Ace Your NHS Consultant Interview

Tessa Davis + Becky Platt
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Welcome to Ace Your NHS Consultant Interview - the podcast for doctors who want to take the stress and guesswork out of their NHS consultant interview prep. We know how overwhelming it can feel to prep for your consultant interviews when you’re already stretched thin. Each episode, we’ll break down what actually works - no fluff, no endless reading, just practical steps you can fit into a hectic week. You’ll hear honest advice, real stories, and the frameworks we use with our own students inside the Academy to help you show up confident, prepped, and ready to secure the job you want. If you’re a final year trainee or locum consultant and you want to prepare, not panic, you’re in the right place.

  1. 22H AGO

    The Heart‑Stopping “One Negative Word” Interview Question – And How to Answer It

    In this episode of the Ace Your Consultant Interview podcast, Tessa and Becky walk through three areas that reliably trip candidates up: teaching examples, conflict scenarios, and gaps in your CV.​They start with a common student question: “Can I just talk about my day‑to‑day ward teaching?” and explain why that won’t cut it if you want to stand out at consultant level. You’ll hear how to turn your education work into specific, high‑impact examples, including simulation programmes, curriculum planning and measured outcomes that actually tell the panel who you are as an educator. Next, they unpack a “golden example” about refusing a neonatal transfer and show why some conflict stories are high‑risk if you don’t frame them carefully. They cover how to avoid sounding obstructive, how to show de‑escalation and support for stressed colleagues, and why recording yourself talking through tricky conflicts is worth the discomfort. Tessa and Becky then tackle a deliciously awkward wildcard question one student faced: “Three positive words your colleagues would use for you – and one negative word they’d use when you weren’t listening.”​Finally, they dive into career gaps: health, family, unemployment, GMC issues and more.  Sign up for our free 5-day email course to give you ​a Crash Course To Ace Your Consultant Interview​: https://aceyourconsultantinterview.com Starting to think about your NHS Consultant Interview Prep? Join the waitlist for my Ace Your Consultant Interview Academy. I’ll let you know as soon as the Academy doors open  https://info.medicalinterviewprep.com/waitlist?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=transistor&utm_content=t-ep30

    25 min

  2. MAR 2

    Inside the Panel’s Mind When You Talk About CQC, Safety and Speaking Up

    In this episode of the Ace Your Consultant Interview podcast, Tessa and Platt dig into three of the most uncomfortable areas of NHS consultant interview prep: negative CQC reports, duty of candour examples, and talking about your own mistakes.​ They cover: Negative CQC feedback – when to bring it up, when to stay quiet, and how to be honest without being brutally critical of the very team you want to join.Pre‑interview meetings and risk registers – how to use them to understand a department’s real challenges and to frame your answers around quality, safety, and speaking up.Duty of candour examples – why the best examples often aren’t “your” mistake, and how to walk through the conversation, investigation, and system learning in a structured way.Owning your mistake – how to stop over‑justifying, state the error clearly in the first sentence, and then focus on reflection, actions, and what you do differently now.If you’re a final-year trainee or locum consultant worrying about how to talk about CQC, safety concerns, or past errors without torpedoing your chances, this episode shows you exactly how to do it with confidence and senior-level judgement. Sign up for our free 5-day email course to give you ​a Crash Course To Ace Your Consultant Interview​: https://aceyourconsultantinterview.com Starting to think about your NHS Consultant Interview Prep? Join the waitlist for my Ace Your Consultant Interview Academy. I’ll let you know as soon as the Academy doors open  https://info.medicalinterviewprep.com/waitlist?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=transistor&utm_content=t-ep29

    25 min

  3. FEB 23

    What to Say About Non‑Linear Training When You’re Asked “Tell Me About Yourself”

