Intensive Care Medicine ST3: Interview 2024
Intensive Care Medicine 6th December 2024

Intensive Care Medicine ST3: Interview 2025

Are you interested in applying for Intensive Care Medicine ST3? To help you with the application process, we’ve created an Intensive Care Medicine ST3 interview guide. The guide includes the key recruitment dates for the specialty, the self-assessment scoring process and how offers are made.

With Intensive Care Medicine ST3 being a popular course pathway, it’s important to know the type of competition you’re facing. In round 2 of 2024, there were 426 applications for 184 posts. This resulted in a competition ratio of 2.32, meaning just over two people applied for each post.

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Intensive Care Medicine ST3 Application

The Intensive Care Medicine ST3 application process takes place once each year. For 2025 start dates, the application window opened on 14 November and runs until 5 December 2024.

The eligibility criteria varies depending on whether you have an anaesthetics, medicine or emergency medicine training background. For example, applicants from a medicine training background, via internal medicine training or ACCS internal medicine or equivalent are required to complete MRCP(UK)MRCP Part 1 at the time of application and MRCP Part 2 by offer day – in order to be eligible.

The application process is your chance to show how suitable you are for the specialty. Once submitted, your application will be assessed using modern methodologies, guaranteeing a fair and fit-for-purpose assessment process. You’ll also be required to answer self-assessment questions, which will be covered later in the blog.

You can find more information about the eligibility criteria and the competencies that you’re assessed against in the 2025 Intensive Care Medicine ST3 person specification.

Intensive Care Medicine ST3 Key Dates

You can find the key 2025 recruitment dates for Intensive Care Medicine ST3 below:

Stage Date
Application window 14 November – 5 December 2024
Self Assessment document upload window 15 – 22 January 2025
Self Assessment verification scores released 18 February 2025
Self Assessment verification review window 18 – 21 February 2025
Invite to Interview & Applicant Declaration sent 12 March 2025
Deadline for Interview Booking & Applicant Declaration return 14 March 2025
Interview Window 25 – 28 March 202
Offers Released 9 April 2025
Hold Deadline 23 April 2025
Upgrade Deadline 24 April 2025

Intensive Care Medicine ST3 Self Assessment Scoring

Part of the application form will consist of self–assessment questions. It’s important that you answer each question accurately and honestly. To progress, you need a score of at least 12. However, this isn’t guaranteed, if applicant numbers exceed capacity.

If you meet the criteria to be longlisted, you’ll be required to upload evidence to the self-assessment portal. For the 2025 recruitment round, you’ll be able to do this between 15 – 22 January 2025. From this, a clinician will verify your self-assessment score before your interview.

Here’s a look at the self-assessment scoring matrix you can find on the official website:

Domain Descriptors Scores
1. Additional degrees and qualifications I don’t have any additional degrees or qualifications 0
I have partially completed a postgraduate qualification that hasn’t been used for application eligibility 1
I have finished a postgraduate qualification that hasn’t been used for applicant eligibility 2
I have a Masters level degree 3
I have a PhD or postgraduate Masters degree 4
2. Additional achievements and prizes that are relevant to medicine I don’t have any additional prizes or distinctions 0
I have one or poster prizes or other undergraduate prizes 1
I have achieved a distinction in my original degree 2
I have received a postgraduate award by a regional medical organisation 3
I have receive a postgraduate award by a national or international medical organisation 4
3. Publications I don’t have publications or abstracts 0
I have been co-author on a publication that isn’t PubMed-cited 1
I have been first author on a publication that isn’t PubMed-cited 2
I have been co-author on a commissioned chapter in a
published medical book or I have been co-author on a
PubMed-cited publication
3
I have been first author on a commissioned chapter in a
published medical book or I have been first author on a
PubMed-cited publication
4
4. Presentations I haven’t given any presentations or shown any posters 0
I was first or second author on a poster that was presented at a local or regional medical meeting 1
I was first or second author on a poster that was displayed at a national or international medical meeting 2
I was first or second author on a poster that was verbally delivered at a national or international medical meeting 3
I have delivered a presentation in the main auditorium at a
national or international medical meeting
4
5. Clinical audit and quality improvement projects I haven’t participated in any audit or quality improvement projects 0
I haven’t taken part in a completed audit or quality
improvement project
1
I have designed or led a completed audit or quality
improvement project
2
I have led an audit or quality improvement
project which has resulted in a demonstrable improvement or I have led a regional collaborative multi-centre project
3
I have taken the lead on a national or international collaborative multicentre project 4
6. Teaching skills I haven’t got any teaching experience or received training on teaching methods 0
I have taught healthcare professionals or medical students, receiving formal, positive feedback or I have been on a basic teaching methodology course (check out the Medibuddy Teach the Teacher course) 1
I have provided regular teaching as part of a course for
healthcare professionals or medical students, with evidence of positive feedback to show for it or I have been certified as an instructor for a postgraduate
medical course
2
I have led a regional teaching programme made up of multiple sessions with evidence of positive feedback or I have completed over half of a teaching qualification 3
I have taken the lead on a national or international teaching programme that consists of multiple sessions with evidence of positive feedback or I have completed a formal higher teaching qualification 4
7. Progress through training and excellence I don’t have any educational supervisor reports reflecting a level of high performance 0
I have an educational supervisor report that demonstrates I can perform to a high level 2
Within every year of my training, my educational supervisor reports contains a reference to performance that is excellent or above the expected level 4
8. Achievements specific to Intensive Care Medicine (ICM) training I don’t have any additional achievements specific to ICM training 0
I have evidence of CPD of benefit to working in ICM 1
I have finished two or more ICM related courses or I have completed a qualification in Point of Care
Ultrasound
2
I have completed more than one qualification in Point of Care Ultrasound or I have completed an ICM specific postgraduate qualification 3
I have an ICM Masters level degree or above or I have completed accreditation with The British Society
of Echocardiography or equivalent
4
9. Leadership and management I don’t have any leadership or management experience 0
I have held a local or regional leadership
role for 6 months or more and I can demonstrate I made a positive impact
2
I have held a national or international leadership or
management role for 6 months or more and I can
show I made a positive impact
4

