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NHS Scientist Training Programme 2016 applicants!

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Shortlisting is due to begin on Thursday, so I guess that you should know by Thursday if you have been long listed.
Original post by emm18
Nooooo!!! You've always got to try. Because if you don't try then there's absolutely no hope, at least if you try, you've got a shot! Everyone seems to be struggling which is almost comforting.


Yeah I'm doing really badly in the numerical practise tests at the moment and logical ones i just dont seem to see patterns. I'm debating whether I should even sit the test myself right now. Really lost hope :frown:
Original post by Hazel92
Yeah I'm doing really badly in the numerical practise tests at the moment and logical ones i just dont seem to see patterns. I'm debating whether I should even sit the test myself right now. Really lost hope :frown:


I'm in the same boat as you. I'm just planning to sleep on it and do a bit more practice before the real thing tomorrow. It's not the end of the world if we don't pass, and at least we know most people have struggled with them in the past.
Oh gosh.. I just did mine numerical reasoning this morning just before work. It was crazy. For at least 3 questions I just ran out the time just before clicking submit! :frown:(( well, I'll try again next year. Whoever gets the post in respiratory and sleep in Doncaster I shall see you around my department in September :smile:
I'm so mad that my applications is not even going to be looked at because of these tests. They were much easier last year and I think that's why I got in to the interview stage.
Best of luck everyone, fingers crossed for you :smile:
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Ania1988
Oh gosh.. I just did mine numerical reasoning this morning just before work. It was crazy. For at least 3 questions I just ran out the time just before clicking submit! :frown:(( well, I'll try again next year. Whoever gets the post in respiratory and sleep in Doncaster I shall see you around my department in September :smile:
I'm so mad that my applications is not even going to be looked at because of these tests. They were much easier last year and I think that's why I got in to the interview stage.
Best of luck everyone, fingers crossed for you :smile:


does failing automatically take you out of the long listing stage? If that's the case I have 10000000%%% failed therefore will be looking elsewhere for a job. :frown:
(edited 8 years ago)
I did well in the logical I think and my numerical really sucked big time!! Just did not find enough time for a few quesitons. I forgot to hit submit after selecting a response does it mean the question is taken as not answered?
Original post by sharpsri
I did well in the logical I think and my numerical really sucked big time!! Just did not find enough time for a few quesitons. I forgot to hit submit after selecting a response does it mean the question is taken as not answered?


I think if you have an answer higlighted and the time runs out, that answer gets used, so wouldn't worry about it.

Anyone have a rough idea when we might find out about the results??
Original post by Hazel92
does failing automatically take you out of the long listing stage? If that's the case I have 10000000%%% failed therefore will be looking elsewhere for a job. :frown:


I have no idea I feel your pain. I sat the logical one this morning and thought that it went pretty bad then just sat the numerical one and that was a thousand times worse. I have a degree, MSc and a PhD and am pretty sure I failed at the test level. I guess noone know for sure until they review all the results, and maybe we know by Thursday.
Original post by ClaireB1983
I have no idea I feel your pain. I sat the logical one this morning and thought that it went pretty bad then just sat the numerical one and that was a thousand times worse. I have a degree, MSc and a PhD and am pretty sure I failed at the test level. I guess noone know for sure until they review all the results, and maybe we know by Thursday.


What is your PhD in? If there was any clinical involvement you may be able to apply directly. A friend at my work (university) applied directly for a geneticist position, they said they wanted to offer her the position but they weren't sure as she hadn't done the STP and would she consider doing the relevant Masters (the one you get on the STP). She explained that she didn't see the necessity as she already had clinical experience and all the relevant skills and knowledge already (she had a PhD, and I think some clinical experience), so they gave her the job anyway!

I think sometimes it might look like you need certain things, but if you feel you'd be able to do a job without following the official entry route, it is definitely worth applying and "fighting" your case!
Just did the tests earlier !
I'd give myself a 1% chance of being in the top 70%
It is a shame about the aptitude tests!
I've read about so many people that are so passionate about the programme and have even done PhD's etc! I was initially very passionate about the programme, visited numerous departments and went to open days but when i learnt about the tests i got disheartened very quickly! I think it's very unfair to cut the number of applicants down in this way, when someone who is very good at maths can get through but who didn't have a very good application- that's unfair on someone who worked hard to go to open days and departments to learn all they can, for their application to not even be read because they couldn't answer a few questions in 90 seconds in ridiculous in my opinion!
Original post by orcalove93
Just did the tests earlier !
I'd give myself a 1% chance of being in the top 70%
It is a shame about the aptitude tests!
I've read about so many people that are so passionate about the programme and have even done PhD's etc! I was initially very passionate about the programme, visited numerous departments and went to open days but when i learnt about the tests i got disheartened very quickly! I think it's very unfair to cut the number of applicants down in this way, when someone who is very good at maths can get through but who didn't have a very good application- that's unfair on someone who worked hard to go to open days and departments to learn all they can, for their application to not even be read because they couldn't answer a few questions in 90 seconds in ridiculous in my opinion!


To be fair I think that you need to be good at the tests AND have a good application. The test results just ensure the application gets read. But yes I do agree to an extent, my numerical seemed to be a lot more about economics than healthcare, I don't really see why this is pivotal to the role. Annoying for all I know I could have done the actual maths really easily but just don't know what they were actually asking me to do!!!

Anyway, you don't know you've failed until you know, so chin up, you may be through yet!!
That is true, i read over all the old STP student room pages! So many people were on their 3rd/4th attempt, with similar jobs in hospitals and with PhD's and it just seems ridiculous these skilled people can't get past the tests. Anyways, you're right! To be honest i'll need a miracle to pass the tests but i will let you all know :smile:
Original post by ClaireB1983
I have no idea I feel your pain. I sat the logical one this morning and thought that it went pretty bad then just sat the numerical one and that was a thousand times worse. I have a degree, MSc and a PhD and am pretty sure I failed at the test level. I guess noone know for sure until they review all the results, and maybe we know by Thursday.


Oh dear! I have a BSc and MRes. :frown:
Original post by Nightwing_
What is your PhD in? If there was any clinical involvement you may be able to apply directly. A friend at my work (university) applied directly for a geneticist position, they said they wanted to offer her the position but they weren't sure as she hadn't done the STP and would she consider doing the relevant Masters (the one you get on the STP). She explained that she didn't see the necessity as she already had clinical experience and all the relevant skills and knowledge already (she had a PhD, and I think some clinical experience), so they gave her the job anyway!

I think sometimes it might look like you need certain things, but if you feel you'd be able to do a job without following the official entry route, it is definitely worth applying and "fighting" your case!


Thanks for your reply. I have had a somewhat long route in science. I did a BSc Hons (1st class) in Biomedical Science during which I did a placement year and got my state registration to practice as a Biomedical Scientist in Clinical Biochemistry. Decided instead to then to an MRes in medical and molecular biosciences (specialising in cancer and immunology with Distinction) then did a PhD in Neuroimmunology (it was looking at post-translational modification of proteins in multiple sclerosis so embodied both biochemistry and immunology). I now work as a postdoc in immunology specifically working on pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis. This involves lots of lab work but also recruiting patients to the study and consenting/taking blood from patients with rheumtoid arthritis at a hospital in london (I am also now a qualified phlebotomist so I can take blood from my research patients). I have applied this year for the first time for STP as I no longer feel like I want to continue in academia research as I only ever seem to get funding for 12 months at a time, so STP seems like a good move in the right direction as I can still do research but in an nhs setting with patients (and more job security). I have always thought about STP training but never been brave enough to take the plunge! I have applied for immunology (1st choice) and biochemistry 2nd choice.

