FTTA Interview Questions

Job 1 – North West 2008

Questions:

1. What is the role of the consultant and how does the changes affecting practice affect it?
2. Are there any new government targets you know of?
3. How does an Orthodontic department get round the new 18 week plan?
4. What is the difference between SpR and FTTA training?
5. What is the benefit of sessions in a District General Hospital as well as Dental Hospital sessions?
6. Audit and Research plans for FTTA.
7. What was the last book you read?

Job 2 – North West 2008

Questions:

1. I was asked to discuss my career since VT – what jobs I’ve done and what experiences I had gained from them etc
2. Audit experience, clinical governance etc – my involvement in clinical governance
3. Research experience, discussed my elective as an undergraduate briefly (on cleft lip and palate), and my recently completed DDS. Discussed RCT’s – asked to discuss any recent RCT’s which I felt were important - discussed Kevin O’Brien’s functionals RCT
4. Asked about my opinions on the changes to the training pathways for medics – onto specialist training much more quickly compared to my own experience (GPT & 2 SHO jobs) – discussed advantages and disadvantages of short training pathways compared to the traditional training pathways.
5. Asked to discuss the future of the NHS and how I thought orthodontics would be affected.
6. There were a couple of other questions – but I was quite stressed and can’t remember the details! – The questions I’ve mentioned already were the more important ones

Job 3 – South West 2008

Questions:

1. All about the new contract and how it might affect both hospital practice and specialist practice.
2. Modernising medical careers
3. Goals for the future
4. What I expect to get out of my training
5. Experience of research and teaching
6. Consultant contract
7. Advances in orthodontics

Job 4 – London 2008

Questions:

1. Tell me how you think the recent NHS changes are going to affect the provision of orthodontic treatment.
2. At what stage in your training did you feel able to work unsupervised.
3. What would you do if there was no Consultant around and you had to make an important decision regarding a patient’s treatment which you did not feel confident making.
4. What would you do if you were a Consultant who was having difficulty in the treatment of a patient?
5. What experience of Inter-disciplinary treatment did you have during your training?
6. Tell me about the research you have undertaken.
7. Why are you presenting posters at the BOS and not giving a verbal presentation?
8. What type of teaching were you given during your SpR training, and what do think of it?
9. Tell me about some of the dental features of Chromosome 18p deletion (based on a case report I had written).
10. What do you understand by the term clinical Governance?
11. All the things you have mentioned were around before CG was introduced. Do you think it is useful to place them under the umbrella heading of CG?
12. What do you understand by the term evidence based dentistry?
13. What would you do if you were presented with new research which showed that a particular treatment you were undertaking was not of benefit to patients?
14. What experience of management issues have you had during your SpR training?
15. What experience of management issues do you hope to gain from your FTTA training?
16. Can you tell me about any personality weaknesses you have?
17. How do you plan on dealing with these?
18. Bearing in mind what you have said about the future provision of NHS treatment can you tell me why you want to undertake FTTA training?
19. What do you think you can give back into the system?

Job 5 – South West 2008

Questions:

1. Do you always need to be supervised?
2. How do you prioritise between your personnel and professional life?
3. What research would you like to carry out?
4. Give an example of poor performance during your career?
5. What are your weaknesses?
6. How would you tell your trust that orthodontics should remain a hospital specialty?
7. Tell me 4 things you dislike about orthodontics quickly?
8. What is clinical governance?
9. What is the adv and disadv between split sites or DGH and TH?
10. How would I describe you to someone?
11. Is teaching an important aspect to a consultants role and why?
12. How would you learn to be a teacher?

Job 6 – South East 2008

Questions:

1. Why orthodontics? Why FTTA in Oxford?
2. Benefits and drawbacks of working at the Eastman i.e. Teaching hosp v DGH
3. How would your best friend describe you? What are your weaknesses?
4. What is Clinical Governance? How would you deal with an under-performing colleague?
5. What do you hope to achieve during this FTTA post? How would you ensure that you were receiving adequate training?
6. Are you aware of the changes to the structure of the ISFE exam? Do you think the new structure is better?

