ST3 Neurology: London/KSS

From Mmc

At a meeting of the interview panel for ST3 Neurology posts (including Academic Clinical Fellows at ST3 level) in London, Kent, Surrey, Sussex, Essex and Hertfordshire, held during the evening of Monday 19th March 2007, the following points were resolved:

1. Interviews for these posts, previously scheduled for Monday 26th March 2007, will be postponed until Wednesday 25th April 2007.
2. The reasons for this decision are twofold: (a) Department of Health advice of 16th March 2007 indicates we will need to interview many more applicants than were originally shortlisted. It would be fairest to interview all applicants in a single recruitment exercise. (b) Time will be needed to review candidates’ employment histories and verifiable clinical and academic achievements to overcome the well-documented problems with the MTAS application form.
3. Everyone already shortlisted, plus those who are eligible and have put London/KSS as 1st or 2nd choice, will be invited for interview.
4. At interview, verifiable clinical and academic achievements will be scored explicitly, and will count towards the overall ranking. The remainder of the scoring will be based on several interview stations, including a clinical scenario.
5. The non-verifiable, non-objective components of the MTAS application form will not contribute in any way to candidates’ scores.
6. Every attempt will be made to accommodate candidates currently in research wishing to defer their date for starting the programme, within the constraints of workforce planning. To facilitate this, applicants will be asked to state the date from which they wish to re-enter clinical training.
7. We strongly believe that the proposed closure of ST3 entry to candidates without a National Training Number from 2009 does not provide an adequate transitional phase for applicants already committed to Neurology. We call on MMC to respond to our serious concerns.
8. We remain committed to the goal of appointing the most promising and able candidates and believe that these changes to the recruitment procedure are the fairest way forward.

Membership of the panel:

Lionel Ginsberg (Specialty Training Committee Chair)

Gerry Saldanha (Vice-Chair and Programme Director)

Jeremy Chataway

Jeffrey Gawler (in absentia)

Paul Jarman

Richard Nicholas (in absentia)

Richard Peatfield

Paola Piccini

Geraint Rees

Richard Wise