Specialty

Level

Plan A

Plan B

ACCS Emergency Medicine

ST1

Shortlisting
All eligible applicants will sit the MSRA for the first time

Interviews
Online interview of 30 minute duration

Ranking and Offers
Applicants will be ranked and offered using an overall assessment score
Overall assessment score comprises MSRA and interview scores

Applicants will be ranked and offered on the basis of MSRA scores alone

Anaesthetics

CT1

Shortlisting
Use of the MSRA for the first time

Interview
Online interview of 30 minutes in duration

Ranking and Offers
Applicants will be ranked and offered based on the interview and MSRA scores

As Plan A but with one assessor per interview

Cardiothoracic Surgery

ST1 ST3

Shortlisting
Applications will be scored by three assessors, independently.  This is in line with normal shortlisting process for the specialty.

Verification of shortlisting scores is normally carried out at interview.  As interviews will be remote in 2021, the recommendation is that the quality checking is undertaken before shortlisting scores are finalised.  Applicants who score above the cut off point (based on interview capacity) and an additional 15% of applicants will be asked to provide evidence to support their shortlisting score

Interview
Single panel online interview of 30 minutes in duration
Each interview will have 4 assessors

Ranking and Offers
Applicants will be ranked and offered on the basis of an overall selection score comprising the verified shortlisting and interview scores

As Plan A

Due to the small number of interviews required, it is felt that the process will be deliverable in any circumstance

Clinical Radiology

ST1

Shortlisting
As per normal practice, the MSRA will be used for shortlisting and will contribute to a third of the overall selection score

Verification of self assessment scores will be used in addition, which will be undertaken prior to the interview day and will contribute to the final selection score

Interviews
Single interview station of 10 minutes in duration

Ranking and Offers
Final selection score will be a combination of MSRA, verified self assessment and interview
The top scoring applicants in the MSRA will bypss the interview stage

Applicants will be scored and ranked using the MSRA (50%) and verified self assessment (50%)

Community Sexual and

Reproductive Medicine

ST1

Shortlisting
MSRA will be used to provide a ranking for inviting applicants to interview, as in previous years

Interviews
Interviews will be held online and will be 20 minutes in duration
Applicants will be ranked and offered posts based on thier interview score

MSRA will be used to rank applicants for shortlisting as in Plan A

Interview scoring domains will be incorporated into the 2021 CSRH application form.  Where delivery of online interviews becomes impossible, responses to these questions in the application form will be scored and the overall score will be used to rank and offer applicants

A minimum of three consultants will be used to score each application form

Core Psychiatry Training

CT1

Applicants will be assessed and ranked solely on their performance in the MSRA

Applicants will be assessed and ranked solely on their performance in the MSRA

Core Surgical Training

CT1

Shortlisting
Unverified self assessment .  Self assessment score will not contribute to the final assessment score
Unverified self assessment has been advertised as the means for shortlisting in previous years, for instances where applicant numbers exceed interview capacity

Interview
Verified self assessment will contribute to 33% of the final selection score.  Only shortlisted applicants (and 15% below the cut off) will have their evidence verified
Single online interview station of 10 minutes in duration

Ranking and Offers
Overall selection score will be made up of verified self assessment score, and interview score.  Applicants will be ranked and offered on the basis of the overall selection score

Applicants will be assessed and ranked on the basis of the verified self assessment score
As with Plan A, only shortlisted applicants (and those 15% below the cut off) will have their evidence verified

General Practice

ST1

Applicants will be assessed and ranked solely on their performance in the MSRA

Applicants will be assessed and ranked solely on their performance in the MSRA

Histopathology

ST1

Shortlisting
Shortlisting will be undertaken using verified self assessment
Application numbers have meant that shortlisting has not been needed previously, so a self assessment scoring criteria will need to be developed

Interviews
Single interview station of 30 minutes in duration

Ranking and Offers
Applicants will receive an overall selection score comprising both the verified self assessment and interview scores
Applicants will be ranked and offered based on thier overall selection score

