My name is Marianne and I recently completed foundation year two. This year has been a whirlwind of emotions, with the challenges of working as a doctor in different rotations and managing an application cycle for specialty training.
Applying to a specialty training programme can be stressful, involving several steps, exams and deadlines and requiring you to manage uncertainties and questions.
But it's also been a great learning experience, and it's definitely possible to balance everything! Here, I'll share my experience and tips.
Discovering your specialty
I became interested in obstetrics and gynaecology during medical school, but it's okay if you don't know what specialty you want to pursue at the start of FY1. Keep exploring different specialties by asking trainees questions, attending specialty information events, and arranging taster days.
Keep in mind that many specialties have similar recruitment criteria, so no matter which specialty you choose, most will value experience in quality improvement projects, teaching and research. Use your study leave and self-development time to organise your application and enhance your portfolio.
Planning your application
During FY1, I decided to apply for training during FY2, but taking an FY3 year is also an option. FY3 can have many benefits, including different clinical experiences (clinical fellow, teaching fellow, locum), rest or travel opportunities.
Application process
Early steps
- Entry requirements and deadlines. Start looking at entry requirements and deadlines early in FY2. Key dates include registration on Oriel (the application platform) and the MSRA exam (multi-specialty recruitment assessment).
- Application steps. Look at the different specialty training websites to understand the application steps for your chosen specialty. Most use the MSRA exam followed by an interview as the second step, but this varies.
I'd advise you to take some time to understand how the platform works and submit your documents in advance to avoid last-minute stresses or technical failures.
Preparing for the MSRA exam
This exam tests medical knowledge from all specialties as well as professionalism and ethics in the situational judgement portion. Balancing revision with day-to-day work can be tiring, so make sure to start your revision early (by several months). This helped me do a little bit every day and spread it out over time.
Remember to inform your rota coordinator of your exam date as early as possible and book leave from work for that day.
Practice questions worked best for my revision. I used different knowledge and question banks following recommendations from trainees. I also chatted to friends throughout the experience to share revision tips, study together, and remind each other of upcoming deadlines. I recommend finding an application buddy.
Interview prep
Reach out to trainees or seniors so you can practise your interview skills and they can give you pointers on your answers.
I was surprised by how time pressured the interviews were. Answers need to be succinct and to the point.
Job rankings and offers
The final application step involves ranking jobs throughout the country in order of preference. This is done before interview scores and overall rankings are released.
You'll be asked to review your personal circumstances and what's most important to you – perhaps being in your hometown or close to family/friends, or maybe a specific hospital.
After a couple of weeks, the offers are released to candidates via email and on Oriel, with 48 hours to accept, hold or reject your offer. There can be a lot of movement in offers until the deadline, so make sure to monitor Oriel regularly and get support from your supervisors and other mental health support (your GP, counsellor, mental health charities).
More advice
I was delighted to be offered a training job in my first-choice deanery. I'm keen to help others with their application experience, so I'm launching a special series on my podcast, More Than Medical Students, with more useful advice and guests from various specialties.
This page was correct at publication on 08/08/2024. Any guidance is intended as general guidance for members only. If you are a member and need specific advice relating to your own circumstances, please contact one of our advisers.
by Dr Marianne Gazet
Marianne is a foundation doctor working in London and starting obstetrics and gynaecology training in autumn 2024. She has an interest in medical research and education, and she's a content creator on social media and podcast host. Her account shares the day-to-day life of a doctor in training as well advice and tips for medical students and new doctors. In her spare time, she loves sports, travelling and learning languages.