Preparing for the Ophthalmology ST1 Interview 2024

The Ophthalmology ST1 interview stands as a pivotal milestone for aspiring ophthalmologists, marking the initial step towards a fulfilling career in eye care. This is the last active stage in the ophthalmology st1 application, and success here means you’ll be ranked for a potential training number.

This highly competitive process evaluates candidates on various fronts, ranging from clinical knowledge to communication skills and personal attributes. The process has changed for 2024, and we’re all in for a surprise as to the exact format. Despite this, we’ll do our best to give you tips and advice to get yourself into the best possible position!

In this article, we explore the intricacies of the Ophthalmology ST1 interview, providing insights and tips to help candidates navigate this pivotal stage with confidence and poise.

We’ll walk you through:

Experience and Advice from High-Scoring Candidates

Dr Sean Zhou

Dr Binita Panchasara

Sean and Binita are both Ophthalmology trainees at NHS HEE East of England, having started ST1 together in 2019. They both have an interest in medical education with Binita now taking up the role of regional simulation lead, as well as clinical lead of Women in Vision UK.

Sean has taken a lead on the digital learning front both on a regional level as a HEE Blended Learning Fellow, and on a national scale as the Professional Development Lead on the Digital Learning Subcommittee of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists.

They’ve combined their passion for medical education and helped many applicants since setting up their bespoke course EyePrep in 2019 with other fantastic colleagues in the region. If you want to gain an edge when it comes to your OST application and interview, book a course with EyePrep.

Key Documents

OST Recruitment Timeline

Check the schedule for crucial dates during the selection process on the recruitment timetable. The timetable is also accessible in the resources section on the National Ophthalmology website.

The Severn deanery site gives 2 dates for the evidence folder feedback – 21st Feb or 23rd Feb – depending on which page you look at. We have confirmed with Severn PGME that it will be sometime between these dates:

The Interview Format

The assessment will be conducted virtually on 15th March 2024 – so you’ll be in front of your webcam rather than in a meeting room.

Candidates must book slots through Oriel, and availability is on a first-come, first-served basis. In other words, the earlier you book or request an interview slot, the higher the likelihood of securing your preferred time, as slots may fill up quickly.

 The interview aims to evaluate both knowledge and communication skills through the two stations.

Interview Stations

The interview will be conducted in two phases, which can be done in any order – be prepared to start on either section.

The total interview time is around 45 minutes, which will include:

The debrief will be your chance to talk to one of the consultant assessors and to ask questions or provide feedback.

Duration: Up to 10 mins

This component is an assessment of clinical knowledge that involves engaging in a patient consultation with an actor in a medical scenario. The actor will be taking the role of either a patient or a carer for a patient.

You’ll have two assessors who will score you – see below for the mark scheme. You won’t be able to see or hear the assessors – you will deal solely with the simulated patient/carer.

We go into more detail on the clinical station questions below.

Duration: Up to 10 mins

This component assesses the candidate’s ability to handle challenging communication or ethical scenarios. Again, this will involve an actor playing patient or carer. The simulated patient will be communicating with you and it’s your job to communicate the best you can through a difficult communication or ethical scenario.

You’ll have two assessors watching your performance, but you won’t be able to see or hear them.

Take a look at the interview questions section for more details on the type of scenarios you can expect.

Search Interview Courses

Interview Scoring

Candidates will be scored and assessed by two assessors who will only observe their interactions during the interview sessions. They will evaluate each candidate based on predetermined criteria.

What is the scoring criteria, you ask? We have no idea.

We’ve searched far and wide across the internet, and there doesn’t appear to be a hint at how marking works for the ophthalmology interview, which is a shame as this makes the “40%” mark quite confusing to obtain.

All we can say here is to do your best and cross your fingers! 🤞

Feedback will be provided in stages throughout the selection process, with distinct release dates for feedback on the evidence folder and feedback from the online assessment.

If you manage to score 40% or more at this stage, you will move to the final stage of application, whereby you will be given a mark out of 100 based on:

• Evidence folder – Max 50 points
• Online assessment – Max 30 points
• MSRA – Max 20 points

So, your interview score will count for 30% of your final mark.

