Neurology 9th December 2024

Neurology ST4 Interview Preparation and Essential Reading

Effective Neurology ST4 interview preparation requires an early and strategic approach to ensure you are ready to perform at your best. Success in the interview often hinges on demonstrating a strong understanding of neurology and showcasing your clinical knowledge and problem-solving skills. Familiarising yourself with Neurology ST4 interview resources is a key step in this process, as they provide valuable insights into the specialty and can significantly improve your confidence.

Below, we’ve outlined suggestions to guide your preparation. Additionally, our Neurology ST4 Interview Question Bank is an excellent resource for practising the types of questions you’ll encounter, helping you to refine your responses and stand out during the interview.

Visit the ABN Website. Join the society.

The Association of British Neurologists (ABN) offers different membership tiers for junior doctors interested in neurology. Membership benefits include newsletters updating you on the hot topics in neurology (know about these!) as well as giving you the opportunity to attend their annual meetings (good opportunity to showcase your research).

Read Practical Neurology

Making the most of Neurology ST4 essential reading materials is key to building a strong foundation in the knowledge and skills required for the interview. Practical Neurology is one of the most important resources for your future neurology training. It’s a free journal for members of the ABN and covers many topics important to the neurological curriculum. Knowing the topics covered here will certainly stand you in good stead if the topic arises in a clinical case. Once more, watch out for hot topics arising here. 

Up To Date also provides information about the current hot topics for 2024-25.

Practice interview questions

Answering Neurology ST4 interview practice questions is a crucial part of your preparation, as it allows you to familiarise yourself with the types of scenarios and topics that are likely to appear during the actual interview.

Our question bank has been written by previously high-scoring trainees and is updated every year to ensure the information provided is accurate, helping you maximise your chances of scoring highly in your interview.

Talk to neurologists and neurology registrars

This is particularly important when it comes to the presentation station. Present this a few times to different people and have them ask you questions. Get them to really grill you. In reality, you will be well supported at the interview, but you may want to practice under pressure to make sure you really know your stuff.

Practice making the question about you

There’s nothing more irritating than hearing the 25th candidate tell you the definition of a QIP. If you’re asked about something generic (such as audit, QIP, or governance), talk about your experience with it and showcase the evidence in your portfolio. You will be employed based on your experience and attitudes, not your ability to regurgitate audit cycle definitions and descriptions.

On the day

You’ve applied and been invited to interview; well done! The interview process is challenging for many, but knowing what will happen on the day will help relieve your nerves.

The current Neurology ST4 interview format consists of 4 question areas, and you will be invited via Oriel to choose an interview slot.

The 2025 interviews will be ONLINE. Therefore, ensure you have a suitable place to undertake it from and have checked that your tech is up to the job. It is important for candidates to consider:

• Microphone and camera – ensure you’ve checked that these work in advance. It’s not something you want to be stressing about on the day. Consider the position of the camera – often, it’s better to use a webcam that can be positioned ahead of you rather than a camera on your laptop, for example. Ultimately, find what works best for you to be seen and heard clearly.
• Internet connectivity – it goes without saying you will need to ensure you are somewhere with good internet connectivity.
• Background – be aware of your background and ensure your backdrop is clear. There are functions to blur your background, but it is definitely better to think about this in advance.
• Environment – you will need to be in a well-lit and quiet space. If there are others in the house, give them a heads up as to when your interview will be so there will be no interruptions!

Further Reading

Neurology ST4 Interview Format 2025

Check out all our Neurology ST4 Interview resources.