Diagnostic Neuropathology ST3

You must hold a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (BMBS, MBBS) degree or other equivalent medical qualification.

You must:

• be eligible to work in the UK.
• hold full registration with the General Medical Council (GMC) at the time of application, and hold a current licence to practise on the date your post commences.
• 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.

You must be able to provide complete details of your employment history, including any gaps.

• 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 specialty 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.

You must have evidence of achievement of competences, via one of the following four methods: 

• Current employment in a GMC recognised histopathology training programme (2021 curriculum) which leads satisfactory completion of ICPT (Integrated Cellular Pathology Training) by the advertised post start date for the vacancy; or 

• Satisfactory completion of ICPT (Integrated Cellular Pathology Training) in a GMC-recognised Histopathology training programme (2021 curriculum) evidenced by ARCP; or   

• Satisfactory completion of Stage A and Stage B in a GMC-recognised Histopathology training programme (2015 curriculum) evidenced by ARCP; or   

• Achievement of ICPT competences via alternative experience to a UK histopathology training programme evidenced by a satisfactory Alternative Certificate of Competence. 

You must have completed at least 2.5 years training (whole time equivalent) excluding foundation level experience in general Histopathology, including Autopsy work, by the advertised post start date for the vacancy (unless evidence of Stage A and B completion if still on the 2015 curriculum). 

If you wish to be considered for Locum Appointment for Training posts (where available)

• You must have no more than 24 months experience in LAT posts in this specialty by the advertised post start date for the vacancy. 

You must have successful completion of Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists (FRCPath) Part 1 examination by the advertised post start date for the vacancy. 

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 a scientific approach to problem solving.

Values

• Understands, respects, and demonstrates the values of the NHS

Knowledge and Experience

• Understanding of NHS management and resources.
• Experience of management.
• Experience of research.
• Experience of audit and quality improvement.
• Experience of teaching.

Clinical Skills – clinical knowledge and expertise

• Understanding of clinical risk management.

• Demonstrates practical ability commensurate with experience.

• Appropriate level of clinical knowledge.

• Shows knowledge of evidence informed practice.

• Ability to prioritise clinical need.

• Shows awareness of own limitations.

• Ability to construct clinical pathology reports or similar structured letters to members of the medical team e.g., outpatient letters to GPs.

• Knowledge and experience of basic techniques in Histopathology and Cytopathology, to include specimen dissection, microscopy, autopsy and cytopathological specimen preparation and interpretation.

• Ability to interpret a wide range of clinical scenarios with reference to pathological interpretation.

• Knowledge and understanding of the anatomical, pathological basis of common neurological symptoms, signs, syndromes and diseases.

Academic skills

• Evidence of and active participation in audit 

Communication skills 

• Demonstrates clarity in written/spoken communication and capacity to adapt language as appropriate to the situation. 

• Able to build rapport, listen, persuade and negotiate. 

Empathy and sensitivity

• Capacity to take in others’ perspectives and treat others with understanding.

• Sees patients as people.

• Demonstrates respect for all.

• Uses a non-judgemental approach to patients and colleagues, regardless of their sexuality, ethnicity, disability, religious beliefs or financial status.

Managing others and team involvement

• Able to work in multi-professional teams and supervise junior medical staff. 

• Ability to show leadership, make decisions, organise and motivate other team members for the benefit of patients through, for example, audit and quality improvement projects. 

• Capacity to work effectively with others.

Commitment to specialty – learning and personal development

• Shows initiative/drive/enthusiasm (self-starter, motivated, shows curiosity, initiative).

• Demonstrable interest in and understanding of the specialty.

• Commitment to personal and professional development.

• Evidence of attendance at organised teaching and training programme.

• Evidence of self-reflective practice.

Qualifications

• PhD/DPhil, MD (research), MPhil, PGCE BSc or equivalent (not including intercalated BSc or ‘Honorary’ MA).

• MRCP or MRCS.

Clinical skills – clinical knowledge and expertise

• Experience of ward based or clinic-based medicine or surgery beyond Foundation level with particular focus on Clinical Neurosciences.

• Experience in Diagnostic Histopathology and Autopsy work beyond ST2 level.

• Demonstrates breadth of experience and awareness in and outside specialty/medicine.

Teaching

• Interest and experience in multidisciplinary teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

• Qualification in medical education.

Management and leadership skills

• Evidence of involvement in management, commensurate with experience.

• Evidence of effective multidisciplinary team working, and leadership supported by multi source feedback, or another workplace-based assessment.

• Evidence of effective leadership in and outside of medicine

Other

• Evidence of achievement outside medicine.

• Evidence of altruistic behaviour e.g., voluntary work.

Commitment to specialty – learning and personal development

• Demonstrates interest in Neuropathology. 

• Extracurricular activities / achievements relevant to the specialty.

• Evidence of participation at meetings and activities relevant to the specialty.