Remaining candidates will be ranked based on this final score, with offers being given based on this ranking (e.g. if 100 places are available, the top 100 will initially recieve offers, with #101 being offered a place if someone in the top 100 declines, and so on).

What to Wear During The Interview

Now, forgive us for telling you what to wear.

Although there is no certain reference to the dress code for this interview, you will no doubt be seen negatively if you look unprofessional. This is absolutely your call, and to say that you should be aiming for “corporate beige” with no added personality is an old-fashioned view. That being said, some of your assessors may have old-fashioned views and could mark you down for your appearance due to unconscious bias.

The two stations are essentially telemedicine consultations and should be treated as such. Think about how you would like to present yourself to your patients, and maybe add an extra layer of professional sheen, just for good luck.

You could opt for professional attire with a formal shirt or blouse, and consider adding a blazer for a polished look. You could also choose neutral or solid colours, minimise accessories, and ensure a well-groomed appearance.

Alternatively, you could go for a onesie. ^{(maybe don’t do this)}

It is expected to make some effort for your attire, but you should still be comfortable with whatever you choose.

Interview Questions and Answers

This is where we get out our get-out-of-jail-free card again and tell you that we don’t know exactly what will be asked during the interview, especially for the clinical station.

However, there are some general topics you should be aware of, as well as a general approach to this.

Clinical Knowledge Assessment

In past years, scoring has been in favour of the clinical knowledge station. That being said, things have changed this year and we don’t have an idea of what the mark scheme will be.

In general, the questions will be related to common conditions that would often come up in an eye clinic, or emergencies that are must-know. This could include conditions such as:

Remember, however, that in the 2024 interview you will not see or hear the assessors. This means that if you’re asked any questions, it will be from the simulated patient/relative themselves. We don’t know exactly the format this will take, but it could include things like:

The interview will assess both communication and clinical knowledge. It’s important to practise your history taking and communication skills, as well as knowing how to approach presenting complaints including:

What your interviewers want is someone who is safe, knowledgeable, and competent. They want to see whether they would trust you to be their registrar, carrying out their instructions and looking after their patients.

Beyond this, there’s not much more information we can give at this stage as this is a new approach to the interview station!

Simplify Your Task

Don’t burden yourself with memorising complex definitions of conditions like “Neurofibromatosis” or “Ectopic Lens”. Go with the common conditions that you may encounter at your daily practice, Glaucoma, Cataract, Maculopathies, Retinopathies, etc.

Ensure you can explain a medical condition in simple English, without going into its mechanism of action. For Example, if you are explaining Glaucoma, you can simply say:

“Glaucoma is the rise of pressure inside the eye caused by the building up of fluid”

Prepare in a way that proves you a safe doctor for your patients who won’t miss any fundamental as well as simple cues. You should be able to recognise critical signs like a third nerve palsy, a swollen optic disc, or an RAPD (Relative Afferent Pupillary Defect), though in an online assessment you won’t necessarily have a chance to demonstrate your examination skills.

Medical Consultation – Communication & Ethics

Scenarios will be given to assess how a candidate is communicating with the patient. You will be dealing with a simulated patient or relative rather than an assessor.

There are various scenarios that you could come across here – the important thing is to be able to show that you’re proficient and empathetic communicator who can confidently deal with difficult communication or ethical situations.

 These scenarios could include:

To crack these stations, adopting skills like Building Rapport, Active listening, and demonstrating empathy are paramount.

Building Rapport establishes a positive connection with the patient. It fosters trust and comfort in the communication process.

Listening actively ensures a thorough understanding of the patient’s concerns, allowing for accurate and empathetic responses.

Empathy, in particular, is crucial for demonstrating understanding and support. This makes patients feel heard and valued.

Online Materials & Resources

There is plenty out there that can help you to prepare for your ophthalmology interview. You just need to know where to look.

Something new is happening over at iPrepBuddy – an AI tool that you can interact with to practise your communication and interview skills, with personalised feedback. It’s only £5, and there are a good number of scenarios tailored to ophthalmology exam topics.

Conclusion

Securing a spot in Ophthalmology ST1 is a challenging yet doable process that requires dedication and strategic planning. Understanding the application process and preparing well are your secret weapons.

As you step into the interview room, let your passion for Ophthalmology shine.

I hope your hard work pays off, and you do great in this exciting opportunity. Best of luck!