Interviews and Assessment Centres

If you have been shortlisted for Specialty Training interview, the next step is to reinforce your message during the face-to-face selection stage.. Many doctors have not had a formal interview since applying for medical school but specialty interviews involve several short interviews or practical assessements. You’ll need to be well organized, have all your documents to hand and try not to be unsettled by the environment and the process.

Your Postgraduate Centre also holds a training DVD “Selection Centres for Specialty Training” which shows examples of a range of selection scenarios; ask the library or the Centre Manager.

There are downloadable PDF booklets from Cardiff University Careers Service which contains lots of general tips and advice on interviews and assessment centres at graduate and postgraduate level:

If you are considering GP training, you can find information and examples of typical selection activities on the National Recruitment Office for General Practice Training site.

See this recent article on the BMJ Career Focus website for interview tips. The UK Medical Careers has pages offering applicant guidance, including sample interview questions.

The BMA Careers Service works with doctors to improve their interview skills through its tailor-made practice interview service. A bespoke practice interview based on your specific application can be excellent preparation for the real thing.

Consultant Interviews

These follow a standard panel format and acquire extensive preparation. See the Generic Curriculum for details of the course Preparing for Consultant Selection , open to those in the final year before CCT.

Useful books:

• Mumford, Colin. The Medical Job Interview: Secrets for Success
• Amos, Julie-Ann. Handling tough job interviews: be prepared, perform well, get the job. (Oxford: How To Books, 2004).
• Popovich, Igor S. Winning at job interviews. (London: Teach Yourself, 2003).
• Corfield, Rebecca. Successful interview skills: how to present yourself with confidence. (London: Kogan Page, 1992).
• Yate, Martin J. Great answers to tough interview questions: how to get the job you want. (London, Kogan Page, 1998).
• Ghosh, Robert, Succeeding in your Consultant Medical Interview. (Apply2 Ltd, 2009)