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NHS Clinical Scientist Recruitment

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Hi, Can anybody who applied last year give a few pointers on the medical physics interview questions? its been a few years since I finished my BSc Physics, do i need to break out my old text books and do some revision?

Reply 3581

littlegirlbigworld

They wont offer me an alternative date :-(

Reply 3582

nisot

if it helps, I had one of my A level exams the same day of a university interview. made the interview after finishing my exam. (Basingstoke-London). I tried to finish the exam early and had a cab waiting to take me to the train station. You can try this (before or after) if you have a morning exam try booking a later interview slot. if afternoon than book the earlist slot possible speak to the organisers to make sure u whiz through the station. the intervies should really take 40 mins.. Good luck. would be a shame to fall at this hurdle..

Reply 3583

Hollie92

Original post by littlegirlbigworld

They wont offer me an alternative date :-(

I'm not sure if its possible, but maybe look into sitting just that exam in September. It was something I was thinking about doing if I got an interview that clashed, but I'm not sure if its possible as I don't know if you'd technically be graduated in time then, but maybe worth looking into. Hope you get it sorted!

Reply 3584

goatie

I have got an interview for micro. I nearly stopped breathing when i read my email as I had all but given up on getting through.

I applied last year and had no luck but I put a lot more effort into this year's application. I hadn't yet found this forum so the online tests took me completely by surprise (I completed the application on a Sunday night and ended up sitting the tests at 11.30 pm after two glasses of wine), although my panic impulse was probably dulled somewhat (metaphorphical crash test dummy)!

I graduated in 2010 and did some additional placements in my area plus some volunteering in an NHS organisation. I now work for the NHS in a workforce development/training role but have zero clinical input. I am amazed that I have come this far as it seemed the calibre of applicants was pretty high overall.

Good luck to everybody who is still waiting :smile:

Reply 3585

kathlovestea

Interview for micro. Pooping my pants. I have to get it right this year!

Reply 3586

Jess Who?

Hi All!

I've been following this thread avidly for the past 2 years, and it has paid off, I have an interview for Genetics!

OBVIOUSLY the email went to my spam box (I think they do this on purpose as another way to weed out people arbitrarily), so I found out BY logging into the milkround website.

So I whizzed through the first load of questions without actually reading them properly... Yes, no, yes, no etc. because I wanted to find out what was going on and they seemed inconsequential. Did I really need to write anything in the boxes? Does anyone think the answers will make any difference? Oops...

Also, some people are saying they're on a reserve list - is this indicated in the email? Seems a bit early to be splitting people into propers and reserves...

I cannot believe I got an interview. I stayed up all night filling in the essay questions, and the coffee I glugged before taking the aptitude tests just made me shaky, no more alert. Just finishing my undergrad Masters, I think it's helped that I've worked full time in a lab all year, despite it being in completely the wrong area (crystallography). Worked clerical in the NHS during the holidays, and did a Human Genetics module with a Director of Medical Genetics in an NHS hospital, but aside from that, I have no idea how this happened.

Stupid process. Anyway, excited! Thanks everyone :smile:

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 3587

kathlovestea

Original post by Japryan

Congrats! I don't suppose you are willing to share any info about what sort of technical questions you have been asked in the past? Not specifics, just a general idea would be useful!

Thanks

Thanks

I only made it to interview stage in Scotland last year, which was set up pretty differently so I'm not sure that would be much use to you! Plus I can't remember many of the questions they asked me! Sorry!

Reply 3588

cfptwenty

I was at the interviews last year in England and I also cannot remember a single question they asked! I should have been writing them down! I guess you have to just plan from the topics from each section, 2 specific to your specialism, one general science and one professionalism.

Reply 3589

mateyface

Original post by cfptwenty

The one I remember best was "How do you deal with stress?" What an odd question to ask!

I think the subject based ones were the things I did worst in and the best advice for those is to know how to describe in a fair amount of detail how each area within your specialism works.

Reply 3590

neuneu

I've only got a little medical physics knowledge from my undergrad, my PhD isn't in Medical Physics. I'm happy to learn the ins and outs for the interview, but I'd be surprised if I'd be expected to already know a lot about medical physics given my background, and the fact that you're supposed to study it part time as part of the course.

As a result I'm not sure how to prepare for the specialist questions.

Reply 3591

Hollie92

Has anyone had any previous experience with reproductive science interviews??

I haven't covered much reproductive science in my undergraduate degree so not sure how much I'd know for the 2 specialism specific Q's.... :|

Reply 3592

amyf89

Hey guys,

So if anyone has any ideas on the cardiac science interview context, any shared info would be greatly appreciated!

Also is it just me or when you read the email regarding the interview they say there's 4 stations, but then when you look at the diagram of the stations there is 8. I was just wondering if anyone had any idea about the other 4 stations.

Thanks.

Reply 3593

sssjay22

for the people who got interviews for microbiology; can i ask what experience/qualifications you have? danke.

Reply 3594

littlegirlbigworld

Original post by amyf89

They're just a repeat of the first four stations i think, so another 4 applicants are doing station 5,6,7,8 instead of 1,2,3,4. So there'll be more than just 4 people in the interview room at one time doing more than one set of stations. But each person will do just 4 stations, as described in the email. Hope that makes sense :smile:

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 3595

kathlovestea

Original post by sssjay22

for the people who got interviews for microbiology; can i ask what experience/qualifications you have? danke.

Upper second BSc in Microbiology

PhD in Microbiology/Molecular Biology

5 months voluntary experience in an NHS microbiology lab.

Last year I only had the first 2 and I didn't get an interview for England. I interviewed for the Scottish scheme last year and my primary feedback was regarding my lack of NHS experience. I'd say this is the biggest factor and if you can get some NHS/diagnostic lab experience, paid or voluntary, it will be incredibly useful.

However it mostly comes down to how well you answer the essay questions, and how you can make the experience you do have relevant to what they're looking for.

Reply 3596

goatie

I have 1st class Microbiology degree, plus received awards from my university and the Society of Biology.

I have 6 months experience volunteering for the NHS in a clinical setting, and have been working for the NHS for the last 2 years in a training role.

I was surprised to be invited to interview as I know many applicants who have substantial experience or postgrad qualifications.

What regions/posts have you applied for?

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 3597

ckclaireknowles

Original post by Rosons

Hi - I'm in a similar position to you - I graduated with BSc Physics in 2009 and have been working since, although not in a relevant field.

I've been revising my Med Phys module from uni - the basics of different types of imaging and general physics like the photoelectric effect etc.

Does anyone from last year know how much in-detail (formulae etc.) knowledge we need to prepare for the interview?

Thanks

Reply 3598

laura130490

Interview for Haematology :biggrin:

Thank god that it's five days after my exams, gives me time to prepare.

Reply 3599

mateyface

Original post by ckclaireknowles

You won't need to remember any med phys specific formulae but there was a question where you needed to know how to calculate gravitational potential energy but you will need to know qualitative med phys stuff.