Recruitment to specialty training in England 2009

Authors: David Sowden 

Publication date:  10 Dec 2008

---

Professor David Sowden, senior responsible owner for Modernising Medical Careers, takes you through the application process for specialty training in England 2009

The first and main recruitment round for specialty training programmes in 2009 will be between the national opening date of 5 January and the national closing date of 22 May.

The process will be very much like 2008, with recruitment managed locally by deaneries, although there are four things that I would particularly like to draw attention to.

The first is that although there will not be a national IT system, all applications will be made electronically. There will also be a standard part 1 application form rather than doctors being faced with many different forms. The part 1 form is confirmation of eligibility details regarding entry criteria; there is also a standard equality and diversity monitoring form. This is a major improvement for junior doctors and will also allow better collection of data.

Secondly, nearly half of 2009 recruitment will be nationally coordinated by royal colleges or specialties working closely with deaneries. This will help consultants by reducing the time spent shortlisting and interviewing. It also increases the chances of appointing trainees who want to work in a particular specialty and helps achieve a higher fill rate; a key consideration for the service.

The third point is that we were able to publicise on the Modernising Medical Careers (MMC) website (www.mmc.nhs.uk) the arrangements for 2009 specialty recruitment nearly two months in advance of the national opening date. This was an improvement on last year and I hope that the more timely publication of information has allowed applicants to prepare at a rather less hectic pace than previously.

Finally, we have carried out a complete review of the person specifications—more than 100 of them—to ensure they are right up to date and consistent. My thanks to the colleges, faculties, and specialties for their help with this.

Training offers

In 2007, specialty training was offered in terms of a “run-through” programme or fixed term specialty training appointment (FTSTA). The run-through programme of three to seven years would lead eventually to a certificate of completion of training (CCT), qualifying the doctor for entry to the specialist or general practice register subject to satisfactory progress and successful attainment of required competencies and confirmed performance.

In 2009, there will be different training offers for different specialties to fit the particular needs of the specialty. These are what is known as “uncoupled”—offering, for example, a two year core training programme followed by open competition to higher specialty training. Some specialties, however, will continue to offer run-through training.

Vacancies and competition

When considering which posts, specialties, and locations to apply for, it is important for applicants to consider carefully the likely levels of competition involved and to be prepared to be flexible about their choices. Information about 2008 competition, by specialty and deanery, is available on the MMC website. These figures do not claim to show what will happen in 2009 but they offer an indication and we are predicting that competition will be broadly similar in 2009 to that in 2008.

Those who were recruited to run-through programmes will proceed to the next level, subject to satisfactory completion of the appropriate assessments and summatively assessed at the annual review of competence progression (ARCP). The number of advertised available posts will be lower in 2009 but the number of applicants is likely to be lower than 2008.

Number of available posts in 2009

We only have indicative figures because numbers will vary slightly as deaneries agree changes in training posts and existing trainees exit from training programmes. It is crucial that applicants keep looking at individual deanery websites for the very latest information.

For 2009, it is likely that there will be around 6600 posts at ST1/CT1 level and around 550 at ST2/CT2. The 2009 recruitment round at ST3 will take place after the trainees appointed to 2007 run-through programmes have been matched to higher specialty training posts. This will be complete in spring 2009 and it is unlikely that any ST3 posts will be advertised before then.

When to apply

The first and main recruitment process for specialty training in England in 2009 is between 5 January and 22 May for entry into specialty training on 5 August or thereafter.

It will be for deaneries and organisations running a nationally coordinated recruitment process to determine their own timetable for specialty recruitment within this national timeframe. Specialties will continue to recruit up until 31 December in order to fill any vacancies that remain after 22 May and any new vacancies that may arise during the year.

Deaneries must publish on their websites, a minimum of two weeks in advance, the timetable they are working to, including when applications open and close and interview dates, so you can plan your applications.

Are you eligible to apply?

You will need to hold full General Medical Council or General Dental Council registration status by the application closing date. UK and European Economic Area (EEA) nationals and doctors whose immigration status entitles them to work as a doctor in training in the United Kingdom are eligible to apply for specialty training.

Other non-UK or non-EEA nationals with limited leave to remain in the UK, whose employment will require a work permit, would only be considered if there were no suitable UK or EEA candidate for the post.

If your undergraduate training was not in English, you will need to provide written evidence of English language skills, such as a valid English Language Testing System (IELTS 7.0) certificate, which you will be required to take as an original certificate (not a copy) to any interviews or assessments you attend.

If college exams are a requirement for entry at the level to which you are applying, you must have received notification of having sat and passed the exam by the closing date of your application.

Each specialty, and the level at which you would be entering training, has a nationally agreed person specification that lists the required competencies for that specialty. When making an application, you will need to provide evidence to prove that you have achieved the required competencies. All of the 100 or so person specifications for 2009 are available on the MMC website, grouped by themed core specialties, surgical specialties, psychiatry core training, medical specialties, and run-through specialties.

Issues to consider when applying

You can make as many applications as you wish to different specialties and deaneries/units of application providing you meet all the eligibility criteria and required competencies for the post for which you are applying.

