Preparing for specialty recruitment Jason Yarrow KSS Careers Department

Overview Specialty Recruitment 2011 Recap of 4 stage model Making strong applications Preparing for interviews & selection centres Portfolio Interview Presentation Structured Interview Mock GP Consultation Simulation Station Resources and key websites

Application overview & Timelines Application window open Dec 3 – 20 (some variation) Interviews from Jan 2011 Perhaps an offers system – hold until know then accept 1 / automatically reject others All offers out for Round 1 by 11 th March Can hold upto 25 th March All Round 1 recruitment National Either by College or Deanery BMJ Career Fair – London 1 st / 2 nd October: Podcast

1 st week Nov 2010 MMC website information on whole process From 20 th Nov 2010 Colleges and Deaneries publish start and closing dates, shortlisting and interview dates etc. Adverts on College and Deanery websites. 3 Dec 2010 Deadline 20 Dec Start of first and main recruitment. Beg Jan 2011Round 1 interviews From 18 th Feb 2011 Start of CT2, CT3, ST3 recruitment From 18 th Feb 2011 Start of round 2 (open to all applicants) End Mar 2011End of first recruitment June - Oct 2011More adverts and recruitment opportunities

Applications via RC websites: O & G Paediatrics CMT Psychiatry RCoOG RCoPCH RCP RCoP

Application via lead Deanery East MidlandsPublic Health KSSCST LondonClinical Radiology Histopathology GPNational Recruitment Of West MidlandsACCS Anaesthesia Yorks/HumberNeurosurgery

A 4 stage career planning model

Specialty Application Forms They will take longer than you think Competency questions are key to short listing Accuracy and attention to detail are key to short listing On-line applications should be completed in more than one sitting and checked before you send

Specialty Application Forms Presenting your evidence: Have the person specification to hand Read the question. Answer what you are being asked NOT what you think you are being asked Ensure you use the space. Don’t go over word counts If a general supporting statement is requested, don’t ramble: list your evidence against specific examples to showcase personal skills. E.g. teamwork, ethics, communication….. Vary your examples to match specialty Describe not just an experience, but what you learnt from it and how it will help you as you develop your career

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)

Specialty Application Forms DO: Complete a CV now Organise your learning portfolio Read questions carefully Remember non medical interests / experience Keep it simple – pick examples that clearly answer the question Ensure you complete and send on time

Specialty Application Forms DON’T: Book a holiday when forms come out / interviews are scheduled Be tempted to do anything other than answer the question Leave submitting till the last minute Go over word counts Lie or mislead on the form Plagiarise

Sample form 2010

Purpose: Why interview? Simply: “interview panels main aim is to find out whether you meet the requirements of the person specification for the post for which you are applying, and to make sure that only the best candidates are selected in this highly competitive process” DoH – MMC, An applicants guide 2010

Preparation: The basics Date / Time / Location Get a good nights sleep the night before Eat breakfast, lunch etc Appropriate dress 55% of first impressions visual – shoes, nails, hair etc Body language important Eye contact

Overview: Who’s on the panel Panels will include a mix of people and could include:  Lay chair or lay representative  Regional college adviser or nominated deputy  A university representative or nominated deputy  Training programme director or chair of specialty training committee  Consultant representation from the training programme  Senior management representative  Representation from human resources

Overview: How panels run Will be variations between Deaneries HOWEVER: Minimum of 3 x 10 min interviews (some may have 4 – you will be made aware prior to interview) Could include stations assessing:  Clinical skills  Portfolio  Presentation skills  Patient interaction – simulation  Personal skills e.g empathy and sensitivity

Portfolio – index example SectionContent 1 Application Form 2 Curriculum Vitae 3 Professional Registrations 4 Foundation One – Evidence of completion 5 Clinical Skills 6 Clinical Supervisor reports 7 Clinical Governance 8 Teaching & Presentations 9 Publications and Involvement in Research 10 Career Development 11 Leadership 12 Evidence of Excellence 13 Certificates (chronological, most recent first) 14 Reflection 15 Additional Experience

Medical CV A suggested format: Personal details Career Plan / Goal Personal information – GMC number Professional Qualifications Education Professional Expertise – Foundation jobs Practical Skills Additional Courses Research Teaching & Audit Other Relevant Skills Interests References From ROADs to Success, Elton & Reid

Portfolios Anaesthetics / ACCS / CMT / CST Others TBC Know your portfolio inside out Know your portfolio upside down – literally Re-read job descriptions / person specs  Awareness of what you maybe assessed against – can you evidence this in portfolio Portfolio will chart your development Provides EVIDENCE of competency and enthusiasm for specialty Portfolio station DVD

Presentations Anaesthetics / ACCS – others TBC Don’t panic Flip-chart / OHP / transparencies provided Will be time bound – DON’T OVERRUN Communication / pressure / structure / well thought out response – all being assessed Skills needed when dealing with patients Person specifications for the specialty Presentation DVD

Structured Interview Very common / variants likely to be used Are you competent to do the job? – skills and experience Do you have the right attitude? – enthusiasm, motivation and drive to be successful Structured interview DVD

Mock GP consultation 3 x 10 min exercises Consultation with patient / relative / non medical colleague Does not involve physical examination Clinical expertise is not specifically assessed Person specification Mock GP consultation DVD

Simulation station Scenario provided Actors / mannequin used Person specifications – what skills and qualities are the assessors looking for evidence of? Treat as a real life situation – be as realistic as possible Simulation DVD

Performance: How to succeed “Fail to prepare, prepare to fail” Preparation is everything Job description / person specifications What skills are required for the specialty Evidence is the key Research crucial  Why that specialty  Have you spoken to those already training at that level?  What can you bring to that specialty  Keep up to date with current affairs in medicine

GMC Good Medical Practice Be familiar with this document See Interview will test that you can demonstrate your understanding of the principles.

Techniques: CAMP – Background & Motivation questions: Clinical: Type of hospital, specific skills/interests Academic: develop research interests, teaching, education Management: Service development, educational supervision Personal: Geography, hobbies etc

Techniques: STAR – when using an example S – Situation (what was happening) T – Task (the goal you set yourself) A - Action (what you did) R – Result (the outcome of your action)

Techniques: SPIES – Questions on difficult colleagues Seek info: what is the problem Patient safety: critical this is assessed Initiative: can you do anything yourself Escalate: involve other colleagues as needed Support: can you support the individual/team

Resources Books: The Roads to success: Caroline Elton and Joan Reid Picard, Oliver, Wood, Dan and Yuen, Sebastian (2008) 'Medical Interviews: a comprehensive guide to CT, ST and Registrar interview skills' Published by ISC Medical How to Get a Job in Medicine: Adam Poole. Elsevier Health Sciences.2005 Smith, Chris and Meeking, Darryl (2008) ' How to succeed at the medical interview' Blackwell Publishing.