Obstetrics and Gynaecology ST3 - Specialty Specific Application Form Questions

Supporting Information

Evidence (1 of 2)

1. Previous experience in Obstetrics and Gynaecology

Will you have more than 60 months’ experience in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in a UK training programme (not including Foundation modules) at ST Level by the start date of the post? (Yes | No)

2. MRCOG

Have you passed MRCOG Part 1 (Yes | No)

Please confirm the date that you passed MRCOG Part 1

Have you passed MRCOG Part 2? (Yes | No)

Please note that you do not need MRCOG Part 2 in order to be eligible to apply for ST3 Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

If you have indicated above that you have passed MRCOG Part 2, please confirm the date you passed this

Supporting (2 of 2)

1. Supporting questions

You may be asked for further information about your responses during the interview.

Please note, there is a word limit of 250 words per question.

What are your reasons for applying to Obstetrics and Gynaecology?

Please indicate your medium and long term career goals in this specialty.  Please give examples of activities and achievements which demonstrate your commitment to a career in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. (Words allowed: 250)

Describe how you believe you meet the person specification for Obstetrics and Gynaecology, including your particular skills and attributes that make you suitable for a career in this specialty. (Words allowed: 250)

Describe any management roles you have been involved in at work (e.g. rota organiser, committee member, representative), or outside of medicine.  Please detail how these will be relevant to your career in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. (Words allowed: 250)

What experience do you have of teaching?  This should include both formal and informal teaching, both inside and outside of medicine. Please detail any teaching course or formal qualification you hold in teaching. (Words allowed: 250)

2. Experience of clinical audit and quality improvement projects over the past three working years

For each project enter:

• Project name
• End date of project
• Location of project
• Your role in the project (Words allowed: 100)
• Outcome of the project (Words allowed: 100)
• If you presented the project, select this box [Tickbox]
• Where did you present the project (e.g. hospital meeting, regional/national conference etc.)

3. Experience of clinical audit and quality improvement projects over the past three working years

You may be asked for further information about your responses during the interview.

Please note, there is a word limit of 250 words per question.

Why does your experience of the above clinical audits and quality improvement projects make you suitable for ST3 Obstetrics and Gynaecology at this time? (Words allowed: 250)

4. Academic Achievements

Please give brief details of all research projects,  publications and presentations that you have been involved in.  Please clearly describe your role within the project or publication.

You may be asked for further information about your responses during the interview.

For each achievement enter the relevant information in the following headings as appropriate:

• Type of project
• Research Project Title
• Date of Completion
• Briefly describe your role in the project
• Briefly describe the research project
• Article, letter or chapter title
• Journal / book title
• Pubmed reference
• Date of publication
• Briefly describe your role in this publication (e.g. sole author, first author, co-author, etc.)
• Briefly describe the content of your publication
• Title of Presentation
• Was this an oral or poster presentation
• Name of meeting/conference of presentation
• Was this presentation made locally, regionally, nationally or internationally
• Date of presentation

5. Academic Achievements

How will your above academic achievements help you in your Obstetrics and Gynaecology career? (Words allowed: 250)

Self-assessment

1. ST3 Obstetrics and Gynaecology National Self-Assessment Form

Listed below are the self-assessment questions that appear on the application form along with the possible responses to each question. Your responses to these self-assessment questions will determine your own score. You will need to provide evidence to substantiate your responses via the Self-Assessment portal (which is a different system to Oriel where you make the application); this evidence will be validated by a panel and used to derive your final validated score.  You will be expected to upload evidence AFTER you have submitted an application, in the timeline below. NB. You are NOT required to submit any evidence relating to Self-Assessment during the Oriel application process.

Your evidence must be submitted to the Self-Assessment portal between 10am UK time on Thursday 11th January 2024 and 10am UK time on Thursday 25th January 2024. Please refer to the relevant section of the applicant guidance for details of the evidence required.

Please submit a separate PDF file for each of the Self-Assessment questions.  Please note that applicants should upload all evidence for each question, this may include you uploading the same evidence used for a previous question, where permissible.

Please do not password protect any of your evidence upon upload.

The panel will only be able to assess the evidence you provide via the portal; they will not contact you to request additional evidence. You are therefore requested to provide all evidence in a clear format so that this can easily be identified and assessed.

