ensure they met the foundation requirements of the CST pathway. National recruitment started in 2013 with a centralised and formal process. This aims to ensure a fair process and provides candidates with a wide range of surgical specialties and geographical locations to train in. Since, applications, communication regarding interviews and the outcomes of interviews are published through an online system.

Although CST represents the first formal step into beginning your surgical training, make no mistake, the very best candidates will start their preparations well in advance of the application process. You must remain focused, organised and able to act quickly to address any weaknesses in your candidacy. This book aims to focus your efforts and ensure you leave no stone unturned in securing the very best score possible in your applications.

“…make no mistake, the very best candidates will start their preparations well in advance of the application process. You must remain focused, organised and able to act quickly to address any weaknesses in your candidacy.”

All applicants must meet the essential criteria in order to be listed for interviews; currently these include:

•GMC registration and licence to practise

•Foundation competences. Usually this is achieved by completing a UK Foundation Programme within 3 years of the intended start date. An applicant can also submit alternative evidence by asking a consultant who has supervised them for at least 3 months to attest to their achievement of foundation competency

•Advanced Life Support (ALS) course completed by the intended start date

•Less than 18 months of surgical experience

The structure of national interviews

Although the structure and process of CST national interviews have been constantly reviewed since 2013, there have been three scoring stations: Clinical scenario, management and portfolio themed stations. Each of these stations lasts 10 minutes, with a break between stations. Pilot stations have been introduced in the past that have no bearing on your final score. Each station tends to have two surgical consultant interviewers, typically not related to the scenario that is being asked; for example, you will not necessarily have a set of orthopaedic consultants asking you an orthopaedic-themed clinical scenario.

Places are offered based upon a cutoff score that determines if you are ‘appointable’ or not. Candidates who score above this cutoff score (this changes every year) are then offered a training programme position depending on their score and choice ranking. Successful candidates are currently given 48 hours to accept, reject or hold their offer. They may also apply for an upgrade if a more preferable training position becomes available.

Be prepared!

You should start the following steps prior to the advertised opening date of applications:

1.Write a comprehensive ‘long CV’ (see next section) that includes your every achievement since you started medical school. This will guide you easily through your application form, help you answer self-assessment questions and aid the planning of your portfolio. More importantly the long CV should quickly identify areas that are clearly your strengths, areas that require some improvement and, vitally, your areas of weakness;

2.Begin accumulating your vital documents early such as passport, GMC certificate, foundation competences and appropriate visa and English proficiency documents. For each of these you will need multiple photocopies, all of which is ti...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Contents
• Foreword
• Preface
• Acknowledgements
• Author
• 1. Introduction
• 2. Introduction to the clinical stations
• 3. Introduction to the management station
• 4. Introduction to the portfolio station
• 5. Offers and clearing
• Index