Applicants will be ranked and offered based solely on their verified self assessment score

Internal Medicine Training

CT1

Shortlisting
Unverified self assessment which has been used by the PSRO since 2010 when interview capacity has been insufficient to interview all eligible applicants
Hope to have sufficient interivew capacity to interview all eligible applicants.  Where this is not possible, only the very low scorers will not be invited to interview

Interview
Online interview expected to be 20 to 25 minutes in duration
Appointability will be decided in a similar way to now, requiring a set score across all questions and a minimum performance in all to be appointable

Offers
As per current method, interview scores will be weighted according to importance to give an overall score used for ranking and offers
The unverified self assessment score will be used for tie breaking only

Applicants will be ranked and assessed using their self assessment score

Verified self assessment will require applicants to submit their evidence, as this had not been a requirement of the Plan A proposal.  This evidence will be verified by a single assessor

In addition, application form questions on commitment to and suitability for specialty will be scored

Ranking
Weighting will be applied to self assessment scoring domains in accordance with their predictive validity for interview performance
This will be combined with the application form score to provide a final assessment score which will be used for ranking

Neurosurgery

ST1 & ST2

Application and Shortlisting
All applicants will sit the MSRA
All longlisted applications will be shortlisted and scored 
White space questions will be added into the applicaton form to cover understanding of/commitment to specialty and will be scored as part of the shortlisting process
Raw shortlisting score and MSRA are scaled to produce a combined shortlisting score
Combined shortlisting/MSRA score will be used to rank applicants and fill interview capacity

Interviews
Interviews will be conducted digitally
Interviews will be a single 30 minute process

Offers
Applicants will be ranked and appointed based upon their weighted interview score, which includes the weighted shortlist/MSRA score

Applicants will be ranked and appointed based on their combined shortlist/MSRA score only

Obstetrics and Gynaecology

ST1

O&G have used the MSRA as 25% of overall selection score for a number of years.  MSRA score will be used to shortlist out the lowest scoring applicants and bypass the highest scoring applicants to offer stage.  The bypass score will be determined using data from previous recruitment years

For those that pass the MSRA but do not reach the bypass score, assessment will be based on MSRA score and a 15 minute online interview

Applicants will be ranked and appointed based on their MSRA score alone

Ophthalmology

ST1

Shortlisting
All eligible applicants will sit the MSRA
The MSRA results will be used to reduce the number of applicants for interview

Interviews
Remote online patient consultation

Applicants will be asked to upload a portfolio of evidence for scoring by clinicians

Offers and Ranking
Assessment score will be combined of MSRA score, portfolio of evidence and online patient consultation

Applicants would be ranked and appointed based on an assessment score made up of MSRA and portfolio scores

Oral and Maxillo Facial Surgery

ST1 ST3

All eligible applicants will be invited to interview

Applicants will be assessed using verified self assessment and an online interview. 

Applicants will be assessed and ranked using their verified self assessment score

Paediatrics

ST1 

Shortlisting
Use of the MSRA for the first time
Scoring of white space questions in the application form

Interview
Single interview panel of 25 minutes in duration

Ranking and Offers
Applicants will have an overall assessment score comprising of the MSRA, scoring of white space application questions and the online interview. Applicants will be ranked and offered based on the overall assessment score

Use of the MSRA and scoring of white space application questions to create an overall assessment score. 

