INTERVIEWS
CST
Online Resources
Portfolio Station
Providing you with crucial tips to maximise your points on Portfolio, this resource is a must have.
Management Station
Providing you with key resources to help you ace the management station, including:
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Station layout
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Past Presentation questions
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Over 20 mock scenarios
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Gold standard answers for each scenario (as created and peer reviewed by our elite team)
Don't miss out on all those nuances the examiners like to look out for!
Clinical Station
Providing you with key information to tackle the clinical station, including:
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Station layout
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Over 30 mock scenarios
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Gold standard answers for each scenario (as created and peer reviewed by our elite team)
Help yourself stand out from the crowd with this must-have resource!
Sample Question
A 78-year-old woman has presented to A&E with a 12-hour history of worsening severe epigastric abdominal pain.
She has vomited six times. The patient is found to be tachycardic and febrile.
The A&E registrar is keen for you to make a quick decision whether this is a surgical problem or otherwise.
upcoming Courses
Saturday 8th January 2022
(Limited Spaces)
This course will be held virtually in-keeping with the real interview.
If you don't make it onto the course we will also be running a few 1-to-1 virtual mentoring sessions, in the style of our course and the interview. (Will be live once the course sells out - Limited Spaces)
Application Timeline
& Key Dates
Core Surgical Training Applications are part of a national process. The recruitment office for these positions is Health Education England - London and Kent, Surrey & Sussex (KSS).
London & KSS are recruiting for all posts on behalf of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Timeline and Key Dates as outlined in the 2022 Core Surgical Training CT1/ST1 Supplementary Applicant Handbook, on the Oriel Vacancy.
Recruitment for Core Surgical Training (CST) follows the below timeline:
Activity | Dates |
|---|---|
Advert appears | Tuesday 2nd November 2021 |
Applications open | At 10:00 on Thursday 4th November 2021 |
Applications close | At 16:00 on Wednesday 1st December 2021 |
Evidence upload portal opens | Friday 10th December 2021 |
Evidence upload portal closes | Thursday 30th December 2021 |
Results of evidence verification released to applicants and appeal windows open | Thursday 13th January 2022 |
Appeal window closes | Monday 17th January 2022 |
Invite to interview sent on | Tuesday 25th January 2022 |
Interview dates | Monday 7th February to Friday 18th February 2022 |
Preferences open date | Monday 7th March 2022 (Subject to change) |
Preferences close date | At 9am Monday 21st March 2022 |
Initial offers released by London & Kent, Surrey and Sussex (on behalf of all regions) | By 17:00 on Thursday 24th March 2022 |
Hold deadline | At 13:00 on Tuesday 5th April 2022 |
Upgrade deadline | At 16:00 on Monday 11th April 2022 |
Interview scoresheet release date | By 17:00 on 5th May 2022 |
Application Window (Thursday 4th November - Wednesday 1st December 2021)
The application window opens in the first week of November, and is open for just under a 4-week period, closing at the start of December.
Applications are all accessed and processed through the Oriel system. Signing up to Oriel is easy and can be done at anytime prior to the application timeframe.
The CST Application focuses on key 'essential criteria' which are outlined within the Person Specification. The Person Specification also outlines 'Desirable Criteria' which can help differentiate you from other candidates.
Ensure to carefully read the wording of the eligibility criteria and ensure that you achieved the necessary examinations, courses and competencies by the specified dates.
Evidence Window (Friday 10th December 2021 - Thursday 30th December 2021)
Applicants should ensure that they submit all relevant evidence in the requested format. Failure to comply with appropriate formats could see your evidence being rejected and subsequently losing vital points.
Appropriate evidence for each section of the Self-Assessment can be found in the Self-Assessment Guidance for Candidates.
Failure to submit evidence by the deadline may mean your application is withdrawn.
In previous years this was a 10-minute station within itself, that enabled you to discuss with the interviewers any discrepancy in scoring. Therefore you need to ensure the evidence you provide is CLEAR and CORRELATES with the appropriate Self-Assessment Score.
Interview Window (Monday 7th February - Friday 18th February 2022)
Applicants need to book their Interview Slot using their Oriel Account. These slots are first-come-first served and so take note of the 'Invite to Interview Date' - Tuesday 25th January 2022, and keep a close eye on your emails/the Oriel System on this date.
All interviews will be performed using Microsoft Teams (which can be easily downloaded here). Therefore, make yourself familiar with how this works well-before your interview date.
Offers Window (Thursday 24th March - Monday 11th April 2022)
Initial offers are made via Oriel on Thursday 24th March. Once receiving an offer you have 48 hours (excluding weekends) to accept, reject or hold the offer. Offers made after the hold deadline (Tuesday 5th April 2022) can only be accepted or rejected.
After the 48 hour expiration period or for declined offers these are then released to the next suitable applicants.
Our Vision
We believe that everyone has the ability to do what it takes to reach their goals. Core Surgical Training Interviews are a key bottleneck in the progression of Surgical training within the UK.
At ‘CST Interviews’ we aim to provide key information, tutorials and highly rated courses to provide Core Surgical Training candidates with the necessary skills and knowledge to achieve their desired Surgical Training jobs.
Blog Posts
Our Process
Using an excellent Peer Reviewed process in creation of mock questions and answers we are able to provide our candidates with easy to remember and slick responses to questions thrown to them at interview.