Cardiothoracic Surgery ST1
Person specification and entry criteria for Cardiothoracic Surgery ST1 2025 recruitment
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Important: Accuracy
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained on this page. The information presented is accurate at the time of publication.
Eligibility to apply
Please make sure you meet all below eligibility criteria before applying.
Qualifications
You must hold a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (BMBS, MBBS) degree or other equivalent medical qualification.
Registration and Right to Work
You must:
- be eligible to work in the UK.
- be eligible for full registration with, and hold a current licence to practise from, the General Medical Council (GMC) at the advertised post start date for the vacancy.
- meet the standards set out in Good Medical Practice, and not be subject to fitness to practise conditions which would prevent you taking up the post or performing fully within it.
You must not
- hold, nor be eligible to hold, a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) or Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration (CESR) for this specialty.
- already be eligible for the specialist register for this specialty.
Career history
You must be able to provide complete details of your employment history, including any gaps.
Disclosure
Disclosure for CT1/ST1 entry
- You must complete all sections of the application form fully and truthfully, in accordance with written guidelines.
- You must disclose in your application if you are subject to any ongoing fitness to practise proceedings or are subject to any fitness to practise conditions.
- If you are currently in training and applying to continue training in the same specialty in another region, you must obtain a Support for Application to another region form signed by the Training Programme Director/Head of School of your current Specialty Training Programme. This must confirm satisfactory progress and be submitted with your application.
- If you have previously resigned, or been removed from a training programme in any specialty, you must obtain a Support for Reapplication to Specialty Training form signed by the Training Programme Director/Head of School and Postgraduate Dean from the region you previously undertook training in. This must be submitted with your application.
- If you have previously resigned, been removed from, or relinquished a Foundation post or training programme and failed to gain the award of a Foundation Programme Certificate of Completion (FPCC), or Foundation Achievement of Competence Document 5.2 (FACD 5.2) you you must obtain a Dean's Supporting Declaration proforma signed by the Postgraduate Dean from the region you previously undertook Foundation training in. This must be submitted with your application.
Capability/competences
Capability/competences for ST1/CT1 entry
You must have evidence of achievement of foundation competences in the three and a half years preceding the advertised post start date for the vacancy, via one of the following 4 methods.
- Current employment in a UK Foundation Programme Office (UKFPO) affiliated foundation programme.
- Current employment in a GMC approved Specialty Training Programme holding either a National Training Number (NTN) or Deanery Reference Number (DRN).
- A Foundation Programme Certificate of Completion (FPCC) from a UK affiliated foundation programme.
- 12 months medical experience after full GMC registration (or equivalent post licensing experience), and a Certificate of Readiness to Enter Specialty Training (CREST).
Cardiothoracic Surgery ST1 specific eligibility criteria
Eligibility criteria
By the closing date of the application, you must have 18 months or less total combined experience (whole time equivalent) in the following specialties:
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cardiac and/or thoracic surgery
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congenital cardiac surgery
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cardiothoracic transplantation
All post-Foundation experience in these specialties will count towards this combined experience regardless of the post level, paid/unpaid and country of the post.
Selection criteria
Essential selection criteria
Eligibility
- You meet all criteria specified in the Eligibility to Apply section above.
Clinical knowledge
- Interest in, and understanding of, the training programme.
Workplace skills
- Ability to work in multi-professional teams and supervise colleagues.
- Ability to lead, make decisions, organise and motivate other team members
- Ability to manage/prioritise own and others’ time effectively.
- Ability to work safely under pressure and deliver good clinical care in the face of uncertainty.
- Ability to monitor developing situations and anticipate issues.
- Good basic IT skills, including Microsoft Office, email, and ability to learn new systems.
Academic knowledge
- Understanding of research, including awareness of ethical issues.
- Understanding of the basic principles of audit, clinical risk management, evidence-based practice, patient safety, and clinical quality improvement initiatives.
- Knowledge of evidence-informed practice.
Personal skills
- Commitment to personal and professional development.
- Ability to work on own initiative, demonstrating curiosity.
- Strong attention to detail, preparation and planning.
- Ability to communicate messages effectively to a range of audiences.
- Ability to negotiate and build positive professional relationships.
- Strong problem-solving skills, with an analytical/scientific approach to problem solving.
Desirable selection criteria
Knowledge and Experience
- Understanding of NHS management and resources.
- Experience of management.
- Experience of research.
- Experience of audit and quality improvement.
- Experience of teaching.
Cardiothoracic Surgery ST1 specific selection criteria
Essential selection criteria
Clinical skills
- Recognition of, and ability to undertake the initial management of, an acutely ill patient.
Desirable selection criteria
Qualifications
- Additional related qualifications e.g. BSc, BA, BMedSci or equivalent (not including intercalated BSc or ‘Honorary’ MA).
Commitment to Specialty
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Evidence of participation in extracurricular activities/achievements relevant to surgery throughout career progression. For example; membership to relevant surgical bodies/societies, attendance to relevant courses/conferences, surgical elective, logbook, and undergraduate/postgraduate surgical projects etc.