Structure & content

In the three minutes before your interview starts, you will be given a clinical scenario to review. Upon arrival in the interview room, you will be asked questions relating to this scenario.

Some points you should consider when reviewing the scenario:

• what next steps you would take

• any potential treatments possible

• any further information you would gather

• how you would go about communicating with any people (eg patients, family members, colleagues) involved in the scenario.

The clinical scenario will be relatively brief (a few sentences), so once you have seen this, the remainder of the preparation time will allow you to undertake some short mental preparation; it is not permitted to take notes regarding the scenario.

Questioning on the clincial scenario will last for up to ten minutes. 

Areas for assessment

There are two areas that will be scored in the clinical scenario question:

• One mark will be awarded to you based on the investigations you would do and your diagnosis given the information available.

• The second mark will be based on your subsequent management of the patient and your communication skills in terms of interacting with the patient, relatives or colleagues in the scenario.

The ethical question deals with consideration of the moral, ethical, legal, etc. issues of a particular situation. This question will not be available to you to consider in advance and the hypothetical scenario will be given to you on completion of the clinical scenario.

You will be assessed on your responses to the ethical scenario, as well as knowledge of the different considerations required.

This question will last up to five minutes.

Once the ethical question has been completed, there will be a short break (approximately two minutes) to allow the interviewers to finish marking the previous questions and for you to gather yourself for the second half of the interview, which focuses on your career to date and future intentions.

This question will focus on your suitability for and commitment to training in the specialty and give you opportunity to expand on the information provided in your application form. You may also be asked about your interests outside medicine.

Questioning on this area will last approximately 5 minutes.

Following immediately on from the suitability and commitment question, this question will focus on your application form and training to date. Interviewers will ask you questions based on your career, achievements to date and your engagement with training and learning.  

This question will last up to five minutes. At the end of this question your interview will be completed and you will be asked to leave the interviewing room.