The interview
The main stage of your application to HST is the interview. All specialties will be holding their interviews online via Qpercom Recruit, a bespoke system used in specialty recruitment. The structure and content of HST interviews will be consistent within each specialty; that is, the makeup of the interview will be exactly the same for all candidates.
Whilst similar, there is variation between specialties in the format and question areas; specialty-specific interview content is detailed on each specialty's page.
Multi-station interview
All specialties will be delivering their online interviews using a multi-station format, where questions will be divided across more than one station with a different pair of interviewers asking and scoring the questions in each station.
All interview stations will consist of two scoring interviewers. In some cases a third clinician may be present to share questioning of candidates and help with the running of the day. However, you will only be scored by two clinician interviewers in each station.
Medical registrar suitability
All Group 1 specialties contain an assessment of suitability to be the medical registrar. Details about this are included on each Group 1 specialty's page. Group 2 specialties will not include this question.
Time required at interview
The exact timings can vary slightly by specialty as each has differing lengths of time allocated for questions. Typically this will involve the following:
- Arrival - most regions set the interview slot times that you book up to 30 minutes before your interview is planned to begin. This time is used to register your arrival and check your identification.
- Interview - the time allocated for you with interviewers will vary between about 30 and 60 minutes, this is confirmed on each specialty's page.
- After interview - in most cases you will be free to go as soon as your interview ends. If there is any need to discuss anything with you after the interview you will be notified, but this is not usual.
- Total time - the advice is that you should expect to spend about two hours for your interview. In most cases this will be less but the schedule can often over-run. This is just a rough guide and it cannot be guaranteed that all candidates will be able to leave within two hours of their arrival time so please bear this in mind when planning the rest of your day.
Presentation
Certain specialties require you to prepare a presentation prior to the day and therefore it is very important to check whether or not this applies to you.
Note taking during interviews
You are allowed to make notes during the interview to help you structure your answers; this is most likely to be for scenario-based questions with designated reading time before the question starts. Any notes taken must not be shared with anyone and must be destroyed as soon as the interview has been completed.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
To ensure a fair and equitable interview experience for all applicants, the use of AI technologies, including but not limited to AI generated responses, virtual assistants, real-time transcription tools, and automated scripts, will not be permitted during online interviews. Any applicant who is found to be using AI or other automated technologies during the interview will be disqualified from the recruitment process and may be referred to the relevant professional or regulatory body.
A position statement on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) during interviews has been issued by the four nation Postgraduate National Recruitment Programme Board.
Sharing information about the interview
Whilst it is natural that you may wish to discuss your experience at interview with others, you must not share detailed information about the interview, beyond that which is publicly available (ie which is available from this website) - specifically, the content and format of questions asked. Ultimately, this may reduce your own chances of success and is unfair to all other candidates.
Individual questions are also changed regularly at each interview centre and candidates are advised against altering their behaviour based on the advice of other candidates.
Lay representatives
Lay representatives will be used to monitor HST interviews. They will not be involved in candidate assessment; their role is to assist in the quality assurance of the interview process.
They will observe a selection of interviews so you may or may not have one present during your interview.
What if something goes wrong during my interview or I think I’ve been treated unfairly?
Whilst it is unusual for something to go wrong at interview, it is very important that if something does you raise it on the day with the region hosting your interview, by any deadline they may have stated in their joining instructions. This will give the best possible chance to investigate and resolve the issue. An interview declaration that you will sign up to when you apply states: 'If I have any issues with the way that the interview is conducted, I will raise these by email with the recruitment team, on the same day as my interview takes place.'
If you do not raise it on the day you should contact the host region as soon as possible afterwards to find out if anything can be done at that stage. However, you should bear in mind that it is likely that it cannot be investigated if raised after the day.