The key to any interview is preparation. Candidates who prepare will have much higher success of scoring highly as their answers will be slicker and you will be able to think more clearly under pressure. Below we have given some guidance on how to start preparing, including useful links for further information. More detailed information about the interview can be found on our O&G ST1 Interview Format page. We have also developed an O&G ST1 Interview Question Bank to help you prepare in more detail. Remember the current format for interview is online.
As there is no portfolio in the interview, practising the stations is vital. One way to do this is to create “mock interviews” with friends. They may not be applying for O&G however, many of the skills and stations in ST1 interviews are not specialty specific so will be useful for all of you.
There is some general reading that is important to do at the beginning of your interview preparation:
Personal Specification:
The most up-to-date specifications can be found on the Health Education England Website.
Make sure you know this inside out and have something in your CV that could cover each aspect that you can try and comment on during your interview. If someone asked about when you demonstrated leadership – do you have an example…?
Appointability:
- You need to score at least 50% in the online interview.
- Examiners need to have no concerns regarding patient safety during the clinical prioritisation section of the interview (regardless of overall score).
Competition:
In 2021 there were 877 applications for O&G ST1 training with 260 posts available, making the competition ratio 3.37. Preparation for your application is key. The Health Education England website has up-to-date information on the competition ratios.
Courses
- There are several commercial interview preparation courses, which can be expensive and vary in quality. If considering this, try and speak to someone who has been on one for more information.
- The RCOG has careers events that can be useful to attend and would suggest commitment to specialty. There also may be local careers and interview events in your deanery.
Essential Reading
- ISC Medical – Medical Interviews
- RCOG
Question Banks for Specialty Recruitment Assessment Exam
Deaneries:
- East Midlands
- East of England
- Kent, Surrey and Sussex
- London
- Mersey
- North Western
- Northern
- Northern Ireland
- Oxford
- Scotland
- Severn
- Southwest Peninsula
- Wales
- Wessex
- West Midlands
- Yorkshire and the Humber
Further Interview Preparation
Try our other articles:
The Day in the Life of an O&G Trainee
Mind The Bleep – Applying to Obstetrics and Gynaecology
Try our Interview Question Bank, providing worked examples to help you ace the interview.
