Core Surgical Interview
The Interviews for Core Surgical Training take place in January and February and vary depending on the deanery you have applied to. In the past the interview varied significantly, however they have now become standardised across the country.
The interview consists of a clinical surgical scenario where a case is described and you have to describe your management of a patient; a CV and portfolio station, where elements from your portfolio are discussed such as your achievements to date and a management station in which you are asked your response to certain ethical or managerial situations.
The management station and portfolio stations were both previously responsible for 25% of your final score, whereas the clinical station contributed 50% of your final score. This year, as last, the stations will be equally weighted.
There appears to be a question bank that rotates during each interview day, so that it is unlikely that you will get the same questions as a colleague who was interviewed on the day before. However, the theme remains the same.
We have taken a sample of questions asked at interview from highly successful trainees over the last 3 years and have collated the most popular questions that were asked over that period. We have also compiled a bank of suggested approaches and structured answers below.
We suggest you practice them with colleagues and ask some of the current core trainees who have recently been through the process to put you through a mock interview. The clinical questions are generally fairly common clinical presentations and the type of situation that you will commonly face as a first or second year trainee. The interview looks to assess you under pressure and the key is to deliver a well thought out and structured answer to each question.
We have produced a comprehensive guide to the Core Surgical Interview, with specific advice on how to prepare, mock interview stations with suggested answers and more general advice from successful trainees on how to get in to Core Surgical Training
The interview consists of a clinical surgical scenario where a case is described and you have to describe your management of a patient; a CV and portfolio station, where elements from your portfolio are discussed such as your achievements to date and a management station in which you are asked your response to certain ethical or managerial situations.
The management station and portfolio stations were both previously responsible for 25% of your final score, whereas the clinical station contributed 50% of your final score. This year, as last, the stations will be equally weighted.
There appears to be a question bank that rotates during each interview day, so that it is unlikely that you will get the same questions as a colleague who was interviewed on the day before. However, the theme remains the same.
We have taken a sample of questions asked at interview from highly successful trainees over the last 3 years and have collated the most popular questions that were asked over that period. We have also compiled a bank of suggested approaches and structured answers below.
We suggest you practice them with colleagues and ask some of the current core trainees who have recently been through the process to put you through a mock interview. The clinical questions are generally fairly common clinical presentations and the type of situation that you will commonly face as a first or second year trainee. The interview looks to assess you under pressure and the key is to deliver a well thought out and structured answer to each question.
We have produced a comprehensive guide to the Core Surgical Interview, with specific advice on how to prepare, mock interview stations with suggested answers and more general advice from successful trainees on how to get in to Core Surgical Training
Excel at CT interview to set yourself up for ST3
The specialties that you select in your first two core training years will have a significant, but not definitive bearing on whether you end up in your preferred rotation. Its is useful to have some idea of what you might like to do as a career before deciding on which rotations your ran highest. Without doubt, if you get some experience of ENT in your CT1 and CT2 years, you are at a huge advantage when if comes to you ST3 application. It will allow you do the audits, research papers and get the experience needed to improve your ST3 shortlisting score. More importantly it will show you whether this is the specialty you want to be part of for the next 30+ years of your life. It is this that adds to the pressure to do well in the Core Surgical Interview. If you rank well you can pick and choose your rotations ensuring that you are working towards the next step in your surgical carer.
It is always stressed that CT1/CT2 are just that; core training years. No-one will expect you to have done multiple jobs in whatever your chosen specialty may be, and the idea is that you get a grounding in all elements of sound surgical practice. The reality however, is that if you have not managed to get a decent grounding in orthopaedics for example, the interview panel will always look more kindly on someone who has.
Surgery is competitive, particularly in London, KSS and Oxford. Many of the people applying have been working steadily for years to get in and those who just missed out last year will have spent the whole year working and improving their CV and general knowledge of clinical surgery making them extra competitive this year. You need to give yourself the best possible opportunity to shine, so please take advantage of the information here and put every effort into polishing your Application form and Interview technique
It is always stressed that CT1/CT2 are just that; core training years. No-one will expect you to have done multiple jobs in whatever your chosen specialty may be, and the idea is that you get a grounding in all elements of sound surgical practice. The reality however, is that if you have not managed to get a decent grounding in orthopaedics for example, the interview panel will always look more kindly on someone who has.
Surgery is competitive, particularly in London, KSS and Oxford. Many of the people applying have been working steadily for years to get in and those who just missed out last year will have spent the whole year working and improving their CV and general knowledge of clinical surgery making them extra competitive this year. You need to give yourself the best possible opportunity to shine, so please take advantage of the information here and put every effort into polishing your Application form and Interview technique
Practice Interview Stations for Surgery
Here is a selection of the core surgical interview stations that have faced candidates over the past few years. We suggest that you practice them with friends who are also applying. The answers given are a combination of suggestions and what we actually said at interview, so they are not necessarily perfect answers. The aim is to replicate the feel of the interview, and provide you with a method and structure that you can use regardless of the question.
Clinical Station - Wound dehiscence on the ward, questions on your initial and further management
Management Station- WHO surgical checklist, Risk stratification and ASA grading
Portfolio Station- Why do you want to be a surgeon, Experience of teaching, Where do you see yourself in 10 years time?
Management Station- WHO surgical checklist, Risk stratification and ASA grading
Portfolio Station- Why do you want to be a surgeon, Experience of teaching, Where do you see yourself in 10 years time?
The Surgical Interview Guide
We hope you will find this introductory information useful. Whilst we can't say exactly what you will be asked as it changes every year, practicing these questions with your peers and senior colleagues should prepare you for what will happen on the day. We have produced a comprehensive list of mock surgical interview scenarios asked in interviews from the last three years with sample answers for each based on what has come up previously. The guide also includes information on how to prepare for your interview, the best way to structure your answers in a pressurised environment and a number of tips that we, as trainees wish that we had known before we applied. Please find it here