About this course
The Oxford Medical ST & CT Interview Course is designed to help you stand out from the crowd and secure success in competitive specialist and core training interviews. Delivered by experienced NHS Consultants in small groups (maximum 6 delegates), the course prepares doctors for CT1, ACCS, IMT, ST1, and most ST3+ interviews using station-based assessment formats.
Competition for training posts is intense. In 2024, there was an average of 4.7 applications per available post, with some specialties seeing much higher ratios (Cardiothoracic Surgery ST1 had over 45 applicants per post). Effective interview preparation is essential to stand out and become the successful candidate.
Over one interactive day, you will learn how to identify your unique strengths and selling points, deliver structured and flexible answers to interview questions, handle challenging topics (management, leadership, ethics, current NHS issues), and adopt the mindset to perform at your best. Key outcomes include:
- Understand the purpose, aims and structure of CT, ST, ACCS and IMT interviews
- Identify your areas of strength and how to capitalise on them
- Deliver effective, knowledgeable answers using a structured approach
- Handle exceptional responses to challenging questions on management, leadership, ethics and current NHS issues
- Turn difficult questions into ones that sell your strengths
- Develop the correct mindset to perform at your best
The course includes a live 1-day classroom session with mock interviews (video-recorded, optional), a comprehensive 124-page ST/CT Medical Interview Guide (digital), and access for 1 year to ST/CT Interview Online Preparation materials (2 hours of NHS & UK Medical Regulation video tutorials and an interview preparation online library of curated resources). Every candidate receives an individual mock interview with constructive, personalised feedback. You receive 6 CPD points for the 1-day course and 2 additional CPD points for completing the online materials (8 CPD points total).
