Neurology 3rd November 2023

Neurology ST4 Interview Format 2024

Those applying for Neurology ST4 training in 2024 will be required to meet the person specification, and training will follow the new curriculum that was implemented in 2022. As neurology is a Group 1 specialty, applicants are required to have completed IMT stage 1 programme or equivalent. All specialities in group 1 will dual accredit with General Internal Medicine.

The ST4 Neurology Interview currently consists of four questions across two stations as set out below. Please note, you may start at a different station and follow a different order from what is laid out below.

For each station, 15 minutes is allocated and the entire interview will be approximately 35-40 minutes. When it comes to preparing for your interview, we have produced our Neurology ST4 Interview Question bank, including questions and themes that have come up in previous interviews. You’ll see some examples from our question bank throughout this blog, to give you an idea of what the question bank entails. 

Neurology ST4 Interview Areas

Neurology ST4 interviews for 2024 are 19th – 20th March 2024. 

Station 1 – Question 1 – Application & Training / Suitability & Commitment (7.5 mins)

In previous years, this station was broken into two; Application and Training, and Suitability and Commitment, however these stations have now been merged together. For this station, you will be asked one question that covers application and training, and suitability and commitment, and you will be scored on each of these areas. For the application and training part of this question, ensure you are familiar with the application that you submitted, as here you will be asked further questions about this as well as any training you have undertaken so far. To demonstrate your suitability and commitment, expand on the information provided in your application form, think about why you would be a good neurologist, what experience of neurology you have etc. Think about what inspired you to study neurology in the first place. Below is an example question from our interview question bank, where we provide example questions and answers to aid you in your interview preparation. 

Station 1 – Question 2 – Presentation (approx. 4.5 minutes)

The topic for this question is ‘An interesting case I have been involved in/a case that has changed my practice’. 

You will be expected to present an interesting (neurological!) case you’ve been involved with. This doesn’t have to be ground-breaking stuff; any case that you found interesting personally will do. Choose wisely, the more interested you are in the case, the better you will present it. 

The interviewers will expect you to present the case over 3 minutes, followed by some discussion. This will be without multimedia backup: imagine presenting a patient over a cup of coffee. A few minutes of questioning will then ensue, so make sure you get across the salient points. If you know the diagnosis, be prepared to discuss differentials and treatments. 

Your knowledge of the in-depth particulars is not being assessed; rather the interviewers are looking for a clear communication style and that you recognise the learning points of the case being presented.

Tips for success; practice in front of a mirror and film yourself. 

Our Neurology ST4 Interview question bank provides examples of presentations to give you an idea of how to approach this question area. 

Station 2 – Question 1 – Medical Registrar Suitability (7.5 mins)

The question looks at the non-clinical aspects of being a medical registrar, specifically focusing on two Capabilities in Practice (CiPs) outlined in the Internal Medicine Stage 1 Curriculum. These CiPs are vital for a medical registrar’s role and include:

Managing an acute unselected take: This refers to the ability to effectively handle the influx of patients during a busy period, where the patient mix may be varied and diverse. It requires prioritisation, efficient triage, and allocation of appropriate resources to ensure optimal patient care. 

Managing a multi-disciplinary team, including effective discharge planning: This involves the coordination and leadership of a diverse team of healthcare professionals to provide comprehensive care for patients. Additionally, it emphasises the importance of efficient discharge planning to ensure smooth transitions of patients from hospital to community care.

During the interview process, the interviewers will provide a short question that will prompt your response. This question will not be disclosed beforehand, and you will receive it verbally once the previous question has been addressed. The allocated time for this question is approximately 7.5 minutes.

You will be asked to draw on your experience in managing a team responsible for acute medical admissions. The interviewers will expect you to provide specific examples of how you have effectively managed such situations, demonstrating your leadership, decision-making skills, and ability to ensure the best care for patients.

In our Neurology ST4 interview question bank, we provide example scenarios and questions, to help you familiarise yourself and prepare for this station. We also encourage users to provide feedback whilst using the question bank, and after interview, so we can constantly update and improve on the question bank.

Station 2 – Question 2 – Professionalism & Governance (7.5 mins)

For this question, the discussion will begin with interviewers posing a concise question, typically consisting of a single sentence. This question will not be provided beforehand but will be presented verbally after the previous question. You will have approximately 7.5 minutes to respond.

Questions will centre around your understanding of professionalism and standards in the specialty; knowledge of professional bodies involved in the practice of the speciality, recent publications related to the above and also general aspects of governance. 

Below is a copy of our question bank, showing just some of the examples we provide for this station. You will have access to these and more when you sign up for our question bank.

Successful candidates will reflect on their own experience in their answers; e.g. if asked about improving or identifying a problem within a service, you may wish to talk about the QIP you led the year previously and what the next steps are.

Familiarising yourself with the principles of Good Medical Practice will help you prepare, and if you can, it would be useful to chat with current registrars / senior doctors to be quizzed on topics.

Interview Scoring 

There are 5 scored areas in the interview, scored by two markers, based on how well you perform. This means there is a total of 50 points on offer. As a guide, marks are awarded according to the following quality markers: 

0/1 – Very poor answer; does not grasp concept.

2 – Area for concern; falls below standard required for commencement of ST4.

3 – Average Answer; Standard expected of an average candidate completing IMT.

4 – Good Answer; Above average ability.

5 – Excellent Answer; a high performing trainee.

Your raw interview score (RIS) is the sum of all 10 scores you receive, which will be between 10 and 50. Final points from the interview will be processed through a predefined formulae to combine the interview score with your shortlist score. The final mark will be published /110. The process of this and the formulae are available on the ST4 recruitment website.

To note, candidates scoring ≤1 points will automatically be ranked as unappointable to an ST4 post and you cannot have more than two of your 10 scores as 2/5.

Remember, you can prepare for each of the stations with our Neurology ST4 Interview Question Bank, written by previously high-scoring trainees to help you rank highly at interview. 

Good luck!

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Further Reading

Neurology ST4 Interview Preparation and Essential Reading 

Internal Medicine Applications