    In this episode, Tessa and Becky tackle a common fear for many final‑year trainees and locum consultants: how to handle a non‑linear training path at consultant interview, especially if you have trained overseas or stepped off programme. They cover: Non‑linear training – why it is a strength, not a red flag, and how to shift from apologising to owning the value you bring.Describing overseas experience – how to use numbers, volume, and clear outcomes so the panel really understands your clinical exposure rather than guessing.Avoiding dull chronology – how to move away from “first I did this job, then that job” towards “these are the skills I’ve developed and what I can do for you now”.Mistake questions – a real example about emailing a trainee about a complaint, and how to use it to show reflection, empathy, and learning without choosing a disastrous case.​​Plus how one pair of Academy students used daily 6–6.45 am practice sessions to secure a dream post. If you have a non‑standard path, trained overseas, or simply worry that your route into consultancy looks “different”, this episode will show you how to talk about it clearly and confidently in your NHS consultant interview. Sign up for our free 5-day email course to give you ​a Crash Course To Ace Your Consultant Interview​: https://aceyourconsultantinterview.com Starting to think about your NHS Consultant Interview Prep? Join the waitlist for my Ace Your Consultant Interview Academy. I’ll let you know as soon as the Academy doors open  https://info.medicalinterviewprep.com/waitlist?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=transistor&utm_content=t-ep28

    17 min

  4. FEB 16

    How to Answer “Tell Me About a Mistake” Without Throwing Yourself Under the Bus

    In this episode of the Ace Your Consultant Interview podcast, Tessa and Becky dive into three questions that almost every final‑year trainee and locum consultant worries about.​ They cover: The “tell me about a mistake” question – whether your example needs to be clinical, how to use non‑clinical mistakes safely, and how to avoid oversharing the kind of catastrophic story that makes a panel nervous.​What makes a strong MDT example – using a project to show the difference between registrar‑level storytelling and consultant‑level, system‑focused thinking.​“How has your project changed your department?” – why this question is a gift if you’ve prepared, how to choose the right project to showcase your USPs, and how to use concrete data and outcomes to demonstrate real service change.​If you’re ready to move from “I managed a sick patient really well” to “I improved the whole service for all our patients,” this episode will show you how to zoom out, think like a consultant, and turn your everyday work into golden interview examples. Sign up for our free 5-day email course to give you ​a Crash Course To Ace Your Consultant Interview​: https://aceyourconsultantinterview.com Starting to think about your NHS Consultant Interview Prep? Join the waitlist for my Ace Your Consultant Interview Academy. I’ll let you know as soon as the Academy doors open  https://info.medicalinterviewprep.com/waitlist?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=transistor&utm_content=t-ep27

    19 min

  5. FEB 9

    Struggling With Rambling Answers? Use the 3‑Point Structure In Your Consultant Interview

    In this episode of the Ace Your Consultant Interview podcast, Tessa and Becky answer a real Academy student question about a panel member who complained that candidates “reel off their CV highlights.”  They then dig into a golden duty of candour example involving incorrect bowel prep and an enema for a child. Next up is a common but unsettling question: “What is the value of having diversity in your leadership?” Tessa and Becky talk through how to pause, think it through, and discuss why these examples are worth preparing in advance rather than trying to improvise on the day.​ They wrap up with their favourite tool: the three‑point structure. You’ll learn how using three clear pillars anchors you when your mind goes blank, forces breadth and depth in equal measure, keeps your timing in the right zone, and makes your answers far easier for panels to follow and score. By the end, you’ll know how to turn vague, waffly responses into organised, confident answers for your NHS consultant interview. Sign up for our free 5-day email course to give you ​a Crash Course To Ace Your Consultant Interview​: https://aceyourconsultantinterview.com Starting to think about your NHS Consultant Interview Prep? Join the waitlist for my Ace Your Consultant Interview Academy. I’ll let you know as soon as the Academy doors open  https://info.medicalinterviewprep.com/waitlist?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=transistor&utm_content=t-ep26

    17 min

  6. FEB 2

    The Heart‑Sinking Weakness Example That Makes You Sound Entitled

    In this episode of the Ace Your Consultant Interview podcast, Tessa and Becky unpack three deceptively simple but high‑stakes questions that come up again and again in NHS consultant interviews. They start with whether you can reuse the same USP or golden example more than once. They then dissect a real “biggest weakness” example from an Academy student and explain why some weaknesses are simply too risky. You’ll hear how to choose a safer, more senior weakness, how to road‑test it out loud, and why this is one answer you should never improvise on the day.​ Next, they break down the combined question: “What support will you need, and what do you hope to achieve in your first 12 months?” Tessa and Becky show you how to keep the “support” part to one focused area with clear solutions, and how to frame your first‑year goals. Finally, they share practical ways to show that you are genuinely passionate about this specific job and department, without resorting to generic lines about Trust values or person specs. You’ll learn how to use what you’ve seen and heard on visits and pre‑interview meetings to make the panel feel, within the first few seconds, that you really want to work with them – and why that emotional connection can subtly tilt the whole interview in your favour. Sign up for our free 5-day email course to give you ​a Crash Course To Ace Your Consultant Interview​: https://aceyourconsultantinterview.com Starting to think about your NHS Consultant Interview Prep? Join the waitlist for my Ace Your Consultant Interview Academy. I’ll let you know as soon as the Academy doors open  https://info.medicalinterviewprep.com/waitlist?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=transistor&utm_content=t-ep25

