Appendices

General Surgery

Find out more about longlisting and portfolio questions.

Appendix 1 – Longlisting

At the longlisting stage applications will be reviewed in line with the entry criteria set out in the nationally agreed person specification for General Surgery ST3. It is essential that applicants provide the evidence below in their application form. If applicants fail to follow these instructions, it is highly likely that their application will be withdrawn from the recruitment process.

The following criteria will be assessed at longlisting stage.

Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) or equivalent
Action required Please include your MBBS, or equivalent, qualification in the ‘Entry Qualifications’ section of the application form. Applicants should indicate this as their primary qualification.
Membership of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons (MRCS) or equivalent (by time of offer date)
Action required Applicants  must have passed full MRCS (Parts A and B) by the time of the offer date.

The last eligible sitting of the MRCS Part B to qualify for this criterion is February 2025.

Applicants should list MRCS in the 'Entry Qualifications' section of the application form, in addition to confirming that they have MRCS at time of application where asked "Do you currently have full MRCS?".

Alternatively, applicants should confirm that they will be sitting/have sat the MRCS exam by the offer date when asked "Are you sitting an MRCS examination in the February 2025 diet (or earlier) that will lead to full MRCS qualification".
Complete employment history
Action required All applicants must provide details of all posts undertaken following the award of their primary medical qualification. This includes Foundation and Core Surgery posts and work undertaken overseas.
Evidence of achievement of CT1 competences in surgery by time of application and CT2 competences in surgery by time of appointment
Action required Applicants not currently undertaking Core Surgical Training will be required to submit evidence proving achievement of the requisite competences, of which an ARCP 1 at CT2 level or a signed CREHST are the only acceptable documents.

Applicants providing incomplete or unsatisfactory evidence will be provided 48 hours to submit satisfactory evidence.

Appendix 2 - General Surgery portfolio shortlisting questions

Listed below are the 7 questions which appear on the 2025 General Surgery ST3 application form along with the possible responses to each question and details of suitable evidence to substantiate your responses. A guide to the scoring for each question is provided, with descriptions of the quality indicators where appropriate.

Applicants must record your responses to all 7 questions using the provided templates. Applicants can access the 7 templates under the ‘document tab’ in the advert content section. All 7 templates must be signed where required (typed signature will not be accepted). 

Candidates are reminded that the information they provide on the templates will form the basis of their scores. Therefore, full and detailed descriptions of their involvement in audits, publications and presentations are essential. Any evidence of plagiarism, including the use of AI in the templates will be treated as a matter of probity. Probity concerns will be treated with utmost seriousness and may result in candidates being withdrawn from the application process and referred to the GMC.

After filling out the 7 templates with their responses, applicants must upload their templates, with supporting evidence to the Evidence Upload Portal, which opens on Monday 16th December 2024. Applicants will receive further information on how to access the Evidence Upload Portal nearer to the time.

Portfolio templates and evidence can only be accepted via the dedicated Evidence Upload Portal. Evidence provided to the recruitment team by any other means will not be accepted. Failure to upload any completed template(s) and evidence is likely to result in your application being withdrawn from the process. 

For each question a description of the evidence required is given. You will only be awarded marks if the evidence provided matches the description of the evidence required for that domain. Maintaining trust by being open and honest and acting with integrity is one of the key elements of Duties of a Doctor (General Medical Council (GMC)). If it is subsequently discovered that any statement made on your application is false or misleading, evidence will be collected, and you may be referred to a Probity Panel. 

Question 1

By the end of July 2025, or by the completion of Core Training if this is later, how many months full time (or equivalent if LTFT) will you have spent in total in General Surgery in any post-Foundation job in any country? Eligible posts must include experience in both unselected emergency general surgery and elective general surgery (or a recognised general surgical sub-specialty) Please do not include any other posts.

Maximum score: 6

Responses Score

0 to 3 months

 Score ineligible for appointment

4 to 12 months

 2

13 to 24 months

 4

25 to 36 months

 6

37 to 48 months

 4

49 to 60 months 

 2

61 months or more  

 1

Evidence

  • Template countersigned by Educational Supervisor (or equivalent) with printed name and General Medical Council (GMC) number (or equivalent)

In addition

  • Please provide evidence of completion of training posts (as described in the longlisting section Appendix 1)
  • The responsibility for providing adequate, clear and unequivocal evidence lies with the applicant
  • For non-training posts please provide a copy of the front page of your contract of employment, which must include dates and a clear description of the role
  • If the front page of your contract does not include both start and finish dates other evidence will be required to confirm the duration of post, for example, Letter from HR/Head of Service/Supervising Consultant
Question 2

By the end of July 2025, or the completion of Core Training, will you have spent at least 4 months in T and O, Plastic Surgery, Neurosurgery, ENT Surgery, Cardiac/Thoracic surgery, A and E , ITU, Paediatric Surgery, Urology, Vascular or OMFS posts since completing your Foundation Programme?

Eligible posts must include working for a minimum of 4 months full time (or equivalent if LTFT) in both unselected emergency and elective work within the relevant specialty.

Maximum score: 4 

Responses Score

I will not have spent 4 months in any of these specialities

 0

I will have spent at least 4 months in a post in 1 of these specialities

 2

I will have spent at least 4 months each in posts in 2 or more of these specialities

 4

Evidence

  • Template countersigned by Educational Supervisor (or equivalent) with printed name and General Medical Council (GMC) number (or equivalent)

In addition

  • Please provide evidence of completion of training posts (as described in the longlisting section Appendix 1)
  • The responsibility for providing adequate, clear and unequivocal evidence lies with the applicant
  • For non-training posts please provide a copy of the front page of your contract of employment, which must include dates and a clear description of the role
  • If the front page of your contract does not include both start and finish dates other evidence will be required to confirm the duration of post, for example, Letter from HR/Head of Service/Supervising Consultant 
Question 3

Before the evidence upload window closes, how many appendicectomies (laparoscopic and/or open) have you completed which have been done either STS or STU or P or T? These must be recorded in a validated logbook where each logbook page is countersigned by a consultant.

Maximum score: 4

Responses Score

0 to 5

 Score ineligible for appointment

6 to 15

 1

16 to 25

 2

26 to 35

 3

36 to 80

 4

81 or more

 1

Evidence

  • Template countersigned by Educational Supervisor (or equivalent) with printed name and General Medical Council (GMC) number (or equivalent)

In addition

  • Logbook evidence must be full and consecutive. Consolidation sheets from a validated logbook are acceptable
  • The responsibility for providing adequate, clear and unequivocal evidence lies with the applicant
  • Each page of the logbook must be signed by a relevant supervisor, with their name and GMC number (or equivalent) clearly legible
  • Please ensure there are no gaps in the logbook evidence. If there are gaps in the logbook evidence you provide, one point will be awarded for this section
Question 4

Publications

Please submit your 2 best publications, published in any PubMed indexed journal. In order to be eligible for this section, publications must have a PubMed ID and journal impact factor, and be published before the evidence upload window closes. 

Do not include articles which have not yet been published. Collaborative papers, abstracts, case reports, letters or technical tips are acceptable. Points will be awarded for candidate contribution, level of authorship, quality of study and impact factor of publication.

Maximum score: 10 (5 per publication)

Evidence

  • Template countersigned by Educational Supervisor (or equivalent) with printed name and General Medical Council (GMC) number (or equivalent)

In addition

  • Please provide a copy of each publication including the authorship list, journal reference, PubMed ID and journal impact factor

  • If you are submitting a collaborative paper, please also submit the list of collaborators with your name highlighted. Failure to do so will result in no points being given for this section

  • The responsibility for providing adequate, clear and unequivocal evidence lies with the applicant

Question 5

Academic presentations

Please submit your 2 best academic presentations. In order to be eligible for this section, the presentation must have been published before the evidence upload window closes.

You may include poster presentations.

Points will be awarded for candidate contribution, being the presenter of the work, quality of study and scope of meeting (regional, national, or international).

Applicants should note that presentations made at departmental/hospital level only will not be accepted.

Applicants should note that presentations made in the course of the applicant delivering teaching/training activity will not be accepted. This category of presentation can be considered during the portfolio interview station.

Maximum score: 10 (5 per presentation) 

Evidence

  • Template countersigned by Educational Supervisor (or equivalent) with printed name and General Medical Council (GMC) number (or equivalent)

In addition

  • Please provide a copy of the relevant page of the meeting programme(s)

  • Please provide a copy of the presentation (6 slides per page) or poster

  • The responsibility for providing adequate, clear and unequivocal evidence lies with the applicant

Question 6

Audits and Quality Improvement Project (QIP)

Please submit your 2 best closed loop audits and your best additional audit/QIP. Please only submit audits/QIPs which have been presented as you will need to provide evidence of presentation. For each loop of the closed loop audits and for the additional audit/QIP you must provide evidence of your involvement in the design, execution and presentation of the audit/QIP.

Points will be awarded for candidate involvement, reference standard, study design, importance of clinical question and impact of work.

Applicants should note that to qualify as a closed-loop audit, there must be clear evidence of applicant involvement in both audit cycles. Submissions where the applicant is deemed by the shortlisters to have only been involved in the initial or re-audit will receive zero points. Submissions where no template/evidence is submitted for this question will be deemed ineligible.

Maximum score: 21 (8 per closed loop audit and 5 for audit/QIP) 

Evidence

  • Template countersigned by Educational Supervisor (or equivalent) with printed name and General Medical Council (GMC) number (or equivalent)

In addition

  • Please provide a copy of the presentation (6 slides per page)
  • Please provide a letter from the head of department/clinical lead for audit clearly stating your contribution. Simple certificates are not sufficient evidence
Question 7

Before the evidence upload window closes, have you been awarded a stand-alone degree by a UK university (see evidence below)?

(NB: This does not include intercalated degrees, including intercalated degrees which are part of a standard training programme).

This category has now been broadened to include PG Certs, Diplomas and taught Masters degrees. Points will not be awarded unless evidence is provided that the qualification has been awarded.

Maximum score: 5 

Responses Score
Postgraduate Certificate 1
Diploma/Masters degree without thesis or dissertation  2
Masters with thesis or dissertation (for example, MSc, MMedEd, MS, ChM)   3
Doctor of Medicine (MD)   4
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)   5

Evidence

  • Template countersigned by Educational Supervisor (or equivalent) with printed name and General Medical Council (GMC) number (or equivalent)

In addition

  • Please provide a copy of your degree certificate, (or written evidence from the university confirming the award pending graduation and issuing your certificate)
  • If your degree included a thesis or dissertation, please provide clear evidence of this or marks will not be awarded for this type of degree
  • If your degree was taken outside the UK, you must also provide evidence of its equivalence (for example, a letter from the institution confirming that it was awarded following the production of a research-based thesis and full examination together with a copy of your results transcript)
  • We are aware of organisations such as UK National Academic Recognition Information Centre (NARIC) however the Selection Leads will be the final arbitrators

Page last reviewed: 12 November 2024
Next review due: 12 November 2026