Specialist
Registrar Interview ( for UK Doctors)
The SpR post usually follows a Senior House Office (SHO) job of 2-3 years.
Before you apply for SpR post you should have your
second part membership of Royal Colleges in UK and then you will be eligible to
enter specialist training for any of the specialities you have done in your SHO
jobs. The jobs are usually advertised on www.bmjclassified.com
on a weekly basis but for SpR training will be in early spring or late
winter. As a matter of fact, you should
apply to three or more regions and aim to be short listed at least for two of
the regions. If you are successful in
getting a National Training Number then you can move to the region where you
wish to continue your training. As they say, first get yourself on the first
step of the ladder then you can climb it.
Application Forms
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The application form requires from you time and accuracy.
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Take time to complete them very efficiently and correctly.
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Talk to people who have done it before and get ideas from them.
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Show it to your consultant before you send it out.
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Take time to read them and reflect on the application form.
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It is the only way to get to the interview.
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People will read your application and your CV and both will tell
them a lot about you. So do not do it in a hurry or delete wrong information
with same pen.
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If you have made a mistake delete it with felt tips. Before writing
on application form, write the information you want on paper and go over them
few times then when you are happy transfer them into the application.
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The best way is to download the application and type all the
information and keep copy for you.
How to Write your CV
1.
How you lay out your CV is your own decision - chose the presentation
that you like.
2.
Writing your CV on your own may not be a good idea.
3.
Try to ask someone to help and look at other people CVs and how they
write them. You do not need to write about your colour, religion, and place of
birth.
4.
The following three pages will give a guide on how to write your CV
and we will put 4 CVs for different peoples, which will give you an example for
four different ways of writing CV.
5.
You should aim for your CV to be not more than 6-7 pages all
together.
6.
After you finish from writing your CV, let one of the consultants or
your colleagues look at it.
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No spelling mistakes
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Straight and clear grammatical English
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No falsified information
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Write your aims and career plan
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Clear printing (Laser printing)
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Do not send copies (original always what ever number they asked for)
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Header and footer for each page
Tailor it to the job (no standard CV)
C U RR I C
U L U M V I T A E
YOUR NAME
(in bold capitals)
YOUR
QUALIFICATIONS (in text capitals)
PERSONAL
DETAILS
NAME: Your
name (plain text)
AGE, GENDER: (plain text)
DATE OF BIRTH: Day Month Year (UK style
not USA style)
NATIONALITY: (plain text)
LANGUAGES: English (state
level), Others (state level)
MARITAL STATUS: May be left out if you
prefer (plain text)
HOME OFFICE
STATUS: Refugee / Asylum Seeker
/ I.D.L.R. / Ex. L.R.
ADDRESS: Your best postal
contact address (plain text)
TELEPHONE: Landline number or
mobile
GMC REGISTRATION: Eligible for limited
registration (dependent on
)
MDU REGISTRATION:
TRAINING COURSES:
E.g. APLS, ATLS, PALS
etc
ACADEMIC
QUALIFICATIONS (Table of three column for Qualification, date obtained, place
obtained)
Degree / Diploma University / College Date of receipt
FUTURE PLANS / PROFESSIONAL GOALS
A short statement along the following lines (do not
just copy this one!)
As a refugee doctor now resident in the United
Kingdom, I wish to recommence my career in (specialty).
I plan to engage in a training programme and work
towards the higher qualification of (appropriate UK diploma or College
Fellowship).
I am keen to use my clinical skills to provide care
for patients as part of the supervised clinical experience this would involve.
PERSONAL PROFILE / KEY SKILLS (This section may take
maximum 4-5 pages only)
In bullet point
(short sentences) note the skills you have as a doctor. This is really a short summary version of
what you have done and are capable of:
Work experience
Teaching skills
Special areas of expertise
A list of all medical posts that you have worked in
giving only the following details:
Grade of employment (e.g. PRHO, SHO, Specialist
Registrar, Consultant)
Name of Hospital and its City, Country
Duration of employment (start date to completion
date)
Specialities in which you practised in this post
Degree of
supervision by more senior doctor(s) and their name(s)
A single paragraph description of each of the above
posts giving the following details:
The size of the hospital (number of beds)
Your responsibilities as a doctor in this post
The type of work you were involved in (clinical
practice, procedures performed)
The educational benefit you gained (what you learnt
from this job)
Include here any teaching you have done
(E.g.
lectures given, training responsibilities)
Include here appropriate non-medical interests
(E.g.
computers, music, reading, travel)
REFEREES
Ideally three
(and at least two) people willing to provide a reference for you. They should be able to confirm your past
medical experience and achievements.
Include their
name, address and telephone or fax numbers.
Examples for
CVs
Medicine
Paediatrics
Surgery
Haematology
Presentation
If
asked to do a presentation, topics will be provided in advance on the
interview. Spend time researching about the chosen topic. Read more about this
topic. Plan the talk about your objective, presentation and conclusion. Try to make your own presentation. If it is
7 minutes or ten minutes presentation then do 4-6 slides or overheads. Each one will have not more than 6 lines and
do it in black and white with large font. Avoid animation or multicoloured
slides. Present your talk to at least two people. Your consultant is the best
one to try as well as your colleagues. Rehearse this talk as much as you can
and time it.
Examples
of different presentation
1
2
3
Pre-interview visit or telephone call (minimum)
Talk to present post-holder, significant others, consultant if possible
Re-read your CV
Study the job description/person specification
Consider mock interview
Make appropriate eye contact
Speak clearly
Try to be animated and enthusiastic
Listen carefully; check if necessary
Pause
briefly to structure your reply; keep to the point
Emphasise strengths
Be honest but positive about weaknesses
Dont criticise your present post
Be aware of commonly asked questions
Prepare a maximum of two questions to ask (preferably education/skills related)
Smile and thank the panel!
