NHS Scientist Training Programme 2016 applicants!

Oh my goodness, is everyone else really stressed out? Still got over a week to stew over it all for vascular!

I know it is really jumping the gun, but does anyone know how the upgrades on location work?

In good conscience I can't make my children move schools and go through the nightmare of selling our home so have only one trust I can realistically work for. So when faced with the odds of getting a place only being 1/4, without considering the location restriction, I am wondering if I should save myself the stress and bail out now so that someone else can have a shot at the interviews. So difficult to know what to do for the best!

Good luck everyone having interviews this week :-)

You're scored during the interview and then they work down the list from the highest scorer and allocate locations like that. Basically a higher score at interview = higher chance you'll get the place you want. Obviously also the number of spaces in each location will factor in because they won't run out as quickly.

Thank you for your reply. Sorry I wasn't very clear, I just remember reading on last years thread something about offer locations changing if you opt into upgrades, and wondered how that process works. Is it if someone ranked higher than you declines a place you have the potential to accept their location offer instead?

x

To anyone who's already been -- am I correct in assuming we can use the stadium's car park?

Gaaaah I'm dreading this.

That's how it works I initially got my 2nd choice last year, but got upgraded to my first choice at the last minute. I know that last year you were able to hold an offer without accepting it for a certain amount of time and opt in for upgrades.

There is a link out that explains the whole upgrading process here:
http://www.nshcs.org.uk/images/recruitment/STP_Offers_guidance_Release_2.0.pdf

You should still go to interview, you've come this far! Who knows, maybe your location choice will not be the same as what others want. Also, the odds at interview are 1/3 not 1/4, so a bit better than you thought Good luck!

Hey guys, i have my interview on Tuesday. Wanted to know from those who have already had their interview, did you shake the interviewers hands? Because a current student told me that you weren't required to do so. So can someone reply please? Thank you

Hey. It is honestly up to you, if you'd like to then do, but you are definitely not expected to, they didn't put their hand out or anything. I would be extremely surprised if the interviewers put any basis on whether you shook their hand or not. Just do whatever you would do naturally

Be careful with giving people this advice as part of the interview score is from communication. Even though shaking the interviewer's hand is optional and a small thing, I'd say do everything you can to maximise your scores, and that's one very simple thing that could go a long way. Even if they don't put out their hand, put yours out to introduce yourself. Also make sure you make eye contact with the interviewers when speaking to them. Again, obvious & simple, but you want to do as well as possible! They're looking to see if you're the kind of person they'd want to employ.

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Ok, I can see the basis for your opinion. I'm also fully aware some of the marks are based on communication, so you are definitely right about making eye contact, being friendly and professional. However if the OP feels strongly enough about hand shaking to ask on here, one might assume that they are maybe anxious about doing this. I was just trying to put them at ease as it is most definitely not essential to the interview, in my view. Telling someone they really should shake someone's hand could possibly cause unnecessary anxiety which could be detrimental to the overall interview.

I've seen this asked a few times but haven't seen an answer yet, where are you guys parking?

Also, am I understanding correctly that the day consists of 4, 10 minute interviews with breaks of a couple of minutes between them. My email said to allow 4 hours for the day, but I can't understand why it would take so long. Have peoples interviews started on time?

Cheers

did my interview yesterday for med phys. It went bad all my hopes for this year are gone. Best of luck to all with their interviews.