    18 min

  7. JAN 26

    Why Generic KPIs Aren’t Enough And How To Talk Metrics Like A Consultant

    In this episode of the Ace Your Consultant Interview podcast, Tessa and Becky tackle three themes that keep coming up for final year trainees and locum consultants: KPIs, consultant‑level examples, and psychological safety.​ They start with a real Academy question: where on earth do you find meaningful KPIs for your speciality beyond the generic “time to clinic” and “readmission rates”? You’ll hear a clear explanation of what KPIs actually are, where to look for them, and how to pick the ones that let you talk confidently about both national standards and your own projects.​ Next, they dissect a powerful but very “registrar‑ish” MDT example and show you how to upgrade it into a consultant‑level answer by shifting from one‑patient stories to service‑wide quality improvement, USPs and system knowledge. If you’ve ever wondered whether your examples “sound senior enough”, this section will give you a simple way to stress‑test them.​ They then dive into the interview question, “What does psychological safety mean to you?” and break it into concrete, answerable parts. To close, Tessa and Becky take on the myth of “buzzwords that make you sound like a consultant” and show you what panels are really listening for. Sign up for our free 5-day email course to give you ​a Crash Course To Ace Your Consultant Interview​: https://aceyourconsultantinterview.com Starting to think about your NHS Consultant Interview Prep? Join the waitlist for my Ace Your Consultant Interview Academy. I’ll let you know as soon as the Academy doors open  https://info.medicalinterviewprep.com/waitlist?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=transistor&utm_content=t-ep24

    20 min

  8. JAN 19

    Structuring Your Future‑Focused Presentation Around the NHS 10‑Year Plan (Without Making It Generic)

    In this episode of the Ace Your Consultant Interview podcast, Tessa and Becky answer a real student question about a 10‑minute presentation titled “Challenges in my specialty in the next five years”. They walk through how to narrow your content down to three clear themes, link them to the NHS long‑term plan, and weave in your USPs so your talk sounds like a presentation only you could give, not a generic specialty lecture. They then dissect a proposed “conflict with a colleague” example from clinic, showing how to decide if it’s safe enough, how to demonstrate de‑escalation and learning, and how to build in proactive communication so it lands well with a consultant panel.​Next up is the question: “What do you think the challenges of the transition from trainee to consultant are?” Tessa and Becky explore how to acknowledge the step up in responsibility, delegation, time management, and governance, while still sounding ready, resilient, and coachable rather than either arrogant or out of your depth.​They finish with a favourite Academy topic: cognitive derailers. You’ll hear how thoughts like “I’m rubbish at interview” or “they already have a preferred candidate” quietly sabotage your preparation, and what to do instead in the crucial weeks and days before your interview so you stop talking yourself out of the job and start preparing like the person they actually want to appoint. Sign up for our free 5-day email course to give you ​a Crash Course To Ace Your Consultant Interview​: https://aceyourconsultantinterview.com Starting to think about your NHS Consultant Interview Prep? Join the waitlist for my Ace Your Consultant Interview Academy. I’ll let you know as soon as the Academy doors open  https://info.medicalinterviewprep.com/waitlist?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=transistor&utm_content=t-ep23

    18 min
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About

Welcome to Ace Your NHS Consultant Interview - the podcast for doctors who want to take the stress and guesswork out of their NHS consultant interview prep. We know how overwhelming it can feel to prep for your consultant interviews when you’re already stretched thin. Each episode, we’ll break down what actually works - no fluff, no endless reading, just practical steps you can fit into a hectic week. You’ll hear honest advice, real stories, and the frameworks we use with our own students inside the Academy to help you show up confident, prepped, and ready to secure the job you want. If you’re a final year trainee or locum consultant and you want to prepare, not panic, you’re in the right place.

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