Application to specialty Workshop

Overview - Talk on the recruitment process - Review of the 4 stage career planning model - Help with decision-making - Preparing a medical CV - How forms are scored & what the panel looks for - How to make a strong application - Dos and don’ts in the application process - Looking at person specifications

The Four Stage Career Planning model Introduction to the 4 stage planning model Make sure you have done an adequate and robust self-assessment and career exploration (this will help in the application and in the interview). ROADs and

Help with decision-making Decision making in the 4 stage planning model You must take responsibility for your own decisions. Good decisions come from examining the reasons that underpin them Different ways of making a decision. These include: logical, talking, intuitive, hesitant, testing ideas Take note of the competition ratios in the specialties you are considering Important to also have a plan B, and even a plan C!

Different types of Decision-making Strong 1. A sense of proportion & pragmatism 2. Anticipating potential outcomes 3. Making decisions under pressure/ in appropriate time frame 4. Based on sound logic 5. Consulting with others at a relevant level 6. Reviewing all relevant info 7. Taking responsibility for own decision Weak 1. Not discriminating, discerning or prioritising 2. Not considering consequences 3. Taking too long / being too hasty/ dithering when making a decision 4. Skewed emotional biased thinking 5. Not taking others views into account or “over consulting” 6. Ignoring / discarding info 7. Unwilling to make decision in case it is wrong / asking others to decide Based on work done by The Careers Group, University of London

Help with decision-making Timeline Exercise Swot analysis Pros and Cons analysis

Something you can look to do now to help with your application - CV = Life Story - CV is a VERY important document - CVs will change over time - CVs can be tailored for specific purposes - CV is a MARKETING tool Preparing a medical CV

This is one suggested format: - Personal details - Career Plan - Personal information - Professional Qualifications - Education - Professional Expertise - Practical Skills - Additional Courses - Research - Teaching and Audit - Other relevant skills - Interests - References From ROADs to Success, Elton and Reid Preparing a medical CV

DO: - Remember that there’s no limit on page length but good layout is important; get the most relevant information on page 1 - Use quality white paper if possible - Use bullet points/headings. Use bold to make it easier to read - Get a “fresh” pair of eyes to look over CV - ENSURE there are NO spelling/grammatical errors Preparing a medical CV

DON’T: - Tell untruths or anything you cannot back up at interview - Use an address that you can’t easily access - Use underlining – it looks old-fashioned - Leave any gaps in your CV. Make sure each year is accounted for Preparing a medical CV

Organise your learning portfolio A front page entitled ‘Commitment to Specialty’ A contents page Your medical CV A list of competences required to successfully complete the foundation programme Example forms to record meetings with your educational supervisor, reflective practice and self-appraisal Educational agreement Assessment forms A Personal Development Plan (PDP) Your portfolio should include:

Organise your learning portfolio Neat, handwriting legible Easy to follow (e.g. contents page etc) Not missing anything Well structured and organised. Your portfolio should be:

Questions? Further Help – Books: How to get a job in medicine: Adam Poole. Elsevier Health Services Writing the Medical CV: Effective Professional Communication: Sam McErin. Edukom ROADs to success has an appendix on medical CVs Preparing a medical CV

Specialty Application Forms Key points about application forms: They take longer than you think to complete Competency questions are key to shortlisting decisions Accuracy and attention to detail are essential On-line applications should be completed in more than one sitting; and checked before you send.

Specialty Application Forms How forms are scored: - Forms are scored against nationally agreed person specification - Scoring varies from deanery to deanery, but most forms are scored vertically What the panel looks for: You will score poorly if: - You do not meet the essential criteria - You do not follow the instructions provided - You do not answer the questions, waffle or leave blank spaces - Your spelling or grammar is poor - Those short-listing will be looking for evidence that you can do the job and have motivation for and understanding of your desired specialty.

Specialty Application Forms Use STAR S – Situation (what was happening) T – Task (the goal you set yourself) A - Action (what you did) R – Result (the outcome of your action)

Presenting your evidence: Read the question and get an understanding of what is being asked, NOT what you think is being asked. Where there are defined sections for you to present information, check for word counts; draft first. If a general ‘supporting statement’ is requested, don’t ramble; list your evidence against specific competences. Think about specific examples to showcase personal skills e.g. teamwork, communication, ethics etc Vary your examples to match specialty Describe not just an experience, but what you learnt from it

Skills Skills need to be EVIDENCED – How did you get the skills? Exercise- discuss in pairs for 5-6 minutes how you would evidence these skills: - Teamwork - Communication - Problem Solving Specialty Application Forms

DO: Do complete a CV – now! Do organise your learning portfolio Do start considering likely questions, and thinking of clinical scenarios that are applicable Do read the questions very carefully when the forms come out Do think about your non-medical interests/experiences Do keep it simple – pick examples that clearly answer the question (e.g. audit) Specialty Application Forms

DON’T: book a holiday for when the applications come out (if you have already, make sure you take extra time to prepare before you go) be tempted to do anything other than answer the question leave submitting your form till the last minute go over the word count lie or mislead the markers of your form plagiarise your answers – people have been caught out by anti-plagiarism software Specialty Application Forms

Person Specifications IMPORTANT: You should have the person specification beside you when you fill in your application Exercise in Groups: Divide into groups Looking at the person specifications provided, take turns to discuss what evidence you can provide for each of the selection criteria

Moving towards interviews. Remember: The preparation that you do for your form will help Keep up-to-date with current affairs in medicine Have a good understanding of the basics – research, audit, clinical governance Approach people for help – tips or interview practice Specialty Application Forms

Action Plan Organise ‘hard evidence‘ Organise ‘soft evidence’ – stories/experiences Get portfolio in shape Update CV Rehearse / anticipate difficult questions Talk to those who have been through the process (candidates/panel members)

Some useful resources Book: Ward, Christopher and Eccles, Simon; Edited by Stephan Sandler (2008) ‘ So you want to be a brain surgeon?: A medical careers guide ’ Oxford University Press DVD South West Peninsula Deanery/AGCAS ’Selection centres for speciality training’ - available through your Trust library or foundation school. Alternatively, contact centres for speciality training’ Websites: