A complete guide to preparing for your CST and ST1/ST3






Surgical training is highly competitive and requires preparation, dedication and an understanding of the principles of selection.



Your application will be evaluated across a range of competences according to objective criteria, with selection based primarily on your:




surgical portfolio – evidence of relevant experience and achievements to date, which is used to demonstrate your suitability for a role
surgical interview – a range of ‘stations’ designed to assess specific areas of the selection criteria


This book is a practical guide to help you build an impressive portfolio and deliver a quality performance at interview. It offers key advice on these two areas of assessment, as follows:







The surgical portfolio:




Advice on where to start and how to maximise the benefit you gain from each opportunity.
Each portfolio domain is discussed in turn, explaining the context and rationale and providing a guide to maximising your performance in each area.
Example opportunities are provided for you to pursue to help to adapt your experience to the specific assessment criteria.







The surgical interview:




Understand the rationale behind the questioning to help you tailor your answers to maximise scoring.
Answer templates with key guidance to help you provide effective answers based on your portfolio experiences.
Guidance on contemporary surgical topics to help you with discussion and debate.