Obs and Gynae ST1 10th October 2023

Obs and Gynae ST1 Interview Tips

Congratulations on applying to be an Obstetrics and Gynaecology Trainee! We’ve written this post in combination with our ST1 Interview Question Bank to help you start preparing for interview.

Obstetrics and Gynaecology ST1 Interview Top Tips

You have already done the hard step, making a decision about your specialty. You’ve taken the MSRA, and now is the time to focus on your interview. As you are aware, some of you may not need to have an interview if you score highly in your MSRA exam (see O&G MSRA Exam for more details). If successful with your interview, you have an exciting career ahead of you with so many possibilities. One of the amazing aspects about O&G, and there are many, is the mixture of medicine and surgery. Perhaps it is a cliché but it is very true!

The interview is often the stage that applicants find most stressful! However, it shouldn’t be. The examiners are there because they want you to succeed. They will try and help you to interview as the best person you can be! You have a right to be there. You need to show them what you are made of…ready?

Since the Covid-19 pandemic, all interviews are currently undertaken online. This however shouldn’t really change your preparation process too much!

What are the interview basics?

1. Dress the part: appearance is important. You want to look professional; this is after all a professional interview. Ensure you are smart; bare below the elbows– the basics!
2. Be polite: how you act during the interview process is important. Remember in seven years time the person sitting in front of you may be your Consultant colleague. O&G is a specialty built on teamwork and communication as well as technical skill. Show that you are a team player and communicate well by being polite, listening actively and thanking the interviewers before you finish.
3. Be prepared: by reading this blog you are already preparing. Speak to people you know who have done the interview. Our other blogs O&G Interview Preparation and Essential Reading, O&G Interview Format and O&G: The Day in the Life of a Trainee will also provide some useful information, and our Interview Question Bank will guide you through potential interview questions. A simple way that you can prepare for the interview is to record yourself speaking your answers out loud, this will help consolidate your thoughts. If you are brave, get a family member or friend to ask you questions. The more you speak outline the easier it will be on the day. We also recommend practicing speaking in front of a camera too, so you are fully confident doing this. 
4. Check your technology: there are likely to be stipulations to the online interview (such as which web browser to use, login times, no mobile phones etc.) so make sure you read any pre-interview information clearly and check everything works beforehand. You will need to make sure that your web browser has permission to use your microphone and web camera, for example.

And last of all…believe in yourself!

Good luck! Read the rest of our blogs for more information and remember to check out our Obs and Gynae ST1 question bank to find practice questions for the interview!