The recruitment office is not able to advise you about which response you should select for any question. You must select the response you feel you will be able to justify to the panel, using the evidence you provide.  Please note that no evidence can be submitted retrospectively.  Evidence should not contain patient identifiable data.

Any lack of evidence, or lack of clarity provided by applicants will lead to an amendment of the score. It is the responsibility of the applicant to provide clear and unambiguous evidence for the process.

If it is discovered that any response is false or misleading, evidence will be collected, and you may be referred to a Probity Panel.

We reserve the right to use anti-plagiarism software.

*All time periods stated refer to Whole/Full Time Equivalent (WTE) of employment (excluding any periods of statutory leave).   

It is your responsibility to provide evidence via employment history uploaded to the evidence portal (not Oriel) to allow verifiers to establish where evidence is time period specific. Failure to supply clarity in this regard will result in an applied time period based on a Full Time working pattern up to the date of application opening.

Question 1 – Postgraduate Medical Qualifications

At the time of application opening (16 November 2023), do you have any university awarded qualifications other than an undergraduate medical degree?    

Please do not score the same qualification in more than one domain. NB. Please refer to the Research domain question for PhD qualifications. 

• Masters qualification in relevant field e.g. Quality Improvement, Patient Safety, Leadership, Management, Ultrasound  : 5
• Postgraduate diploma in relevant field e.g.  Quality Improvement, Patient Safety, Leadership, Management, Ultrasound : 4
• UK primary postgraduate qualification e.g. MRCP Part 1, MCEM A (excluding MRCOG), Ultrasound : 3
• Postgraduate certificate in relevant field e.g. Quality Improvement, Patient Safety, Leadership, Management, Ultrasound : 3
• Diplomate of National Board or equivalent and/or none of the above  : 0

Evidence that will be required:

• Please provide your degree certificate. NB. Only fully completed qualifications with certificate or official letter of proof of outcome will be counted.

Question 2 – Quality Improvement Projects (QiP)

At the time of application opening (16 November 2023), how many complete quality improvement projects (QIP) have you undertaken in the last 36 months (WTE)* of employment (excluding any periods of statutory leave)? Evidence for no more than a total 2 QIP should be included.

NB QiPs cannot be counted under Domain Question 6 – Presentations

• Two QIPs (at least one presented nationally/internationally) : 6
• Two QIPs (at least one presented regionally) : 5
• Two QIPs (both presented locally) : 4
• One QIP presented nationally/internationally : 3
• One QIP (presented regionally) : 2
• One QIP (presented locally) : 1
• None : 0

Evidence that will be required:

• For each QIP please provide a summary (e.g. PowerPoint presentation) – including:
  • QIP details 
  • Action plan 
  • Evaluations/re-audit/assessment to quantify impact of intervention, led by yourself.
  • Dates QIP undertaken
  • Clear evidence of where/when it was presented and the intended audience (ie. local/regional/national/international) eg. Official Conference/meeting agenda
• Please evidence your involvement in each QIP e.g. email acknowledgement of registration of QIP with Clinical Governance team or response from QIP lead and/or written signed confirmation on letter headed paper from Educational Supervisor or QiP Lead for local, regional, national or international change.
• Please ensure you have provided a copy of your employment history if you have undertaken any periods of less than full time employment and/or statutory sickness and/or have any employment gaps.

4. Question 3 – Research

At the time of application opening (16 November 2023), have you been involved in any research? 

• Completion of a PhD with original research : 6
• Significant involvement in research (e.g. two-year MD with original research) OR PhD awaiting submission with first author publication  : 5
• I have had personal and direct involvement of leading a postgraduate research project : 4
• I have had ongoing commitment to research as a co-investigator OR recruited a significant number of patients during the period of study : 3
• I have been involved with recruitment of participants to research projects and hold certified Good Clinical Practice (GCP) OR assisted with data collection and hold certified Good Clinical Practice (GCP) : 2
• I have been involved with recruitment of participants to research projects : 1
• MD linked to primary Medical qualification  : 0
• I have not participated in research  : 0

Evidence that will be required:

• PhD certificate, if applicable
• PhD/MD and other higher degrees: must be awarded to get full marks (i.e. completed, examined and results awarded)
• Signed headed letter from research supervisor/project sponsor confirming your role in the research project andcopy of research project summary/abstract
• Research to be evidenced by degree or publications which are first author, if applicable
• If applicable, evidence your MD is not part of a standard training programme, i.e. acquired subsequent to gaining MBBBS or equivalent 
• GCP (Good Clinical Practice) certificate

5. Question 4 – Teaching

At the time of application opening (16 November 2023), please select the statement that best describes your experience in formal teaching events?    

