Podcast
Ace Your NHS Consultant Interview
Hosted by Tessa Davis + Becky Platt · EN
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.
34episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
How to Turn 'My Clinics Always Run Late' Into a Safe, Strategic Weakness Answer
Jan 1200:19:59Tap to summarizeStarting 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-ep22In 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
Transcribe →The Real Reason Two Consultant Interviews in One Week Can Be an Advantage
Jan 500:22:59Tap to summarizeIn 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/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-ep21
Transcribe →Struggling After Several Failed Consultant Interviews? Do This Before You Apply Again
Dec 2900:19:51Tap to summarizeIn 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=1Starting 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-ep20
Transcribe →Why Waiting for an Interview Date Is the Worst Way to Prepare for Your Consultant Job
Dec 2200:18:16Tap to summarizeIn 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/
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