All applications for 2009 are electronic, to be completed and submitted by email or via a deanery website. Make sure you are using an email account that you can access at any time and that will not be blocked by your trust’s IT department. If you are not sure, check with your IT department at work.

Although the first part of all the local deanery application forms is the same, each deanery or unit of application will have different specialty-specific sections so give yourself enough time to prepare each application according to the requirements of each deanery.

Before you start to write anything, I strongly recommend that you:

• Read all the supporting documentation carefully—your application form is your personal marketing tool

• Gather your evidence and prepare to present it succinctly

• Do your career research—make sure you really know why you are applying for a particular specialty and what you can bring to it in terms of skills and attributes

• Plan your time—be realistic about how long it will take to complete the form

• Contact your referees at the earliest possible opportunity.

Job adverts

All posts will be advertised on each deanery website. Posts will be advertised for a minimum of 72 hours (excluding weekends and Bank Holidays).

Excluding the advertisement period, at least five days will be allowed for applications before the closing date for their receipt.

Shortlisting

Deaneries will shortlist application forms against the nationally agreed person specifications using locally designed scoring sheets. Details of the shortlisting and interview scoring scheme should be made available to you on request.

All correctly submitted applications will be considered. Those that pass the longlisting stage (which considers the eligibility criteria detailed in the person specification) will go on to be scored. Top-scoring applicants will be invited to interview.

If you are shortlisted, you will be notified about the times, dates, and venues of interviews by the relevant deanery either by email or letter. Ideally, you will be given five working days’ notice of an interview. Deaneries will only contact you if you are being invited to interview. If you have not heard by the interview date, you should assume you have not been shortlisted.

Interviews

All members of the panel will have had access to your application form. They will not, however, have access to the equal opportunities or personal data sections. Interviews should last for a minimum of 30 minutes. The structure and content of the interview will vary according to deanery, specialty, and level but could include a scenario where you are asked to respond to a clinical professional situation as well as the more traditional elements. Your invitation to attend will explain what will be required at the interview.

The MMC website has further details, such as the mix of people generally found on interview panels and lists of what you will need to prepare and take with you.

Training offers

Any training offer will usually follow soon after an interview, most likely by phone or email. You have a minimum of 48 hours (excluding weekends and Bank Holidays) to accept or decline. After the agreed deadline, the offer will expire and be deemed to have been declined.

Once you have been offered and accepted a post, you must withdraw from any other applications, interviews, or offers. Deaneries will state that any offer is made on condition that you have not accepted any other offers and will withdraw from other applications within the current recruitment phase. There are a number of exceptions to this rule and these are detailed in the applicants’ guide, which is on the MMC website. If you do not agree to these conditions, the offer will be withdrawn. The offer will also be withdrawn if it is discovered you have accepted it after already accepting another post.

If you are not successful you will be contacted by email. If you are not being offered a place but are considered appointable you may be contacted in the near future if appropriate vacancies arise.

Once you have confirmed acceptance of a training place, the deanery will match you to a specific programme or post, taking into account your training and educational needs and those of others in the programme, the workforce needs of the local NHS, and your personal preferences.

Subject to pre-employment checks, you will receive an offer of employment when this information has been confirmed. The MMC website has details about the information that will be included in the offer of employment.

Support for applicants

Your current deanery should be able to offer careers advice, in addition to advice you can get from your existing senior colleagues and mentors. Trust consultants and clinical tutors should be well informed by deaneries with up to date recruitment process details. If you are unsure about local arrangements, check your deanery website or ask for information about how to get confidential advice and support— such as details of your local occupational health department and employment assistance programmes; or the BMA’s Doctors for Doctors Unit, for example, which gives doctors the choice of speaking in confidence to another doctor about a wide variety of issues.

For doctors currently in training, the best contact points for support at the application or interview stage are your:

• Educational supervisor

• Trust careers lead

• Trust director of medical education

• Deanery careers adviser or support team.

Doctors in UK service posts should contact their:

• Clinical supervisor

• Trust director of medical education

• Deanery careers support centre.

Deaneries to which you are applying can provide useful information and the MMC team provides a national support desk via email for all England applicants to 2009 specialty training recruitment. You should approach your local deanery or the one to which you are applying in the first instance but the MMC England Helpdesk can support applicants on matters relating to national rules and policy. Email support@mmc.nhs.uk

Other sources of information and advice include the medical royal colleges, the British Medical Association, the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board, and NHS Employers.

The national MMC website contains a wealth of supporting information for applicants including the definitive applicants’ guide for those applying in 2009.

Finally, I would like to wish all applicants the best of luck as they embark on the next stage of their careers.

Please note that there are differences in the procedures for Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales and you should check the relevant websites for details if you are applying for training places there.

Some specialties are recruiting by means of a national process handled by a lead organisation on behalf of all deaneries.

Dicuss this article with other doctors on doc2doc (http://doc2doc.bmj.com/forums.html?slPage=overview&slGroupKey=231c1b9c-e406-4228-b293-6ff0d94b8c24&slAcceptInvitation=false)

David Sowden senior responsible owner Modernising Medical Careers

 Richard.Green@dh.gsi.gov.uk