Intended for healthcare professionals

  1. Student
  2. Applying for your...
  3. Applying for your first job
Student Careers

Applying for your first job

BMJ 2007; 335 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/sbmj.0710363 (Published 01 October 2007) Cite this as: BMJ 2007;335:0710363
  1. Benjamin C Brown, foundation year 1 doctor1,
  2. Allan M Conway, foundation year 1 doctor2,
  3. Robert P Jones, specialty training year 1 doctor3,
  4. Judy Stokes, career lead, foundation board, Central Manchester Health Economy3,
  5. Caroline R M Boggis, associate director for the curriculum and student support3
  1. 1Hope Hospital, Manchester M6 8HD
  2. 2Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester M13 9WL
  3. 3Manchester Medical School, Manchester M13 9PT

You made it through medical school, but they never taught you to fill in a personal statement. Benjamin C Brown and colleagues have some advice

Applications for your first job after finishing medical school have always been competitive, with some students invariably failing to get their first choice. Formerly, a combination of application forms, CVs, and interviews were used by consultants to select the most able candidates for UK jobs.

This article gives guidance on how to construct a successful application based on the most recent UK system. This advice is also relevant for programmes in other countries,1 which require similar personal statements, such as the Electronic Residency Application Service2 in the United States and the Canadian Resident Matching Service.3

Since October 2005 UK medical students reaching the end of their training apply for posts in the foundation training programme using anonymous proformas, which are scored using predetermined criteria. There are no interviews, and offers are made to the applicants who score highest. The process has stirred up much debate, which has spilled over into the national press. How can applicants score enough points to ensure they get a job—ideally the one they most want?

The UK process

All UK applications are now standard and are completed online, which was previously done via the now defunct medical training application service website (MTAS).4 However, a similar system and application form are to remain in place, especially given that the personal specification and eligibility criteria have not changed.56

The application asks for examples of:

  • A non-academic achievement

  • Your academic achievements

  • A time you had to deal with pressure or overcome a setback or challenge

  • A time when your behaviour improved the experience of the patient as the central focus of care

  • An experience that has increased your understanding of …

View Full Text

Log in

Log in through your institution

Subscribe

* For online subscription

Buy this article

Back to top