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NHS Scientist Training Programme 2016 applicants!

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Reply 200
Hello Everyone!
Good luck with your applications and online tests!
I'm on the final year of my Bsc Physics and applying for Medical physics.
Quick question: Does your page "Evidence" on Oriel state "Page intentionally left blank". Mine does, and I'm wondering if I'm missing anything...
Without this page, how do we give evidence that we meet the Personal selection Criteria? Do we have to try to fit all the evidence in our answers to the questions on the "Supporting" page? Or will they check the criteria against the descriptions contained in the employment history as well?
Thank you!
Best,
Sandra
Reply 201
Original post by housefan12
Hi everyone, I'm planning on applying for the neurophysiology course.
Does anyone know whether you have to send your application by the 12th, or whether you have to have sent it AND done the online tests by then?
And, is there anywhere you can practise the tests? I'm super worried about them!
Good luck to everyone!

Hi,
I copied the following from the FAQS that you can find at http://www.nshcs.org.uk/images/recruitment/Frequently_asked_questions_release_1.0_Dated_13_January_2016.pdf

"You must submit your completed application form by 17:00 hours on Friday 12th February 2016 and you have until 17:00 hours on Monday 15th February 2016 to complete your online tests. "

"...visit the practice site (www.trytalentq.com) to learn more about the tests, try out some practice questions and learn how to prepare. "Good luck!
Original post by housefan12
Hi everyone, I'm planning on applying for the neurophysiology course.
Does anyone know whether you have to send your application by the 12th, or whether you have to have sent it AND done the online tests by then?
And, is there anywhere you can practise the tests? I'm super worried about them!
Good luck to everyone!


Application submitted by 12th feb. you have til 15th feb for online tests :smile:
Original post by echelonprincess
Application submitted by 12th feb. you have til 15th feb for online tests :smile:

thanks! They don't give you long!
Original post by ssemog
Hello Everyone!
Good luck with your applications and online tests!
I'm on the final year of my Bsc Physics and applying for Medical physics.
Quick question: Does your page "Evidence" on Oriel state "Page intentionally left blank". Mine does, and I'm wondering if I'm missing anything...
Without this page, how do we give evidence that we meet the Personal selection Criteria? Do we have to try to fit all the evidence in our answers to the questions on the "Supporting" page? Or will they check the criteria against the descriptions contained in the employment history as well?
Thank you!
Best,
Sandra

Mine says that too! Don't really understand why though
Sorry to keep spamming with questions, but for the employment section, is everyone including voluntary work as employment? or how about voluntary work that might be relevant to show skills, leadership etc but are not directly related?
for example, i have experience as a student's union representative and volunteering for a mental health project - i'm not sure whether to list them as employment or not!
Original post by housefan12
Sorry to keep spamming with questions, but for the employment section, is everyone including voluntary work as employment? or how about voluntary work that might be relevant to show skills, leadership etc but are not directly related?
for example, i have experience as a student's union representative and volunteering for a mental health project - i'm not sure whether to list them as employment or not!


I did - I included any placements or work experience I had done over one week long just to fill the gaps in my employment.

Just submitted my application - now too scared to do the tests!!
Original post by a6georgia1
I did - I included any placements or work experience I had done over one week long just to fill the gaps in my employment.

Just submitted my application - now too scared to do the tests!!

Thanks, i'll probably do that too! And it gives more space to write abbut experience without taking up the 'supporting' word count.
Good luck with the tests! Have you had much practice? You've still got a while, although I guess it's good to get it out the way!
Jeez, the application is pretty tricky. Just wondered how people coped with the first question if they put down two specialisms. Did you try and answer what actions you've taken for both specialisms, or treat them separately?

Also just wondered if anyone had a direct link for the NHS constitution values? I found something, but I'm not sure it's right.

