PodcastsEducationAce Your NHS Consultant Interview

Ace Your NHS Consultant Interview

Tessa Davis + Becky Platt
Ace Your NHS Consultant Interview
Latest episode

46 episodes

  • Ace Your NHS Consultant Interview

    Workforce Questions in Your Consultant Interview — You Don't Need to Be an HR Expert

    29/06/2026 | 15 mins.
    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-ep46 

    Workforce and staff retention questions are showing up more and more in consultant interviews — and they catch people off guard because most candidates have never been "in charge" of retention. In this episode, Tessa and Becky reframe the whole thing: these questions aren't asking for HR expertise, they're asking whether you understand what makes people want to show up and stay.
    They walk through a relatable Golden Example of a conflict with a patient — a frustrated person who'd been waiting too long and was taking it out on a nurse — and break down exactly how to de-escalate, protect your colleague, and still put your foot down professionally. Then they tackle a genuinely tough interview question: "We're in the lowest 10th percentile for staff who would recommend us as a place to work — what would you do to help address this?" They cover how to answer without panicking, how to show enthusiasm for a team that's clearly struggling, and why framing it as "what can we do together" is everything.
    Their Tip and Trick of the Week is an underrated one: how to find and use your trust's staff survey results before your interview — because being able to reference specific findings in the room is the kind of preparation that genuinely sets candidates apart.
    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=1
  • Ace Your NHS Consultant Interview

    AI Questions in Your Consultant Interview — Here's Exactly What the Panel Wants to Hear

    22/06/2026 | 16 mins.
    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-ep45 

    AI keeps coming up in consultant interviews — and if the thought of being asked about it makes you nervous, this episode is essential listening. Tessa and Becky break down what the panel is actually looking for when they ask about AI (hint: it's not technical expertise), and how to build a confident, senior-level answer no matter what specialty you're in.
    They also analyse a brilliant Golden Example from an academy student who used an AI-assisted patient follow-up system to boost appointment attendance from 55% to 70% — a standout MDT example with data, governance awareness, and a direct nod to the NHS 10-Year Plan all baked in. Plus, they tackle a curveball interview question of the week: "What is the biggest risk in your department and what would you do to tackle it?" — and reveal the one simple thing you can do in your pre-interview visit that turns this from a panic question into a winning answer.
    To close, their Tip and Trick of the Week covers how to handle any tech-related question even if you don't consider yourself a tech person — because "that's not really my thing" is simply not an option in today's NHS.
    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=1
  • Ace Your NHS Consultant Interview

    The Interview Panel Already Knows You — Does That Help or Hurt You?

    15/06/2026 | 18 mins.
    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-ep44 

    One of the biggest fears going into a consultant interview is repeating yourself — especially if panel members have already interviewed you before. In this episode, Tessa and Becky tackle this head-on and make the case clearly: your strongest examples should come up more than once, and here's exactly how to do it without it feeling repetitive.
    They break down a fascinating Golden Example involving a lost amputated fingertip — and how the same incident can be used powerfully for both a duty of candour question and an MDT working question, as long as you know how to frame each angle correctly. They also dig into a tricky interview question of the week: "Tell me about the trust value that resonates most with you — and a time you couldn't meet it." Spoiler: it's a bit of a trap, and they share the safest way to navigate it.
    To close, their Tip and Trick of the Week unpacks how to mine your USPs for multiple different angles — so the same project can land a clinical governance question, a change management question, and more — without ever sounding like a broken record.
    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=1
  • Ace Your NHS Consultant Interview

    NHS 10-Year Plan: How to Answer 'Care Closer to Home' Questions in Your Consultant Interview

    08/06/2026 | 23 mins.
    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-ep43 

    Dreading the NHS 10-Year Plan question in your consultant interview — especially if you work in an acute specialty and don't have a community project? In this episode, Tessa and Becky tackle the "hospital to community" theme head-on, explaining why almost every specialty has relevant examples hiding in plain sight, from hospital-at-home services and virtual clinics to patient-initiated follow-up and GP pathway work.

    They break down a real Golden Example from one of their academy students — a virtual review clinic set up with primary care to reduce re-attendances — and explain exactly why service-level MDT examples crush single case studies every time. Plus, there's a brilliant story about a student who walked over hot coals the night before her interview and went on to land the job.

    Finally, they share their Tip and Trick of the Week: how to naturally weave the three key NHS 10-Year Plan themes — hospital to community, treatment to prevention, and analogue to digital — into your answers without it feeling forced, including how to use it in your interview presentation.
    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=1
  • Ace Your NHS Consultant Interview

    How to Stay Focused in Your Consultant Interview

    01/06/2026 | 17 mins.
    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-ep42 

    Consultant interviews can feel overwhelming, especially when you are trying to give structured answers under pressure. In this episode of the Ace Your Consultant Interview podcast, Tessa and Becky explain how using a blank piece of paper and pen can help you pause, gather your thoughts, and keep your answers focused from start to finish.
    They also discuss reasonable adjustments for neurodivergent doctors, including how to think about what would actually help you perform at your best in the interview. From asking for written questions to needing a quieter space before the interview, this episode encourages candidates to be clear about what they need and not let stigma hold them back from requesting support.
    Finally, Tessa and Becky break down what makes a strong duty of candour example and how to answer difficult questions about trust values. If you are preparing for a consultant interview and want to sound calm, structured, thoughtful, and ready for senior level practice, this episode will help you approach your preparation with more clarity and confidence.
    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=1
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About Ace Your NHS Consultant Interview
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.
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