Job 7 – North East 2008

Questions:

1. Questions about my CV
2. For instance, tell me about your training from graduation until now?
3. You have been in academic training, why do you want to leave it?
4. Would you like to go back to the academic route?
5. Do you feel there is any weakness in your training and if there is, how would you like to improve it?
6. What do you want to gain by doing an FTTA training?
7. How would you deal with a colleague who does not agree with you on a treatment plan?
8. Why do we do joint clinics, why not see the patients separately in different speciality clinics?
9. The role of consultant?
10. Should the GDPs treat ortho patients?
11. The new contract: what are the main changes and its implications for practice and hospital orthodontics? Do you think the new contract will work?
12. Whats the difference between supervising a clinical trainee in the clinic and supervising a research student?
13. Whats clinical governance?
14. Whats audit? Difference between audit and research?

Job 8 – South West 2008

Questions:

1. What jobs have you done since qualifying
2. What do you want out of the job and what can you bring
3. What is clinical governance
4. Explain your most recent audit what were the outcomes
5. Tell us about the paper you have published, why did you chose this journal, how long did it take from submission to acceptance etc
6. What is the difference between audit and research
7. ‘I have received an email this morning from my PCT Dental Lead Advisor who states that Mr X and Mr Y are willing to take over the hospital waiting list and existing patients. How would you react to this and what would you do considering Mr X is a general practionner with a special interest in orthodontics and Mr Y is a private GDP neither of them have M Orth or further training in orthodontics.

Job 9 – London 2008

Questions:

1. What post have you most enjoyed during your training
2. What did you gain from working overseas
3. Why apply for an FTTA post
4. Opinion on DCP’s
5. How would I manage a cut in the departments budget
6. Why aren’t people applying for academic FTTA posts
7. Asked about publications
8. How would I manage a non-progressing patient?
9. What are my weaknesses?
10. From what audit have I learnt the most?

Job 10 – South East 2008

Questions:

1. You did an intercalated BSc in Psychology - was this of benefit? What did you gain?
2. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
3. How would you deal with a poorly performing nurse?
4. Of all the jobs you have done, from which have you learnt the most?
5. What is the role of a consultant?
6. Scenario: You are an FTTA presented with a patient whose treatment is not progressing what would you do? (not looking for a clinical answer)
7. Scenario: You are a consultant faced with a non progressing patient, what would you do? (again not looking for a clinical answer)
8. Experience of multidisciplinary cases
9. How do you balance all the duties of a consultant? Is it reasonable to expect to juggle everything? How do you prioritise and choose what has to give?
10. My opinion on DWSI’s
11. Role of PCT / Orthodontics
12. Asked about my MSc research
13. Presentations and publications
14. Teaching- How would you set up a curriculum?
15. Presenting and teaching- Is it learnt or a natural talent?
16. Was my MSc useful? Does it make you a better orthodontist? Why are not other specialities doing the same?
17. Indirectly asked me on department issues such as acquisition of funding, dealing with team members, audit, risk management. If no budget and something posed a risk, what would you sacrifice?
18. How do patients choose where they want to receive healthcare if given the option?
19. Examples of an audit I conducted which brought about a positive change
20. What are my weaknesses?
21. Any Q’s

Job 11 – South East 2008

Questions:

1. Discuss CV, prizes, presentations, brief bit about jobs etc
2. Do I think teaching is important? DO I think a teaching qualification is important for orthodontic consultants/FTTA’s
3. New consultant in outer hebrides. How would you go about developing dept and getting referrals, help in Rx etc
4. Why research is important. Discussion re MSc research. What kind of project would I like to do as an FTTA
5. How the new contract/PDS will affect hospital orthodontics
6. Views on new consultant contract, diff between new and old. Benefit for consultant orthodontists
7. How to manage a nurse who doesn’t like/refuse to work with you
8. Where do you see yourself in 5 years time
9. Why exactly do you want to be a hospital consultant…can’t you get that from Sp practice?
10. What would you hope other consultants colleagues will be saying about you in 5/10 years time
11. Job 12 – South East 2008 Questions:
12. CV stuff
13. Do you think teaching/ research is important?
14. Is teaching an art?
15. How would you deal with a member of staff who is underperforming?
16. Do you think this extra 2 years are necessary?
17. What do you expect to get out of these 2 yrs?
18. Dentists with an interest
19. CLP- are patients any different from your normal ortho cases?
20. Consultant role