Please note a teaching session should be for a minimum of 30 mins. Clinical supervision should not be included. 

• I have a higher degree in Medical education (e.g. Masters/PhD) : 4
• I have made a major contribution to a local/regional/national teaching programme including organising a programme  : 3
• I am involved in organising a multi disciplinary teaching programme e.g. PROMPT : 3
• I have attended a Train the Trainers course, Generic Instructors course (GIC) or equivalent  : 2
• I have carried out informal teaching of colleagues (including nurses and medical students) : 1
• I have not contributed to teaching   : 0

Evidence that will be required:

• Please provide evaluation from teaching events which should include the date, time and target audience.
• Signed headed letter confirming involvement in a teaching programme 
• Overview of lectures delivered, and feedback received – if you do not provide this, your score will be amended to informal teaching
• Evidence of course attendance/completion/certification, as applicable
• Do not include presenting a QiP project as teaching, nor presenting own research etc. at a meeting
• Please supply any supporting qualification/course certificates
• If applicable, evidence your MD is not part of a standard training programme, i.e. acquired subsequent to gaining MBBBS or equivalent 

6. Question 5 – Academic Publications

Have you achieved any publications within the last 60 months (WTE)* prior to 16 November 2023? This excludes posters and published abstracts. NB. Posters may be counted under the Presentations and Poster Presentations domain category (Q6). 

Select the highest scoring option applicable. 

• I am first author in more than one peer-reviewed publication as a postgraduate, OR sole author of several book chapters  : 5
• I am first author on one peer-reviewed publication as a postgraduate, OR sole author of a book chapter  : 4
• I am co-author in more than one peer-reviewed publication as a postgraduate, OR co-author of a book chapter   : 3
• I am co-author in one peer-reviewed publication as a postgraduate OR I am an author of an undergraduate publication   : 2
• I have published one or more abstracts or articles (including e-publications) OR I have published a letter  : 1
• I have not published anything  : 0

Evidence that will be required:

• For each publication, please include a screenshot or pdf copy of the publication or the acceptance letter from the relevant journal. 
• Do not include publication of a poster or an oral presentation abstract as these will not be counted as evidence. 
• Un-submitted, or submitted but not yet accepted evidence cannot be counted.
• Please ensure you have provided a copy of your employment history if you have undertaken any periods of less than full time employment and/or statutory sickness and/or have any employment gaps.

7. Question 6 – Presentations and Poster Presentations

At the time of application opening (16 November 2023), have you given an oral and/or poster presentation within the last 36 months (WTE)*? 

Select the highest scoring option applicable. 

1. QiP presentations can only be counted under Domain 2 – QiP and CANNOT be counted in this Domain.

• I have presented at a regional, national or international meeting : 5
• I have presented at a local meeting on more than one occasion  : 3
• I have made a local/departmental presentation   : 1
• I have made no presentations nor shown any posters : 0

Evidence that will be required:

• Please provide a copy of the relevant page or digital screenshot of the meeting programme(s) naming you as a presenter. NB. If claiming for regional/national/international credit it must be clear from evidence provided that it is not a local meeting. It is not the location of the meeting but the audience and organizing body, e.g. A national meeting would be organized by a national body, a regional meeting implies a meeting of a regional organization both of which could be held at the local Trust/hospital where you were working at the time.
• Please provide a copy of the presentation material, i.e. Presentation slides/poster
• This can include cancelled events (due to the pandemic) at which you had been invited to speak.  Please provide notice of cancellation together with speaker programme as evidence, or original event confirmation acceptance letter/email.
• Please ensure you have provided a copy of your employment history if you have undertaken any periods of less than full time employment and/or statutory sickness and/or have any employment gaps.