Public Health Medicine

ST1

Shortlisting
Assessment centre via Pearson Vue consisting of verbal and numerical reasoning and a situational judgement test

Interview
Single panel interview of 30 minutes in duration

Shortlisting
As in Plan A

Interview
As in Plan A, but reduce the number of interview panel members from two to one

Specialty

Level

Plan A

Plan B

Anaesthetics

ST3

Shortlisting
Verified self assessment will be used for shortlisting

Interviews
Online interview of 30 minutes in duration

Ranking and Offers
Applicants will be ranked and offered based on an overall assessment score
Overall assessment score comprises verified self assessment and interview

As Plan A but with one assessor per interview

Chemical Pathology

ST3

Shortlisting
Shortlisting via white box questions in the application form

Interviews
30 minute digital interview

Selection score will be based on interview score alone

As Plan A due to low application numbers

Clinical Oncology

ST3

Shortlisting
Shortlisting will be undertaken using verified self assessment

Interview
Online interview of 30 minutes in duration, via a single panel

Ranking and Offers
Applicants will receive an overall selection score comprising their verified self assessment and interview scores.
Applicants will be ranked and offered on the basis of their overall selection score

Applicants will be ranked and offered on the basis of the verified self assessment score alone

Diagnostic Neuropathology

ST3

Assessment via single panel online interview

Assessment via shortlisting scores, with evidence verified by assessors

Shortlisting has always been used

Emergency Medicine

ST3 ST4

Shortlisting
Verified self assessment will be used for shortlisting.  Emergency Medicine has not previously used self assessment so scoring domains will need to be created by the recruitment steering group

Interviews
Each shortlisted applicant will have a 20 minute online interview
The verified self assessment scores will contribute to the total score used to determine appointability and ranking as it will replace some elements of the  portfolio station

Appointability will be calculated using verified self assessment scores only

General and Vascular Surgery

ST3

Shortlisting
Top scoring 290 applicants on unverified self assessment will be asked to submit evidence for verification.  Any applicant ranked 291 or below will be shortlisted out
Top 250 applicants, following self assessment verification will be invited to interview

Interview capacity
Digital interview
Total interview time - 35 minutes

Applicants will be ranked and offered on the basis of the verified self assessment score (all domains) alone

Intensive Care Medicine

ST3

Shortlisting
Where application numbers exceed interview capacity, shortlisting will be undertaken using verified self assessment

Interviews
Single online interview of 30 minutes in duration

Offers and Ranking
The final assessment will be comprised of both the interview and verified self assessment scores.  The overall assessmetn score will be used to rank and offer applicants

Verified self assessment using the same process as in Plan A.
Score will be used to shortlist applicants to a manageable number

Online interviews still to take place, but the number of interviews run per day to be reduced to ensure there are enough interviewers.  May take longer to deliver interviews, but timeline has been extended

Medicine

ST3

Shortlisting
Where application numbers exceed interview capacity, shortlisting will be undertaken using verified self assessment
Where application numbers significantly exceed interview capacity, those applicants that score an agreed amount of points below the cut off will not have their evidence verified

Interviews
Will be undertaken online via a single panel. 

Offers and Ranking
Appointability will require a set score across all questions and a minimum performance in all
80% of the overall assessment score comes from weighted interview scores (each specialty decides on their weighting of question areas) and 20% from the verified self assessment score

Applicants will be assessed and ranked based on verified self assessment and application review
Application forms will be scored predominantly on commitment to and suitability for specialty; scored by a minimum of one clinician, but ideally by two

Ranking and Offers
Weighting will be applied to self assessment scoring domains in accordance with their predictive validtiy for interview performance
This will be combined with the application form score to provide a final assessment score which will be used for ranking

Nuclear Medicine

ST3

RECRUITS WITH CLINICAL RADIOLOGY THROUGH A SHARED PROCESS

Shortlisting
As per normal practice, the MSRA will be used for shortlisting and will contribute to a third of the overall selection score

Verification of self assessment scores will be used in addition, which will be undertaken prior to the interview day and will contribute to the final selection score

Interviews
Single interview station of 10 minutes in duration

Ranking and Offers
Final selection score will be a combination of MSRA, verified self assessment and interview

Applicants will be ranled and offered on MSRA (one third), verified self assessment (one third) and single panel interview (one third)

Obstetrics and Gynaecology

ST3

Shortlisting
Traditional shortlisting using white box questions to shortlist all applicants. 

