Specialties Covered
Supporting you at Every Step of your
Specialties Covered
Videos including mock Q&As
Would recommend our course
Scored > 90% at interview
From application form clinics to personalised feedback from your full mock interview- our Speciality-specific programmes will support you at every step. O.I. is the largest network of specialty trainees from across the country brought together for the purpose of Specialty Interview preparations- join today!
Our community of successful trainees guide you through your interview process. Get honest advice and feedback from dozens of your predecessors- not just on the Courses but through the OI ‘Communities’ afterwards too.
Everyone is different. We do not recommend a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to the Interview- it’s so transparent. By working with a diverse faculty and hundreds of applicants we help you identify your strengths (and weaknesses!) efficiently
We have vignettes for the common stations in your specialty. Clinical Knowledge update videos that focus on the interview-relevant facts. And podcasts and videos of strong and poor model answers with feedback. So you can read, listen or watch on your mobile or computer anytime.
When you sign up, you will receive details and prep materials for our famous Interview Course- with Interactive sessions just for your Specialty, an afternoon of mock circuits and personalised feedback to get you Interview ready. You also get immediate access to the hours of video, audio and written vignettes to start learning and practicing right now! And new for 2024/205, we have developed ‘OptimiseResearch’ to cover the Academic components expected of a high-performing trainees
We love getting your feedback. Here are just a few of the successful applicants who have come through our Courses
I’ll break this into two components-
1. Knowledge and Experience and 2. Interview Technique
1. Knowledge and Experience: You’ve been working on this for many years. Whether explicitly or not, if you hold the Person Specification or Mark Scheme up against your CV, you’ll see you’ve probably ticked many of these boxes already- and you didn’t do that with your eyes closed. If you haven’t looked at your Person Specification, do it now. At our Application Form Preparation Webinar we go through what you can do to maximise your score from your achievements and what you can do from 3 months pre-interview.
2. Interview Technique: We put this question to our successful candidates from previous years (see the Tips and Tricks videos within your Package). Most candidates applying for ST4 said they actively started preparation for Interview in January. A small number started in February (using the Interview Course as their foundation). This means you should treat the Interview like an upcoming exam and devote the time that something like this deserves. This was repeatedly emphasised by our successful candidates. That means practicing with peers, preparing your answers and putting into practice all the technical skills you learnt at the Course. Put in the work to get the outcome you deserve! For trainees applying for IMT interview, the consensus was to start much earlier- from November, as soon as the Application Form was being drafted.
This specialty specific document covers the eligibility criteria as well as the desirable characteristics for a Registrar in that Specialty (i.e. what you need to demonstrate in your interview).
You can read your individual Person Specification below (we strongly recommend you do so before your interview!) but to start with, we’ve highlighted some of essential aspects that are shared across the specialties- focusing on the desirable criteria:
Clinical knowledge & expertise:
This encompasses a deep understanding of diseases, medical conditions, treatment protocols, and evidence-based practice. It involves both theoretical knowledge and practical application in patient care.
Academic skills:
This might include abilities related to research, teaching, and continuous learning. It often involves skills in critical appraisal, understanding medical literature, and contributing to the scientific community through research and education.
Personal skills:
This is a broad category that usually includes interpersonal skills, professionalism, empathy, resilience, and the ability to work effectively within a team. It’s about how well a doctor interacts with patients, colleagues, and the wider healthcare system.
Communication Skills:
Management and Leadership Skills:
Organisation and Planning:
Specialty Specific Person Specification links:
Renal ST4
Respiratory ST4
Dermatology ST3
Endocrinology ST4
Rheumatology ST4
Neurology ST4
Geriatrics ST4
Haematology ST4
For ST3/ST4 applicants:
We had many attendees do this last year. Both IMT3s and Fellows.
For IMT3s applying through HEE: Interview courses are ‘desirable’/’aspirational’ category and so you should follow the protocols in your Deanery. This can take time so please apply early as it needs to be submitted to your School before the Course date to be processed.
For Fellows: Most Hospitals have an education fund that is managed by your Training Director and many Fellows successfully applied for this. Don’t ask, don’t get!
For IMT applicants:
For FY2s applying through HEE: You are allowed one “Course aligned to career intentions for entry into relevant specialties”. The Course Code is FND0013. Again, please apply early for this as it must be submitted BEFORE the Course date. Click here for the full guidance.
For Fellows: Your Trust should have protected Funds to support your Study Leave needs. Speak to your Educational Supervisor and reference the HEE Foundation Course list above.
Unlike written exams, there is no single way to prepare for your ST4 interview. That’s abundantly clear when you hear the Interviews of the successful applicants from previous years- no two stories are the same. However, there are some common themes that suggest preparation was incredibly important to them.
If there are things you can do to improve your score by 1% that can jump you several places up the rankings to get your preferred job in your preferred Deanery. And so taking the time to really understand what’s expected of you and what to expect on interview day is the first step in ensuring you do meaningful preparation. Secondly, understanding which components of your CV are highest value and how to demonstrate them most effectively is crucial when you have 30 minutes to sell yourself. On the Course, we go through how to identify this for yourself and different strategies to ensure you score the points for it. Finally, practice, practice, practice- was the mantra of the highest ranking candidates we worked with, whether that’s with your Registrars, your Consultants, your friends- the more you practice the more prepared you will be to perform on the big day. If you come on the Course, we’ll go through dozens of practice stations in the Workshops and Mock Circuits and our Whatsapp groups are a great way to meet other trainees applying alongside you to buddy up with and practice after the Course using our online Vignettes.
The timeline hasn’t been published yet. Take a look at the 2021/22 timeline below and we expect similar dates this year round. Except for the interview dates- these can vary significantly. They are usually released around February time and we review them on the Course so watch this space!
If you attended our Application Form Workshop we go through how to score yourself and do everything you can to avoid this situation. (Prevention is better than treatment!) But if this happens, there is an appeals process which we describe as there have been successful appeals in the past from our Candidates with their score revised- so don’t write it off!
Feel free to contact us if you’re in this situation and we’d be happy to discuss the process further with you.
Yes it is and several candidates have done it before (with multiple offers as well!). However, you should think hard if it’s best for you as it is additional time and effort commitment that you are taking away from your initial application. You will need to be especially organised about this and essentially prepared two separate applications (a copy and paste job will not cut it!) and think especially about how you will demonstrate meaningful commitment to specialty. We make special arrangements for any individuals signing up to two Optimise Interview packages so please get in touch with us early if this applies to you.
Not only is there a new station (the Med SpR station) but the running order, examiner set-up and techniques for virtual ST4 interviews differ from the old face-to-face, across the table interviews. We go through these in detail on the Course and help make