Job 12 – North East 2008

Questions:

1. Tell me about your CV
2. What plans do you have for Research in this post
3. What has been your experience of teaching
4. What is the difference between working at a DGH vs Teaching hospital
5. What experience have you gained since qualifying with M Orth
6. Tell me about Clinical Audit
7. Do you have a personal development plan, How do you use it

Job 13 – North East 2008

Questions:

1. Strengths and weakness of CV
2. What are you most proud of
3. How do you move form being a team player to a team leader and how would you define a team leader?
4. Options for change and implications for hospital service
5. Tell me about an audit presentation you have been involved with
6. Ideas for audit/research during FTTA
7. My publications
8. Differences in clinical treatment and set up between DGH and teaching hospital
9. Experience of systems used – tip edge, begg, functionals
10. Teaching experience

Job 1 – South West 2007

Questions:

1. Tell me about your experience of teaching
   - Do you think that teachers are born or can anyone be taught how to teach?
   - Do you think you need a teaching qualification?
   - Do you know of any courses that you could go on? (Training the trainers course)
2. Tell me about your MSc research, how did you come up with the idea, how did you organise it.
   - What have you got out of your research, will it change your clinical practice?
   - Tell me about your more recent audit that you've been involved in.
   - What was the outcome and has it changed clinical care in your department?
3. Do you know of any national audits? If so are you involved in them?
4. Why did you want to be an orthodontist? Why do you want to be an FTTA? Why do you want to work in Portsmouth? What sort of consultant do you want to be?
5. 5. Have you ever had to deal with an adverse incident and if so how did you deal with it?

Job 2 - London 2007

Questions:

1. Brief overview of CV
2. Discuss why you will be a good consultant
3. What do you know about the new 18 week rule, how will it affect Orthodontics? Why specifically is this going to be difficult for Orthodontics to comply?
4. What experience of teaching do you have
5. What 2 aspects of the 7 pillars of clinical governance do you feel you need to concentrate on most?
6. Discussion about ethical approval for MSc project
7. What is your worst personality trait
8. Who should run joint Clinics and why?
9. What could be improved in the running of Joint Clinics?
10. What do you hope to gain from your 2 years as an FTTA?
11. Discuss recent changes to the recruitment of training posts (MMC etc)
12. That’s it, nothing too difficult but read the Deanery booklet of interview questions.

Job 3 - London 2007

Questions:

1. You have done the following SHO jobs, do you think the skills you acquired in your previous jobs are now irrelevant to being a future Orthodontic Consultant?
   Why do you want to be Consultant?
2. It appears that the research component of the MSc may be removed, what are your thoughts on this?
   Do you know how to acquire funding to carry out research?
   A little about Research Governance
3. Tell me more about Mulitdisciplinary care?
   How would your department persuade the hospital to continue to provide multidisciplinary care with the current climate of fund shortages?
4. Have you any experience in teaching? What makes a good teacher/lecturer?
   Do you know of any teaching courses and are you planning to go on them?
5. What is the 18 week rule? When is it to be implemented?
   How will this apply to orthodontics?
   How would you show to the hospital managers that this may be a problem to orthodontics? and can you think of any mechanisms that may be needed to sort out this problem?
6. Do you have any weaknesses?

Job 4 – London 2007

Questions:

1. Asked to discuss transition from SpR to FTTA
2. Are changes in the NHS a good or bad thing?
3. Asked to see publications
4. What is the value of your MSc?
5. What research would you like to do?
6. Why are you interested in teaching?
7. How would you change the NHS?
8. What do you understand about clinical governance?
9. What type of consultant would you be?
10. Strengths and weaknesses
11. How do you deal with your weaknesses?
12. Leadership and its importance as a consultant

Job 5 – South West 2007

Questions:

1. All about the new contract and how it might affect both hospital practice and specialist practice.
2. Modernising medical Careers
3. Goals for the future.
4. What I expect to get out of my training
5. Experience of research and teaching.
6. Consultant contract.
7. Advances in orthodontics

Job 6 – South West 2007

Questions:

1. Discuss your career since V.T. – what jobs have you done and what experience have you gained etc
2. Audit experience, involvement in clinical governance.
3. Research experience, briefly discussed my undergraduate elective (which was on CLP), and my recently completed DDS. Discussed RCT’s – asked to discuss any recent RCT’s which I felt were important – discussed Kevin O’Brien’s Functional RCTs
4. Asked about my opinions on the changes of the training pathways for medics – onto specialist training much more quickly than my own experience – discussed the advantages and disadvantages of shorter and longer training pathways.
5. Ask to discuss the future of the NHS and how I thought Orthodontics would be affected.

Job 7 – North West 2007

Questions:

1. What is the role of the consultant and how does the changes affecting practice affect it?
2. Are there any new government targets you know of?
3. How does an Orthodontic department get round the new 18 week plan?
4. What is the difference between SpR and FTTA training?
5. What is the benefit of sessions in a District General Hospital as well as Dental Hospital sessions?
6. Audit and Research plans for FTTA.
7. What was the last book you read?

Job 8 – London 2007

Questions:

1. Tell me how you think the recent NHS changes are going to affect the provision of orthodontic treatment.
2. At what stage in your training did you feel able to work unsupervised.
3. What would you do if there was no Consultant around and you had to make an important decision regarding a patient’s treatment which you did not feel confident making.
4. What would you do if you were a Consultant who was having difficulty in the treatment of a patient?
5. What experience of Inter-disciplinary treatment did you have during your training?
6. Tell me about the research you have undertaken.
7. Why are you presenting posters at the BOS and not giving a verbal presentation?
8. What type of teaching were you given during your SpR training, and what do think of it?
9. Tell me about some of the dental features of Chromosome 18p deletion (based on a case report I had written).
10. What do you understand by the term clinical Governance?
11. All the things you have mentioned were around before CG was introduced. Do you think It is useful to place them under the umbrella heading of CG?
12. What do you understand by the term evidence based dentistry?
13. What would you do if you were presented with new research which showed that a particular treatment you were undertaking was not of benefit to patients?
14. What experience of management issues have you had during your SpR training?
15. What experience of management issues do you hope to gain from your FTTA training?
16. Can you tell me about any personality weaknesses you have?
17. How do you plan on dealing with these?
18. Bearing in mind what you have said about the future provision of NHS treatment can you tell me why you want to undertake FTTA training?
19. What do you think you can give back into the system?

Job 9 – London 2006

Questions:

1. Do you always need to be supervised?
2. How do you prioritise between your personnel and professional life?
3. What research would you like to carry out?
4. Give an example of poor performance during your career?
5. What are your weaknesses?
6. How would you tell your trust that orthodontics should remain a hospital specialty?
7. Tell me 4 things you dislike about orthodontics quickly?
8. What is clinical governance?
9. What is the adv and disadv between split sites or DGH and TH?
10. How would I describe you to someone?
11. Is teaching an important aspect to a consultants role and why?
12. How would you learn to be a teacher?

Job 10 – London 2006

Questions:

1. Why orthodontics? Why FTTA in this hospital?
2. Benefits and drawbacks of working at the Eastman i.e. Teaching hosp v DGH
3. How would your best friend describe you? What are your weaknesses?
4. What is Clinical Governance? How would you deal with an under-performing colleague?
5. What do you hope to achieve during this FTTA post? How would you ensure that you were receiving adequate training?
6. Are you aware of the changes to the structure of the ISFE exam? Do you think the new structure is better?

Job 11 - North 2006

Questions:

1. Questions about my CV.
   For instance, tell me about your training from graduation until now?
   You have been in academic training, why do you want to leave it?
   Would you like to go back to the academic route?
2. Do you feel there is any weakness in your training and if there is, how would you like to improve it?
3. What do you want to gain by doing an FTTA training?
4. How would you deal with a colleague who does not agree with you on a treatment plan?
5. Why do we do joint clinics, why not see the patient