General Surgery ST3 - Specialty Specific Application Form Questions

Supporting Information

Evidence (1 of 2)

1. General Surgery Portfolio Questions

Listed below are the 7 questions which appear on the 2024 General Surgery ST3 application form along with the possible responses to each question and details of suitable evidence to substantiate your responses. A guide to the scoring for each question is provided, with descriptions of the quality indicators where appropriate. 

An FAQ section can also be found in your attached 2024 General Surgery Handbook. 

For each question a description of the evidence required is given. You will only be awarded marks if the evidence provided matches the description of the evidence required for that domain. 

Applicants are not required to submit any response to the 7 questions below at the point of completing this application on Oriel, we encourage you to read through for guidance, and in preparation for collating your portfolio evidence. 

Applicants must record their responses to all 7 questions using the provided templates. Applicants can access the 7 templates under the ‘document tab’ in the advert content section. All 7 templates must be signed where required (typed signature will not be accepted).

After filling out the 7 templates with your responses, applicants must upload their templates, with supporting evidence to the Evidence Upload Portal, which opens on Tuesday 12^th December 2023. You will receive further information on how to access the Evidence Upload Portal nearer to the time.

Portfolio templates and evidence can only be accepted via the dedicated Evidence Upload Portal. Evidence provided to the London and Kent, Surrey, and Sussex Recruitment Team by any other means will not be accepted. Failure to upload any completed template(s) and evidence is likely to result in your application being withdrawn from the process.

Maintaining trust by being open and honest and acting with integrity is one of the key elements of Duties of a Doctor (GMC). If it is subsequently discovered that any statement made on your application is false or misleading, evidence will be collected, and you may be referred to a Probity Panel. 

If you experience any issues with uploading evidence, you must inform the London and Kent, Surrey, and Sussex Recruitment team prior to the evidence portal window closing date (5pm on the Tuesday 9^th January 2024). 

Question 1:

By the end of July 2024, or by the completion of Core Training if this is later, how many months will you have spent in total in General Surgery in any post-Foundation job in any country?  Please do not include any other posts. 

Maximum points: 6 

Evidence: Template countersigned by Educational Supervisor (or equivalent) with printed name and GMC number (or equivalent).  

In addition  

• Please provide evidence of completion of training posts (as described in the longlisting section Appendix 1).
• For non-training posts please provide a copy of the front page of your contract of   employment, which must include dates and a clear description of the role. 
• If the front page of your contract does not include both start and finish dates other evidence will be required to confirm the duration of post e.g. Letter from HR/Head of Service/Supervising Consultant  

Question 2:

By the end of July 2024, or the completion of Core Training, will you have spent at least 4 months in T&O, Plastic Surgery, Neurosurgery, ENT Surgery, Cardiac/Thoracic surgery, A&E, ITU, Paediatric Surgery, Urology, Vascular or OMFS posts since completing your Foundation Programme?   

Maximum score: 4 

Evidence: Template countersigned by Educational Supervisor (or equivalent) with printed name and GMC number (or equivalent).  

In addition  

• Please provide evidence of completion of training posts (as described in the longlisting section Appendix 1) 
• For non-training posts please provide a copy of the front page of your contract of   employment, which must include dates and a clear description of the role. 
• If the front page of your contract does not include both start and finish dates other evidence will be required to confirm the duration of post e.g. Letter from HR/Head of Service/Supervising Consultant  

Question 3:

At the time of application, how many appendicectomies (laparoscopic and/or open) have you completed which have been done either STS or STU or P or T? These must be recorded in a validated logbook and each sheet signed by a consultant.   

Maximum score: 4  

Evidence: Template countersigned by Educational Supervisor (or equivalent) with printed name and GMC number (or equivalent).  

• Logbook evidence must be full and consecutive. Consolidation sheets from a validated logbook are acceptable. 
• Each page of the logbook must be signed by a relevant supervisor, with their name and GMC number (or equivalent) clearly legible.  
• Please ensure there are no gaps in the logbook evidence. If there are gaps in the logbook evidence you provide, then the minimum score will be awarded for this section.

Question 4: 

Publications: Please submit your 2 best publications, published in any PubMed indexed journal. In order to be eligible for this section, publications must have a PubMed ID and be published by the time of application. 

Do not include articles which have not yet been published. Collaborative papers, abstracts, case reports, letters or technical tips are acceptable. Points will be awarded for candidate contribution, level of authorship, quality of study and impact factor of publication.  

Maximum score: 10 (5 per publication) 

Evidence: Template countersigned by Educational Supervisor (or equivalent) with printed name and GMC number (or equivalent).  

In addition  

• Please provide a copy of each publication including the authorship list, journal reference and PubMed ID.
• If you are submitting a collaborative paper, please also submit the list of collaborators with your name highlighted. Failure to do so will result in no points being given for this section.

Question 5:

Presentations: Please submit your 2 best presentations. In order to be eligible for this section, the presentation must have occurred by the time of application.  

You may include poster presentations.  

Points will be awarded for candidate contribution, being the presenter of the work, quality of study and scope of meeting (regional, national or international).  

Maximum score: 10 (5 per presentation) 

Evidence: Template countersigned by Educational Supervisor (or equivalent) with printed name and GMC number (or equivalent).  

In addition  

• Please provide a copy of the relevant page of the meeting programme(s) 
• Please provide a copy of the presentation (6 slides per page) or poster 

Question 6:

Audits and QIPs:

Please submit your 2 best closed loop audits and your best additional audit/QIP. Please only submit audits/QIPs which have been presented as you will need to provide evidence of presentation. For each loop of the closed loop audits and for the additional audit/QIP you must provide evidence of your involvement in the design, execution and presentation of the audit/QIP.   

Points will be awarded for candidate involvement, reference standard, study design, importance of clinical question and impact of work.  

Maximum score: 21 (8 per closed loop audit and 5 for audit/QIP) 

Evidence:

Template countersigned by Educational Supervisor (or equivalent) with printed name and GMC number (or equivalent).  

In addition: 

 Please provide a copy of the presentation (6 slides per page). 

• Please provide a letter from the head of department/clinical lead for audit clearly stating your contribution. Simple certificates are not sufficient evidence.

Question 7:

At the time of application, have you completed and been awarded a stand-alone UK higher degree or equivalent (see evidence below) examined by thesis/dissertation? (NB: This does not include intercalated degrees)?  

This category has now been broadened to include PG Certs, Diplomas and taught Masters degrees. Points will not be awarded unless evidence is provided that the qualification has been awarded. 

Maximum points: 5 

Evidence: Template countersigned by Educational Supervisor (or equivalent) with printed name and GMC number (or equivalent).  

In addition: 

• Please provide a copy of your degree certificate. 
• If your degree included a thesis or dissertation, please provide clear evidence of this or marks will not be awarded for this type of degree. 
• If your degree was taken outside the UK, you must also provide evidence of its equivalence (e.g. a letter from the institution confirming that it was awarded following the production of a research-based thesis and full examination together with a copy of your results transcript).   
• We are aware of organisations such as UK NARIC however the Selection Leads will be the final arbitrators.

Please continue and answer the MRCS Question in the Supporting section of the application form.

Supporting (2 of 2)

1. MRCS

In order to be eligible for appointment to this specialty, you must have successfully completed MRCS by examination (full qualification) by the day after results for the February 2024 examination diet are released.

At the time of application have you successfully completed MRCS by examination (full qualification)?  (Yes | No )

Answer NO if you have not yet successfully complete [sic] all parts of the examination.