Specific questions related to their career pathway:

UK PLAB 1
#1

I have made a set of questions which you can ask IMG consultants to fill:
A lot of junior doctors have questions regarding training in a particular specialty. This document is a questionnaire which IMGs can ask their consultants.

A little bit about themselves:
Current position
Previous jobs

Specific questions related to their career pathway:

  1. When did you come to the UK?
  2. Which pathway did you use?
  3. Which jobs did you apply for at that time?
  4. How long did you work in those for?
  5. Did you do anything extra other than just working – eg, research, publications, etc.
    If you did - how did you manage to work and do this at the same time?
  6. When did you decide to apply for the specialty you are currently working in?
  7. How did you apply? What was the application process like?
  8. Did you struggle in your career?

Current situation in the specialty they are working in:

  1. How would you compare the current training pathway with the pathway you followed?
  2. What would you advise junior doctors?
  3. What would you look for in a specialty trainee wishing to join your specialty
    regarding:
  • CV ( ie their e –portfolio if they are in a training program)
  • Exams
  • Audits, QIPs, publications
  • Extra curricular activities
  1. What is the current best pathway to enter this specialty ( from FY2 to CCT)?

Interviews:

  1. Do you interview trainees joining your specialty?
  2. Do you remember any candidate whom particularly stood out during his/her interview?
  3. Do you have any advice for aspiring trainees regarding interviews in your specialty?

About your specialty:

  1. Do you have any ideas for QIPs and audits in this specialty?
  2. Are there any particular courses we can attend in this specialty to enhance our CV?

Exams:

  1. Are you an examiner for a particular specialty exam in the UK?
  2. If yes, what is your advice to candidates who are preparing for the
  • Written part
  • Practical part
  1. What do you look for in a candidate on which you base your judgment to pass them/fail them?

Your job:

  1. Are you enjoying your job here?
  2. What keeps you going everyday?
  3. People say that life becomes dull and boring here at a consultant level. What keeps you going?
  4. Would you ever think of going back to your home country? What are your reasons?

Helping people

  1. Some people say that doctors from foreign countries forget their home countries. Do you think this is true?
  2. Are you involved in any charity organizations in your home country?
  3. What advice would you have for us as junior doctors regarding this?
  4. How can we do something for our home country while working here?

About the NHS

  1. What do you feel about the current situation of the NHS?
  2. Do you think you can make a difference?

Life in general:

  1. What is the secret behind your success?
  2. What advice would you give to junior doctors to keep them going when they are away from their home countries?

Personal achievements:

  1. Do you think you have achieved anything special since you have joined the NHS which you may not have been able to do so in your home country? If yes, can you share your experience?
  2. Do you think people here have stopped you from achieving your goals? How did you manage to by-pass them to achieve this?

Any advice and suggestions not mentioned in this questionnaire.

Please give suggestions (topic wise please- not a random rant, that makes it difficult for us to organize the questions)