Teach the Teacher Course by Medibuddy

This two-day CPD-accredited online course will earn you 12 CPD points on completion. It’s entirely flexible, so you can complete it in two days or multiple sessions over a longer period. On completion of the course, you’ll receive a certificate for your portfolio that is accredited for CCT, interviews and appraisals.

Find out more

Intensive Care Medicine ST3 Interview Format

The Intensive Care Medicine ST3 interview is split across three stations. Each station will last for ten minutes and provide a potential 48 marks. So, when you consider the time between the stations, you can expect the interview to last 45 minutes overall.

All interviews will take place online through Qpercom. Before your interview, you’ll receive information about how to log in to Qpercom. Make sure you complete a compatibility test before the date of your interview, to ensure everything works well.

The Intensive Care Medicine ST3 interview consists of the following three stations:

Clinical Interview Station

You’ll have 5 minutes to review a clinical scenario before starting this station. In the 10 minutes that follow, you’ll be assessed on problem-solving, diagnosis, decision-making, situational awareness and judgement and organisation and planning of ideas. 

Commitment to Specialty

The Commitment to Specialty station also lasts 10 minutes and focuses on your understanding of intensive care medicine and what it takes to train in the field. You’ll need to reflect on your strengths and weaknesses and show that you’re genuinely interested in a career in intensive care. Expect questions about your training journey and how well you know the ins and outs of the NHS and its impact on intensive care. This is your chance to highlight your achievements and demonstrate your commitment.

Task Prioritisation Exercise

Before this station, you’ll receive a list of tasks to prioritise during your prep time. You’ll then have 10 minutes to impress the assessors with how you handle complex work situations typical in intensive care medicine.

Intensive Care Medicine ST3 Offers

After your interview performance has been assessed, you’ll be ranked in a national list alongside other applicants. Offers are then allocated based on the rank of each applicant.

If two applicants receive the same overall score, the following marking order will be used to determine the ranks:

  1. Overall Score (Self-Assessment and Interview Score Combined)
  2. Total Interview Score
  3. Clinical Scenario
  4. Task Prioritisation Exercise
  5. Commitment to specialty
  6. Self-Assessment

The first wave of Intensive Care Medicine ST3 offers will be made through Oriel on 9 April 2025. If you receive an offer you’ll have 48 hours to respond, with your decision to accept, hold or reject. Failing to respond within this timeframe will lead to your offer expiring.

You can hold an offer until 1.00 pm (UK time) on 23 April 2025. But, you can only hold one offer from any specialty within a recruitment round. After the deadline, you’ll only be able to accept or reject offers.

Declining an offer will cause it to be recycled down the ranking list to other applicants. However, if you decide to accept an offer, you won’t be eligible to receive any more offers.

Best of luck with your application!

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