Hi Reader,

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I chatted to one of my Academy members last week during our 1:1 coaching session.

She was preparing for her consultant interview with just 10 days' notice and felt completely overwhelmed.

"I'm so anxious that I have been thinking about pulling out of the interview!"

As we talked through her prep, 3 critical issues emerged:

1. She struggled to articulate her unique selling points with specifics
2. She couldn't frame her clinical experience in a compelling way
3. She was choosing examples that undermined rather than showcased her abilities

This conversation reminded me why a framework for your consultant interview is so crucial.

Without one, experienced and highly competent doctors can implode when facing the panel.

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The 5 Core Questions Every Panel Wants You to Answer

When you strip away all the complexity, every consultant interview panel is trying to answer 5 fundamental questions about you:

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1. Do you bring clinical expertise to this role?

This isn't just about stating your years of experience. The panel needs specific evidence of your capability.

And remember, you ARE clinically qualified for the role, that's why you got shortlisted.

But the interview is about how to demonstrate what expertise you bring that is different from the average applicant.

When I worked with Hela (one of my Academy members), she initially described her obstetric anaesthesia experience in vague terms:

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"I have managed lots of high-risk patients and cardiac patients."

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I pushed her to be specific: "How many patients?"

Her answer transformed:

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"I've managed more than 200-300 high-risk obstetric patients and performed 150-200 regional blocks independently."

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The difference is striking. The first answer leaves the panel guessing. The second demonstrates undeniable expertise.

Remember: Numbers speak louder than adjectives.

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2. Can you lead service change?

The panel wants to see that you can identify problems and implement solutions that improve patient care.

One Academy member described a significant service improvement project she led in radiotherapy.

She identified that clinicians were spending excessive time on routine bladder cancer treatment planning that could potentially be done by radiographers with proper training.

She developed and delivered a comprehensive training programme for radiographers, then conducted a quality assurance study comparing 1,000 treatments planned by radiographers against clinician assessments. The results showed 90% consensus between radiographers and clinicians.

This project transformed the service from doctor-led to radiographer-led for routine bladder cancer treatments, freeing up consultant time for more complex cases while maintaining quality standards. The programme became standard practice in her department and was later adopted by other centres.

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Remember: Impactful service improvement demonstrates your ability to transform systems, not just manage them.

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3. How do you handle mistakes and challenges?

Your answer to this reveals a bit about what kind of person you'll be to work with.

One candidate initially chose to discuss a serious clinical error that had been formally investigated as an SI.

While honest, this example raises more questions about her judgement than it showcases her ability to handle mistakes. Remember, it's a job interview not a therapy session. Some things are best kept for a chat with a colleague over a cup of tea. Not everything needs to be shared in your interview.

A better approach is her second example - a minor medication error (duplicate suppository administration) that demonstrated her understanding of governance processes, duty of candour, and reflective practice without raising red flags about clinical competence.

Remember: Choose examples that demonstrate learning without undermining confidence in your abilities.

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4. Do you want THIS job?

The panel needs to know you're not just looking for any consultant job, but that you specifically want to join their team.

It's common that my Academy students start out thinking that if they haven't worked there, then they don't know anything about the Department. I push them to research the team thoroughly. This is what your pre-interview meetings, and scoping exercises are for.

Then, in your interview, rather than generic statements, you are able to reference the Department's recent research activity, mention their upcoming plans, and discuss what issues they are struggling with around service delivery or training.

Remember: Show you've done your homework about this specific role and department.

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5. Can you balance competing demands?

Consultants must juggle clinical work, teaching, research, and administration.

When asked how she balanced training needs with service delivery, one candidate described specific structures she implemented: pre-clinic meetings where trainees presented new cases, post-clinic debriefs, and structured teaching sessions integrated into the clinical day.

Remember: Systems and structures demonstrate your ability to manage complexity.

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Three Frameworks to Structure Your Answers

Based on my experience coaching hundreds of doctors through successful consultant interviews, I've identified three effective frameworks you can use:

1. Three-Point Structure. Intro, three points, conclusion. Sounds basic but it works like a charm. Helps you showcase a range of points, give clarity to the panel, and encourages you to develop points rather than list them.

2. IMSO Framework (Incident, Mission, Steps, Outcome) Begin with the Incident (briefly), outline your goal (Mission), talk through the Steps (this is the bulk of your answer), and conclude with the Outcome. This helps in delivering concise and impactful answers.

3. PERM Framework (Passion, Experience, Research, Management) Emphasise why you want THIS job then showcase your expertise in all the main areas required of a clinician.

After working with hundreds of candidates, I've found the Three Point Structure effective for 80% of your consultant interviews.

It provides the clearest structure for your answers and means you don't fall into common 'rambling' traps.

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The Simplicity on the Other Side of Complexity

When you understand these five core questions and prepare your examples using a consistent framework, something remarkable happens: confidence replaces anxiety.

You stop trying to predict every possible question and instead focus on showcasing your best self through well-structured examples that answer the fundamental questions the panel is really asking.

As one of my successful Academy members put it:

"Once I understood what the panel was really looking for, I stopped dreading unexpected questions and started looking forward to sharing my experience."

Your consultant interview doesn't have to be an ordeal.

With the right prep framework, you can walk in confident that you have the answers they're looking for - even to questions you haven't specifically prepared for.

Want to join the waitlist for the next AYCI Academy? We will be closing the waitlist soon as we get ready to open the Academy doors in the next few weeks. You can join the waitlist here - if you do...use your email address Reader

Talk soon,

Tessa

P.S. If you haven't yet, check out my free 5-day email course to give you a Crash Course To Ace Your Consultant Interview.