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. 3D AGO

    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

    17 min

  2. 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

    18 min

  3. 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

    20 min

  4. 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

    18 min

  5. JAN 12

    How to Turn 'My Clinics Always Run Late' Into a Safe, Strategic Weakness Answer

    In this episode of the Ace Your Consultant Interview podcast, Tessa and Becky tackle three areas that commonly derail otherwise strong candidates: GMC documents, weakness questions, and CQC reports.  Next, they pull apart a real “biggest weakness” example – clinics always running over time – and show how to reshape a risky answer into a specific, contained story with clear impact and practical strategies that demonstrate insight rather than poor time management. They also unpack an unusual question recently asked at consultant interview about “types of consultations you find difficult”, using it to show how to demonstrate vulnerability, learning, and true consultant-level, system-focused thinking when you are facing a wildcard question.​ They finish with a concrete tip on how to approach CQC reports: what to read, what to ignore, how to spot the issues that are likely to appear in your panel’s questions, and how to weave the report into your answers so it is obvious you have done your homework without sounding rehearsed. If you feel overwhelmed by all the things you “should” be reading before interview, this episode will help you focus on the few documents and examples that actually move the needle. Sign up for our free 5-day email course to give you ​a Crash Course To Ace Your Consultant Interview​: https://aceyourconsultantinterview.com

    20 min

  6. JAN 5

    The Real Reason Two Consultant Interviews in One Week Can Be an Advantage

    In this episode of the Ace Your Consultant Interview podcast, Tessa and Becky tackle a problem more common than you might think: what to do when you end up with two NHS consultant interviews in the same week.  They walk through how to treat this as an opportunity rather than a crisis, including managing twice the number of pre-interview visits. They also explore how (and when) to tell panels that you have more than one interview, how to make each job sound like your genuine first choice in the room, and how to plan the conversation if you receive an offer while still waiting for another interview.  You’ll hear a “golden example” of conflict with a patient and learn how to trim a long, clinical story into a punchy 30‑second answer that showcases calm de‑escalation and insight.​ Finally, Tessa and Becky break down the question “What support will you need coming into this role?”, linking it to your pre‑prepared weakness and showing you how to sound self‑aware without undermining your appointment.  Sign up for our free 5-day email course to give you ​a Crash Course To Ace Your Consultant Interview​: https://aceyourconsultantinterview.com/

    23 min

  7. 12/29/2025

    Struggling After Several Failed Consultant Interviews? Do This Before You Apply Again

    In this episode of the Ace Your Consultant Interview podcast, Tessa and Becky tackle a brutally common scenario: you’ve failed several consultant interviews in a row and it feels like you’ll never get the job. They break down how to stop telling yourself the “I’m just terrible at interviews” story, how to ask for specific, question‑by‑question feedback, and how to spot themes such as missing senior‑level thinking rather than chasing yet another audit or QI project.​ You’ll also hear a live critique of a “tell me about a mistake” example involving safeguarding. They then move on to the classic question “What makes a good leader?”. Finally, they share a practical tip on when and how to negotiate flexible working. Sign up for our free 5-day email course to give you ​a Crash Course To Ace Your Consultant Interview​: https://aceyourconsultantinterview.com/?utm_source=YTPod&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=1

    20 min

  8. 12/22/2025

    Why Waiting for an Interview Date Is the Worst Way to Prepare for Your Consultant Job

    In this episode of the Ace Your Consultant Interview podcast, Tessa and Becky tackle a question almost every final‑year trainee asks: “When should I actually start preparing for my consultant interview?” They unpack why last‑minute, two‑week prep creates panic, how early, light‑touch preparation in your final year protects you from surprise adverts, and how it frees up headspace for pre‑interview meetings and presentations when the job you really want finally appears.​ They then walk through a real “mistake” example from an Academy student – a malpositioned syndesmosis fixation requiring revision – and use it to show why some clinical stories worry panels more than they help you.  Tessa and Becky also break down the increasingly common question, “How would you create a culture where people can speak up?” and show you how to answer it without slipping into vague buzzwords.  The episode closes with a deep dive into interview presentations: typical timings, why five minutes is harder than it sounds, and how to avoid the classic mistake of overrunning and being cut off mid‑pitch.  Sign up for our free 5-day email course to give you ​a Crash Course To Ace Your Consultant Interview​: https://aceyourconsultantinterview.com/

    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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