Deadline is pretty tight compared to some other stuff I've applied for!
Original post by housefan12
Thanks, i'll probably do that too! And it gives more space to write abbut experience without taking up the 'supporting' word count.
Good luck with the tests! Have you had much practice? You've still got a while, although I guess it's good to get it out the way!


Yeah exactly, just makes more sense!

I've done a bit - I'm just struggling with doing numerical in the time space! I'll probably spend the next week practicing then do it later next week, I want to get it done so it doesn't interrupt my work for final year!
Do you have to do the application part in one sitting? I remember reading somewhere it's not like other ones where you can pop in and out. I've written my answers to the questions, so hoping I can copy and paste...
I'm guessing the tests are the same, you need to do numerical and logical at the same time, not one type one day, then the other the next.
Reply 211
Hi, no you can complete the application in as many sittings as you want. Just make sure to save as you go a long as the session expires after 1 hour.
The tests have to be completed in one sitting.
Good luck!
(edited 8 years ago)
Reply 212
Original post by librarygirl
Do you really have to know the terminology, or is more simple maths in disguise, so to speak?

Pretty sure I was told straight away that I hadn't passed, but that was a few years ago so maybe it's different now.

The maths was pretty simple, but to calculate it, you need to actually understand the question (and the "30 seconds left" didn't help) :biggrin: One of the tables was very economy-heavy so it was a huge pain, had to pick a random answer. But there were a couple of pretty easy questions as well...I don't know what to think right now, don't know how they actually calculate the final score and what the pass mark is, etc. I think they changed the system last year, or the year before - saw in last year's thread that people were rejected/longlisted after the tests' deadline...will have to be patient, somehow :biggrin:
Reply 213
Original post by tsvety
Can't agree more :angry: Finally got the courage today to do them. The logical one was okay-ish, there were some easy and some hard (impossible) patterns. But the numerical one! I didn't quite get what the question was asking for one of the tables, let alone have time to calculate it. I still don't understand why I'm supposed to know economic terminology, I'm a geneticist for God's sake! Oh well, it's done now...wish they would tell us whether we passed sooner (so I can start looking for other jobs), but I get it they need all the result to calculate the averages, etc....Good luck to anyone taking the tests!


Mine was exactly the same. Logic not too bad, numerical - economic terminology in questions making them hard to understand and sooooo many percentages and not much of anything else
I started filling in the application, and it's telling me my request to get to the next page is being processed and "wait until page has finished loading". Grrr!
Hi guys

Anybody got any practice websites for the aptitude tests. Ive tried the talentq website but they don't seem to provide the answers at the end. The time limit on the numerical test is a bugger.
See for references, has anyone put down a previous employer? I've only ever worked in retail before apart from one NHS voluntary placement- do you think that and uni supervisors would be acceptable?
Reply 217
Original post by librarygirl
See for references, has anyone put down a previous employer? I've only ever worked in retail before apart from one NHS voluntary placement- do you think that and uni supervisors would be acceptable?


I have put down a previous employer from when I worked in a school, my current employer and my personal tutor from uni. The page states this about you references:

You must provide contact details, including e-mail addresses of three referees during the last two years of your employment or undergraduate training. One referee must be your current or most recent line manager or education supervisor. Your NHS Employer will be required to take up references spanning the last three years of your work and/or education.

So if the three references cover the last 2 years they should be fine. Also, I think the personal spec says that references are used for attendance and timekeeping, organisational and teamwork skills so if they are people who can comment on them they should be fine.

I would try stick to the requirements above as its standard for all NHS jobs so they could ask for another references if one falls outside that criteria. They will be able to work out from your education and employment section if your references fall within these requirements.
(edited 8 years ago)
Reply 218
Hi again

Anyone know how the references work? If I submit on the day of the deadline therefore the references will respond only after my deadline is that an issue?
Original post by nech
Hi again

Anyone know how the references work? If I submit on the day of the deadline therefore the references will respond only after my deadline is that an issue?


They won't contact references until you accept a job offer so not until like may/june at the earliest

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