Thanks for the advice
Good luck to everyone :smile:
Original post by ClaireB1983
Thanks for your reply. I have had a somewhat long route in science. I did a BSc Hons (1st class) in Biomedical Science during which I did a placement year and got my state registration to practice as a Biomedical Scientist in Clinical Biochemistry. Decided instead to then to an MRes in medical and molecular biosciences (specialising in cancer and immunology with Distinction) then did a PhD in Neuroimmunology (it was looking at post-translational modification of proteins in multiple sclerosis so embodied both biochemistry and immunology). I now work as a postdoc in immunology specifically working on pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis. This involves lots of lab work but also recruiting patients to the study and consenting/taking blood from patients with rheumtoid arthritis at a hospital in london (I am also now a qualified phlebotomist so I can take blood from my research patients). I have applied this year for the first time for STP as I no longer feel like I want to continue in academia research as I only ever seem to get funding for 12 months at a time, so STP seems like a good move in the right direction as I can still do research but in an nhs setting with patients (and more job security). I have always thought about STP training but never been brave enough to take the plunge! I have applied for immunology (1st choice) and biochemistry 2nd choice.

Thanks for the advice


OH my God this level of experience is exactly the kind of thing my friend had! I think if you want to do the STP go for it. But it sounds to me like you really wouldn't have to (obviously I don't REALLY know and I'm sure any job you go for would be assessed on a case by case basis, some departments are likely to be a lot fussier over this kind of thing). IF you don't get on this year, or even if you do I definitely think it could be worth looking into applying directly.

Unfortunately for me my PhD is not directly related to healthcare so I don't feel I've got much choice but to go down the STP route (I fully echo your concerns about remaining in academia, probably why a lot of people are applying here!!). But in your shoes I'd definitely look at directly applying as an option.

Either way best of luck :smile:
Well I got a normalised score of 1 in a practice TalentQ style test. I just can't think when there is so little time. Good luck to everyone else, I don't think I'm going to waste my time taking the real test.
Does anyone know if they combine your results for maths and logical? If you're in the bottom 30% for Maths but in top 70% for logical, do you still have a chance or no?
Original post by librarygirl
Well I got a normalised score of 1 in a practice TalentQ style test. I just can't think when there is so little time. Good luck to everyone else, I don't think I'm going to waste my time taking the real test.


Definitely do the real test, i felt the same as you but you never know! Give yourself thr chance! You havr an hour and 10 minutes left, do it!
Original post by Nightwing_
OH my God this level of experience is exactly the kind of thing my friend had! I think if you want to do the STP go for it. But it sounds to me like you really wouldn't have to (obviously I don't REALLY know and I'm sure any job you go for would be assessed on a case by case basis, some departments are likely to be a lot fussier over this kind of thing). IF you don't get on this year, or even if you do I definitely think it could be worth looking into applying directly.

Unfortunately for me my PhD is not directly related to healthcare so I don't feel I've got much choice but to go down the STP route (I fully echo your concerns about remaining in academia, probably why a lot of people are applying here!!). But in your shoes I'd definitely look at directly applying as an option.

Either way best of luck :smile:



Thanks again, I am looking into perhaps applying directly for jobs. Most on the nhs jos website stipulate you must be registered as a clinical scientist, but you still think its worth trying to apply directly? My registration with HCPC as a biomedical scientist lapsed a long time ago, but I spoke to IBMS and they said just a letter explaining what clinical stuff I have done since I left practice as a biomedical scientist and £300 to get my registration back should be adequate to get my registration back. I worry I have been too long out of direct clinical lab work, even though I do work with patients in nhs hospitals but am based in a university. It is definitely more appealing to me if I do not pass the aptitude tests in this round to try applying directly, as I fear the older I get (I am 33 this year) the slower I will be at completing them!

What did you do your PhD in and what is your background? Are you applying for this year and if so which specialisms?

Best of luck to you too :-)

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