Medical Interview Preparation

Long listing

Obviously you need to demonstrate clearly that you meet the entry criteria - if you don't do that your application wont be considered any further

Short listing

The rest of your form will be analysed in different ways depending on the deanery.

However, it is likely that your form will be marked by two separate shortlisters. It may be that portions of your application may be looked by different pairs of shortlisters - so don't assume that because you mentioned it in a previous section that there may not be a need to "repeat" a given example or skill again

Each portion of your application form will be awarded a mark - either 0,1 or 2 or sometimes a score out of 10. The precise system will vary from deanery to deanery. However, each "score" is meant to be comparible between deaneries. The higher your score - the more likely your chances of getting shortlisted for your ST interview

Look at the person specification

This will give you a strong hint as to the marking scheme

When you fill out your ST application form - you have to make it clear to the reader that you have meet as many of the essential and desirable criteria that you can honestly lay claim to

Your writing has to spell this out to them - make it easy for the short lister to give you the mark

Think about the ways in which you can lay claim to the various criteria, such as:

	Understanding the importance of audit - mention how one of your audits made a difference to patient care or a service
	Evidence of a completed audit cycle - Use the term "completed the audit cycle/loop" and mention how you either completed a cycle or ensured that an audit cycle was completed
	Experience of working in multiprofessional teams teams - mention examples
	Demonstrates an understanding of the principles of research - use work examples either from undergraduate study or a clinical trial that you may have been involved with at work
	Evidence of interest in teaching - list the different ways in which you teach and the various groups of people that you have taught - students, doctors, allied health professionals, patients, etc
	Communication and interpersonal skills -give examples of where it made a difference
	Demonstrates drive and initiative - give examples (it may not be work related, but it is better if it is)
	Demonstrates interest and realistic into [speciality] - try to show that you understand the challenges ahead and explain why you are particularly suited to meet those problems
	Demonstrates analytical / scientific approach - use stories
	Procedures/Skills - Ensure that you mention particular skills or procedures that you have attained that may imply that you were a keen and attentive doctor or that will set you apart. So, if you had done a lumbar puncture as a FY2 - you have clearly been attentive. However, filling out a drug chart (though an important skill) wouldn't be worth mentioning as it wouldn't help to set you apart or suggest that you have been particularly keen.
	Evidence of organizational skills (not necessarily in medicine) - give them a story...
	High achievement awards obtained during undergraduate study - if you've got it...flaunt it
	Research experience, presentations, publications, prizes and honours
	Enthusiasm for teaching, exposure to different groups/teaching methods - if you have done anything particularly noteworthy (attending a training course, asked to become an instructor, etc) make sure that they know
	Instructor or nominated as instructor potential in above courses or equivalent
	Extra curricular activities / achievements relevant to [speciality]
	Demonstrates breadth of awareness - show some higher level thinking

This isn't an exhaustive list, but hopefully gives you an idea of what you are trying to achieve

1. Get the relevant person specification
2. Try to work out what elements of your application will be awarded marks
3. Ensure that you do the thinking and use your language skills to make it clear to the short lister that they should give you the marks
4. Obtain enough marks to get your ST interview invitation