Table Of ContentCracking the General
Surgical Interviews
for ST3
Cracking the General
Surgical Interviews
for ST3
Sala Abdalla BSc MBBS FRCS (Gen Surg)
Consultant General and Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeon
London North West University Healthcare Trust
Amber Shivarajan BMedSci BMBS MRCS
Specialty Training Registrar—ST3
South East London General Surgery Training Programme
Kaushiki Singh BSc MBBS MRCS
Specialty Training Registrar—ST4
South East London General Surgery Training Programme
F irst edition published 2022
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L ibrary of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Abdalla, Sala, author. | Shivarajan, Amber, author. | Singh, Kaushiki, author.
Title: Cracking the general surgical interviews for ST3 / Sala Abdalla, Amber Shivarajan, Kaushiki Singh.
Description: First edition. | Boca Raton : CRC Press, 2022. | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identif ers: LCCN 2021040178 (print) | LCCN 2021040179 (ebook) | ISBN 9781032073262 (paperback) |
ISBN 9781032118352 (hardback) | ISBN 9781003221739 (ebook)
Subjects: MESH: General Surgery—education | Education, Medical, Graduate | Interviews as Topic—methods |
United Kingdom
Classif cation: LCC RD27.85 (print) | LCC RD27.85 (ebook) | NLM WO 18 | DDC 617.0071—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021040178
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2021040179
I SBN: 978-1-032-11835-2 (hbk)
I SBN: 978-1-032-07326-2 (pbk)
I SBN: 978-1-003-22173-9 (ebk)
DOI: 10.1201/9781003221739
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Contents
Foreword ................................................................................................................... ix
Preface. ...................................................................................................................... xi
About the Authors ...................................................................................................xiii
Acknowledgments .................................................................................................... xv
F ormat of the Interview ......................................................................................... xvii
Chapter 1 Portfolio Station ................................................................................... 1
The Person Specif cation ...................................................................... 1
The Portfolio ........................................................................................ 2
The Format of the Portfolio Station ..................................................... 3
Adjustments to Points .................................................................. 6
Portfolio Presentation .................................................................. 6
Changes Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic .................................. 7
A Note on Probity ........................................................................ 7
The Mark Sheet ........................................................................... 7
Portfolio Station—Example Questions ................................................ 7
Answering Questions about Your Background
and Motivation ........................................................................ 9
Competency-Based Questions ..................................................... 9
Hot Topics and Themes ..............................................................10
Audit ....................................................................................................10
Research ..............................................................................................12
Clinical Governance ............................................................................13
Evidence-Based Medicine ...................................................................13
Teaching ..............................................................................................14
Teamwork and Communication ..........................................................14
Leadership ...........................................................................................15
Some of the Challenges Facing the Surgeon Today ............................15
C hapter 2 Clinical Station ..................................................................................17
About This Station ..............................................................................17
How to Tackle This Station .................................................................17
Managing the Scenario of the “Unwell Patient on the Ward” or
“Unwell Patient in A&E” ...............................................................18
Clinical Scenarios ...............................................................................18
Managing the Scenario of a “Trauma Call” ....................................... 26
Clinical Scenarios .............................................................................. 27
Managing the Scenario of a “Patient in Clinic” ................................. 36
Clinical Scenarios .............................................................................. 36
v
vi Contents
Chapter 3 Clinical Management Station .......................................................... 45
About This Station ..............................................................................45
How to Tackle This Station .................................................................45
Clinical Management Scenarios ........................................................ 46
Prioritization and Communication ......................................................55
How to Tackle This Station .................................................................55
Prioritization Scenarios ...................................................................... 56
Chapter 4 Academic Station .............................................................................. 59
Evidence-Based Medicine ...................................................................59
Levels of Evidence ............................................................................. 60
Study Designs ..................................................................................... 60
Systematic Review ..................................................................... 60
Meta-Analysis ............................................................................ 60
Randomized Control Trials ....................................................... 60
Observational Study....................................................................61
Study Reporting Guidelines ................................................................61
Critical Appraisal of Research ............................................................62
Chapter 5 Technical Skills Station. ................................................................... 65
Chapter 6 Ethics Station .................................................................................... 73
Capacity ...............................................................................................73
Conf ict of Opinion..............................................................................74
Consent ................................................................................................74
Who Should Seek Consent .........................................................75
Written Consent ..........................................................................75
Steps in Obtaining Informed Consent ........................................76
Material Risk—Montgomery Test ......................................................76
An Adult Patient Who Lacks Capacity (Non-competent Adult) ........ 77
Consent in an Underage Patient (0–18 Years) .................................... 77
Gillick Competency ................................................................... 77
Caring for Patients Who Refuse Blood Transfusions (Jehovah’s
Witness) ..........................................................................................78
Emergency Management of a JW Patient ...................................78
Emergency Treatment of JW Children .......................................79
Duty of Candour ..................................................................................79
Ethics Scenario ................................................................................... 80
Chapter 7 Interview Technique and Tips ........................................................ 83
Preparation Is Key .............................................................................. 83
Familiarize Yourself with Person Specif cation and Competencies
Expected ........................................................................................ 83
Write Down Some of Your Answers .................................................. 83
Contents vii
Practice Your Answers ....................................................................... 83
Follow All Pre-Interview Instructions and Be Punctual .................... 83
Dress for Success ................................................................................ 84
Body Language .................................................................................. 84
Delivery of Your Answers .................................................................. 84
Build Rapport with the Interviewer ................................................... 84
Video Interviews during the COVID-19 Pandemic ........................... 84
Bibliography ........................................................................................................... 87
Index ........................................................................................................................89
Foreword
P reparation for interview for specialty training in general surgery can be quite
daunting. There is a paucity of information on how best to approach this important
event, and there are no formal guidelines on how best to prepare.
C racking the general surgical interviews for ST3 is unique, for it provides a
comprehensive framework for future trainees to work with. This book is elegantly
written by three young surgeons at different spectra of their surgical careers,
hence covering all aspects of the interview process and offering an insight into the
interviewers’ perspective. The interview process has changed over the years, and
having three surgeons at different stages of their careers provides a wholesome
perspective of what is expected of the potential candidate.
T he authors have diligently addressed every aspect of the ST3 interview process
in a logical manner and offered practical advice at each station. The section on the
portfolio station provides a platform for future candidates to model their curriculum
vitaes on. The clinical sections are exemplary and cover a wide breadth of surgical
conditions with an in-depth mini revision quality. Additionally, the authors have
provided an outline of the mandatory courses that the candidates need to have
attended and how the learning points from those courses can be integrated into
clinical practice. There is an exhaustive section on ethics and how to manage the
patient with learning diff culties; questions on safeguarding are a common pitfall for
candidates. The f nal section on preparation for the interview during the COVID era
is in keeping with present times.
T his book is an instructive read for future candidates, especially overseas
graduates who are not familiar with the system. It helps allay the element of fear of
the unknown and enables the candidate to approach the interview with conf dence.
This excellent book will be a good read for those who conduct the interviews too as
it offers structure and an idea of the applicants’ perspective of the interview process.
T hrough this book, the authors have equipped future applicants for ST3 in general
and vascular surgery with the knowledge, structure and conf dence that are needed
to succeed in their quest.
T ayo Oke MMedSci, FRCS (Gen Surg), FRCS (Ed)
Consultant Colorectal Surgeon
Q ueen Elizabeth Hospital, London
ix