Interviews
Online interview lasting 25 minutes

Delay the interview process until a time that it is possible to deliver online interviews

Occupational Medicine

ST3

Shortlisting
Shortlisting will be undertaken using verified self assessment

Interviews
Single panel online interview of 45 minutes in duration

Ranking and Offers
Applicants will be ranked using their interview and verified self assessment scores

Applicants will be assessed using their verified self assessment score

In addition, applicants would be sent a prioritisation exercise which they would need to complete and upload with their self assessment evidence

Ranking and Offers
Applicants would be ranked on the basis of their verified self assessment score and prioritisation score

Ophthalmology

ST3

Shortlisting
It is hoped that all eligible applicants can progress to the interview stage.  However, where applicant numbers exceed interview capacity, the application form content will be used for shortlisting, in line with previous years

Interviews
Remote online patient consultation

Applicants will be asked to upload a portfolio of evidence for scoring by clinicians

Offers and Ranking
Assessment score will be combined of application form , portfolio of evidence and online patient consultation

Applicants will be assessed and ranked based on portfolio score with scoring for additional question taken from the application form

Otolaryngology

ST3

Shortlisting
Shortlisting will be undertaken using verified self assessment
Interview capacity of 80 interviews, so only the 120 top self assessment scores will be verified

Interviews
Online interview of 30 minutes in duration
Assessment score will consist of both interview score and the verified self assessment score

Applicants will be assessed and ranked using their verified self assessment score

Paediatric and Perinatal Pathology

ST3

Assessment via single panel online interview

Assessment via single panel online interview

Paediatric Cardiology

ST4

Shortlisting
Each application will be scored using normal shortlisting scoring and process
Shortlisting cut off will be determined by interview capacity, but applicants must score a minimum of 50 out of 100 to be eligible for invitation to interview

Interview
Single online interview of 30 minutes in duration

Due to the low number of applicants and interviews, it is felt that Plan A will be deliverable in any instance

Paediatric Surgery

ST3

Shortlisting
Shortlisting will be undertaken using verified self assessment

Interviews
Single panel online interview of 30 minutes in duration

Ranking and Offers
Applicants will be ranked using their interview and verified self assessment scores

Applicants will be assessed and ranked using their verified self assessment score

Paediatrics

ST3 ST4

Shortlisting
Scoring against white space application form questions

Interview
Online interview of 25 minutes in duration

Ranking and Offers
Applicants will receive an overall assessment score comprising white space question score (50%) and interview score (50%) on which they are ranked and offered posts

Applicants will be ranked and offered on their white space application form question score only

Plastic Surgery

ST3

Shortlisting
Shortlisting will be undertaken using verified self assessment

Interview
Online interview undertaken via a single panel of 30 minutes in duration

Ranking and Offers
An overall selection score will be generated, comprised of the verified self assessment and interview scores
Applicants will be ranked and offered on the basis of the overall selection score

Applicants will be ranked and offered on the basis of the verified self assessment score alone

Psychiatry

ST4

No shortlisting.  All eligible applicants will be progressed through the process, even if there is an increase in application numbers.
Those failing CASC in January 2021 will be removed from the process once the exam results are known

Selection process will be :
Verified self assessment
Online interview (15 minutes)
CASC score (adjusted to be comparable between exam diets)

Selection score would be made up of verified self assessment score and CASC exam score

Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery

ST3

Shortlisting
Shortlisting will be undertaken using verified self assessment
Available interview capacity will determine the shortlisting cut off score

Interviews
Online interviews of 30 minutes

Assessment and ranking of applicants will be via verified self assessment score

Urology

ST3

Application and Self Assessment
Verified self assessment will be used to reduce numbers to meet interview capacity. 

Interviews
Interviews will be conducted digitally
Interviews will be a single 30 minute process

Offers
Applicants will be ranked and appointed based upon their combined self assessment and interview score
Cut off score will be determined by the modifed ANGOFF method as used in previous years.

Applicants will be ranked and offered on a verified self assessment score only