Medical Leadership and Management Skills for Doctors

Medical team discussing at a table in hospital.

Medical Leadership & Management Skills For Doctors Written by Medset | Updated 8th Nov 2024 Contents Introduction In today’s healthcare landscape, doctors are increasingly required to possess leadership and management […]

Teach The Teacher Courses – The Complete Guide

Senior doctor teaching students on an accredited Train The Trainers course

Training the Trainers, Train the Trainer, and Teach the Teachers are all various names for the same course which aims to develop the teaching and training skills of professionals who are not formal teachers or educators…

OST – Application Guide 2025

Doctor learning how to prepare for the OST interview

The Ophthalmic Specialty Training programme is a competitive 7-year training programme towards a certificate of completion of training (CCT) to become a Consultant Ophthalmologist. With a competition ratio of 9.91, this may appear daunting at first glance, but understanding the selection criteria and early preparation is key to a successful application. The national recruitment process has traditionally been led by the Severn deanery and you should regularly check their website for updates on the evidence folder requirements and the recruitment timeline.

CST – Application Guide 2025

Surgical team performing an operation in theatre.

The CST Application process commences around November each year when the self-assessment scoring criteria (or ‘portfolio’) is released and applications can be submitted via Oriel. Applicants typically spend a year or two perfecting their portfolios ahead of submission, as it’s the only domain where you can guarantee marks. That being said, having a weaker portfolio by no means precludes from securing a CST place.

Core Surgical Training (CST) Portfolio Guide – 2024/25

Surgeons performing operation in hospital theatre.

The Core Surgical Training Self-Assessment, commonly referred to as the ‘CST Portfolio’ accounts for 30% of an applicant’s points. The 2024 guide has just been released.

In this article, we demystify the portfolio, break down each section and explain how points can be maximised ahead of submission. The full portfolio can be found here.

How I Scored 100% At My ST3 Interview

Doctor learning how to study for the MSRA examination with a course and question bank

The key reason I scored 100% at ST3 interview is that I used a great answer framework. The difference that separates the best candidates from everyone else is not what they know, but how they communicate. The secret to effective communication at interview is using the right answer framework.

General Surgery ST3 – Application Guide 2025

Doctors learning how to prepare for the General Surgery ST3 Interview on a course

General Surgery is a 6-year training programme. Recruitment in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is managed through a nationally coordinated process by the London and Kent, Surrey and Sussex Deaneries. The process involves an application, portfolio submission and interview.