Trauma & Orthopaedics ST3 Application Guide 2025

National recruitment for Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgery ST3 (T&O ST3) posts occurs every year with a highly competitive process. This guide will help prepare you for the application and interview process. Here is everything you need to know about applying for T&O ST3, including the application process, timeline, interview format, and competition ratios.

Application Process

The National Recruitment Office for ST3 Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgery is NHS England—North East and Yorkshire (formerly HEE). Applicants submit one application online using the Oriel recruitment system.

When completing the application, there are a number of multiple-choice Self-Assessment questions built into the application form. For these questions, you need to select the most appropriate response from a dropdown list. The Self-Assessment questions, the list of responses, and details of suitable evidence can be found here.

Your responses to the Self-Assessment questions will be validated against the evidence you submit following your application. Evidence to support your answers must be easily identified and follow the strict guidance given in the policy.

Recruitment Timeline

Eligibility Criteria

Essential Criteria

• Be eligible for full registration with, and hold a current license to practice from, the GMC at the time of appointment.
• Have evidence of achievement of CT/ST1 competencies in core surgery at the time of application and CT/ST2 competencies in core surgery by the time of appointment. Acceptable evidence includes a satisfactory ARCP outcome of completion of core surgical training programme or a completed Certificate of Readiness to Enter Higher Surgical Training at the time of application.
• Be eligible to work in the UK.

Desirable Criteria

Applicants should:

• Have completed a minimum of 10 months experience in Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery – can include a redeployment due to coronavirus (COVID-19) during this time.
• CT/ST1 and CT/ST2 ISCP competencies identified within the Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery curriculum and acquired within the previous 24 months.
• At least 8 months’ experience comprising 2 related specialties such as Plastic Surgery, Neurosurgery, Vascular Surgery, ENT Surgery, Cardiac/Thoracic Surgery, A&E, ITU, Urology, OMFS, General Surgery – can include a redeployment due to coronavirus during this time.

Immigration Ruling

With effect from 6 October 2019, all medical practitioners are on the Shortage Occupation List. This means that with the exception of applicants to Public Health, all specialty recruitment applicants will be exempt from the RLMT, and there will be no restriction on their employment.

Self-Assessment / Portfolio

The ST3 T&O application has a Self-Assessment Scoring System that will be used as part of the selection process. For each component, you will need to provide supporting evidence.

The T&O self-assessment covers the following domains:

1. Time since completing foundation training
2. T&O Specialty Experience
3. Related Specialty Experience (Plastic Surgery, Neurosurgery, Vascular Surgery, ENT Surgery, Cardiac/Thoracic Surgery, Emergency Medicine, ITU, Urology, OMFS, Paediatric Surgery or General Surgery)
4. Operative Experience (no. of NOF operations)
5. Publications – 1st author
6. Publications – Other
7. Presentations
8. Audits / QIPs
9. Higher Degrees
10. Leadership or Management
11. Teaching Experience
12. Organisation of Supporting Evidence

How Is The Interview Structured?

The interview will consist of a multi-station 60-minute interview, split across 4 x 10-minute stations:

Commitment To Specialty

In this station, you will be interviewed about elements of your career and experience to date. The total time allocated for the Commitment to Specialty station is ten minutes. You will be assessed independently by two interviewers scoring in each of the following domains: Career Motivation, Learning and Development; Leadership and Team Involvement; Organisation and Planning; Communication – Information Giving; Academic.

Therefore, it is essential that you prepare to answer commonly asked questions regarding the evidence you have submitted in your portfolio. The interviewers will be looking for evidence that you match the person specification domains outlined above.

N.B. Panel members will not have access to your portfolio.

Clinical

The clinical station will be based on a clinical scenario. The time allocated for the Clinical station is ten minutes. You will be assessed independently by two interviewers, scoring in each of the following domains: Technical Knowledge, Problem Solving and Decision-making; Situational Awareness; Communication – Information Gathering; Communication – Information Giving. In the past, this scenario is typically two 5-minute scenarios testing applied anatomy and clinical knowledge.

This will often involve diagrams to label as well as describing radiographs. The questions are often focused and rapidly asked to help interviewers quickly assess your technical knowledge and judgment under pressure.

Prioritisation

The prioritisation station involves a 10-minute discussion regarding reviewing patients during an on-call or prioritising a theatre list of usually 5-6 patients. This station will be a prioritisation exercise. The time allocated for this station is ten minutes. You will be assessed independently by two interviewers scoring in the following domains: Organisation and Planning; Communication – Information Gathering; Communication – Information Giving; Judgement Under Pressure; Situational Awareness.

When presented with the list of patients, you will need to gather more information regarding each patient to help you with the decision-making. Practical, real-life problems will be presented, and the interviewer will want to assess whether you have attended regular trauma meetings and theatre lists and know how to deal with common issues that arise when prioritising a theatre list or reviewing a list of patients on a busy take.

Communication

This station will be based on a scenario involving communication with a patient. You will be assessed independently by two interviewers, scoring in each of the following domains: Technical Knowledge, Situational Awareness, Judgement Under Pressure, Communication – Information Gathering, Communication – Information Giving.

How To Prepare For The Interview?

We recommend the following steps to maximise your chances of success in the interview and gaining a high rank:

1. Start early – Candidates often take weeks, months, or years to build and perfect their portfolios. However, this is only half as valuable as the interview. We recommend preparing for the interview as if it were an exam: start early (e.g., two months in advance) and work consistently.
2. Find a partner – Delivering answers that make you sound confident is a skill that can be practised. Likewise, there is a difference between knowing an answer and verbalising it in a high-pressure situation. We recommend, therefore, finding a fellow ST3 T&O candidate and practising as a pair to help both supplement your learning and practice delivering your answers confidently.
3. Study the material – Just as for an exam, study and learn common interview questions, such as those presented in this course. You will also need to familiarise yourself with common pathologies, presentations, and complications. Once you know the material back to front, you can shift your strategy to focus on confident delivery or include details which add flair to your responses.

Key Reading

• ST3 Trauma & Orthopaedic Person Specification
• Applicant Handbook
• Self-assessment scoring guidance
• ATLS guidelines
• BOAST guidelines
• Medset Trauma & Orthopaedics ST3 Interview Course

T&O Competition Ratios

In 2024, T&O ST3 had 522 applications for 164 posts, giving a competition ratio of 3.18:1. This means more than three people were applying for every post. This was an increase from the previous level in 2023 of 3.02:1.

With a high number of applicants competing every year, you need to be as prepared as possible to earn a place. The Medset Trauma & Orthopaedics ST3 course, designed by top interview performers, covers strategy, answer frameworks, practice scenarios, and everything you need to ace the interview and land your top job.