The journey to obtaining full GMC Registration with a licence to practice requires hard work, determination and passion. So, when the time comes to begin applying for NHS posts, it is a rather exciting time. However, it is essential that you are prepared well so you can demonstrate to the hospital that you are the perfect doctor for the job available.
An interview is not just about reciting well-rehearsed answers to common question, it is an opportunity for a conversation between you and your prospective NHS Trust, a chance to build rapport, impress and gather essential information.
When you are preparing and sitting your interview, consider the following:
This question provides the department with the opportunity to tell you about the size of the department, the number of doctors and nurses working within it and the volume of patients seen. This will help provide you with an indication of the responsibilities and whether that meets your expectations.
Here you can get an indication into your hours, patients you will see, on-call schedule and weekend schedules and how the department is generally run.
It is important to first consider your own personal goals: What drove you into medicine? Why do you enjoy being a doctor?
Then during the interview, you can find out the department’s goals and if your goals align, how you can help work towards those goals.
This will show the department your ambition to succeed, it emphasises that you are conscious about your future career in the UK and that you indend to within that NHS Trust. It is always a good idea to be aware about progression opportunities as you do not want to later realise that there is no scope to move up.
Asking this will show that you want to develop your skills and you are striving to succeed within your new NHS role.
Some HR departments take a while to get back to you, so by asking this it can give you a rough idea of when you should expect to hear by and save you from excessively checking your emails. It is also a good neutral question to end on as it is a good way to draw the interview to a close.
By asking this question, you will get a great insight into the induction period and it will allow the department to discuss the job role with you with specifics such as the supernumary rora.
If you are a senior doctor with CESR secondments as part of your job, this will usually happen after the first 12 months and so, it gives the hospital a chance to mention this. Depending on what the hospital offers you, it will usually help you decide whether this opportunity is for you.
Most doctors are ALS/BLS providers and you will need to have the required qualification. Some doctors have a true passion for it and hospitals will give those docotrs the chance to explore this. If not, this question could be interpreted as "Could I take these courses as a student?" so, the hospital will see it as something positive. either way.
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