Be clear how/when a decision will be available
Obtain feedback
If successful: celebrate!
If not: tomorrow is another day!
References
1. Careers Information Handbook for the SHO Royal College of Physicians Education Department March 2000
2. Bates M Personal Communication Burnley Healthcare NHS Trust November 2000
3. Craft N, Scriven, P Making the Shortlist - Career Focus BMJ 1996 (9th November) 7066 313
4. Chambler AFW et al A Model Curriculum Vitae Hospital Medicine 1998 59 47-49
5. Sudlow M, Toghill P, How to be Interviewed - Career Focus BMJ (21st September) 7059 313
SHO
interview
The SHO interview will be your easiest interview and
normally will not take more than 30 minutes and there will be 2-3 people on the
panel. The local consultant and one
from outside usually hold it if shared job. If attending the interview you may
need to phone one of the SHO or SpR and ask about the job and hospital. Visiting the Hospital and the department may
be not necessary but you can visit and meet the consultant who will interview
you at least one of them. On the day of
the interview, you should arrive early.
The likeliest questions will be
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Take us through your CV
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What is the most interested job you have done and Why
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What did you learnt from your last job?
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What one listen you learnt in your previous jobs
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Any thing good you took from your last job
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What procedures you learnt from your last job
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Have done audit/research?
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How SHO teaching can be improved
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How SHO training can be improved
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What you will do in children suspected with NAI
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What you will do if nurse stopping you from doing procedure in
Neonate
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What to do if you found that your SpR is drunk on night on-call with
you
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What we should do with SHO who is not finishing his/her jobs on the
ward
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What courses you attended
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What operation you have done
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Can SHO consent patients for operation and why
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How you deal with some insulting staff in front of you
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Can we improve waiting list on the surgical department
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How shift system affecting you
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Is it all right for doctors go on strike?
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What is your career plan?
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What is your general interest?
SpR
interview
You should know where is the interview and leave early and aim to be in the place at least 15 minutes before the interview.
The
interview will be conducted by a panel of 4-6 staff and each one will ask you
the same questions they asked of the previous candidate.
When
entering the room you should say
hello. Make sure you have looked to
every one and said hello. Sit down and make sure everyone can see you and you
can look at everyone when you talk.
Shaking hands is not necessary but if one of the panel wants to do it
you can do that and do not reject it, as people get very offended by this even
if your religion will not allow you to do that. If you have a problem then let the committee know before the
interview so you will not embarrassed and they do not feel rejected.
Questions
are the same for each candidate and try not to be a philosopher and go around
the point. Look into their eyes and do not try to talk and look downward or
away as this will give the impression that either you do not know how to answer
or you are lying. Your voice should be moderate and not humble or very loud.
This will show how confident you are - loud voices will not get you anywhere.
Do
not fidget at the time of the interview as fidgeting is a sign of nervousness
and poor judgment is usually accompanied by fidgety people. Sitting very
relaxed with legs extended and almost falling from chair is a sign of laziness
and no one wants lazy people.
Here
is an example of questions you may be asked in SpR interview:
Questions
you may be asked for the registrar job interview
1
Take us through your CV
2
Tell us about your paediatric
experience or other speciality
3
What is the difference between
paediatrics in Libya and UK
4
What is the most interesting job or
jobs you have done in UK and why
5
Why have you chosen this post
6
What has made you proud during your
career
7
What has been your major achievement
in the last twelve months
8
Research. What have you done so far?
Where are you going? How it can be applied
in the job you are seeking? How it is important for the paediatrician.
9
If you are teaching medical student,
what is the most important points you will tell them during their first day.
10
SHO not doing his/her job right, what
are you going to do about him/her
11
Where do you see yourself in ten years
time
12
What do you see as major advances in
Paediatrics over the next ten years or in your
major speciality over the next ten years
13
A senior nurse or sister on neonatal
unit stopped you from giving a medicine to a sick baby, what are you going to
do about it
14
Why should we appoint you rather than
other candidates
15
What the patients think of as a doctor
16
How would you like to be remembered
17
Why did you write these two books? Is
it your idea or someone elses?
18
When this job finishes, what are going
to do next?
19
Calman report and its implications?
Have you got RTN? What are the advantages and disadvantages of Calman report?
20
How has Calman affected your training
and how many years you think needed to finish
your training
21
Could the training of junior Doctors
be improved by other ways?
22
Is reducing junior Doctors hours a
good factor to improve training?
23
What is risk management? How can it be
applicable to Paediatric services?
24
Tells us about audit and have you done
or attended one?
25
What are your weakest and strongest points?
26
Are you staying in this country or going
back?
27
What the role of a Doctor in
management?
28 What is the difference between research and audit?
29 What is the clinical governane?
30 Your SHO is searching the web for child pornography, what you will do?
31 Nurse stopping you doing a procedure, what you will do?
32 What is the NFS for children or other speciality?
33 Should we apply evidence based medicine and why?
R.
It is a new system for improving the standard of clinical
practice. It is a mean by which the organisation are accountable for
continuously improving the quality of their services and assuring high
standards of care by creating an
environment in which excellence in
clinical care will flourish. It is the local manifestation of the statuary duty
of quality that has been placed on all NHS organisations, it operates within a
national framework for health care quality in which new structures and
mechanisms provide support.
The elements of Clinical governance
include:
a-
clinical
audit
b-
education
and training
c-
research
and development
d-
risk
management
e-
clinical
effectiveness (evidence based medicine)
f-
personal
development plan
g-
openness
Q.