Thank you, for taking time out and explaining each section elaborately. You mentioned that portfolio contributed 33% marks and what contributes to the rest and how to improve points on those regards? Thanks.
Goodness me you've done so many things that I am convinced you're more than one person haha. Absolutely stunning portfolio, you should be so happy. I'm a pre-med graduate student- what are the most high yield things to do in the first few years of med school to maximise chances of getting into a surgical specialty? Also may I ask what kind of surgery you are interested in? Thank you so much in advance
Hey Sidi thanks for watching and commenting. Good luck with your journey. I recommend focussing on finding a good Mentor in a related surgical field to mentor you. Start off doing things which will help them including audits (which you need to close the loop for) and things that interest you. Then pick an area you’re passionate about to do some research on. Again a mentor will help you with this endeavour.
@@DrODonovan Thanks very much for your reply/support. As someone with no research experience in the past- are there any surgical specialties that are 'light' on research or is this unrealistic/wrong approach to take? Thanks again
@@Incandescence555 it's an unrealistic approach to take, I think the best thing to do if you are dead set on surgery is to pick an speciality to focus and work towards that goal. In medical school, there are lots of free courses and conferences you can go on that give you points for any surgical application for eg. Suturing courses, teaching Also try and get on the committee for a surgical society It's about showing them you're committed to surgery
@@taintedsoul888 Thanks very much for this. I'm very much eyeing up neurosurgery and am trying to engage with lots even before I start medical school. Hopefully this makes me slightly competitive down the line at least. Thanks for the advice. What are you pursuing?
Great! Very glad you found it useful. Yes try complete at least one full cycle audit before CST application and present it at a national meeting - ASIT is usually a great meeting for this sort of stuff. Otherwise try a surgical organisation such as EFORT / BACO etc
Great video. I used it for CST preparation last year. I am a current CT1 in ENT. Out of interest, what made you change paths. I'm in the same decision crisis at present. Thanks again, Sean
Glad it was helpful! Great question, which would take a long answer. A mixture of push and pull factors I guess. Push: I didn't enjoy theatre as much as I felt I probably should to have a sustainable lifelong career as a surgeon, I didn't like the idea of being sub-specialist as I think I am a generalist at heart, I found it hard to envision being in training still at 40+, I had a hit and miss time with the teams I worked with (some were great; others really bad) and I knew I'd have at least 7+ more years of rotating, I saw consultants frustrated at cancelled operating lists/excessive admin duties/management issues and felt that took up more time than actual clinical work (acknowledging GP partners have ++ management stuff, but salaried less so). Pull factors: portfolio career of GP well trod path and very much encouraged; super training on GPVTS programme (really keen for you to learn); flexible in choice of training location; wide variety of cases meaning lifelong learning and never getting bored; good opportunity for research in primary care; I really enjoy clinics and talking to patients and it is still quite a 'pure' form of medicine; much shorter training time; ability to be heavily involved in MedEd; the chance to work abroad pretty easily - MRCGP well recognised abroad + much more. Hope that might help you. Best thing I found was to make a pro/cons list plus a list of what makes you genuinely happy in life. A lot of surgeons I met were doing surgery for the 'wrong reasons' i.e. prestige, competition etc. I think it needs you to set ego aside and assess if you really want to do that career and why you want to do it... good luck man.
@@DrODonovan Thanks very much for your answer. I think you make alot of true points. I think the status/ego thing is huge in surgery. I completely understand the operating theatre point and personally most of the consultants I work with only get to operate once weekly. Sounds like you have made a strong and well thought out choice. Thanks very much for the videos/content and I wish you well!
This was such a helpful video, thank you. I am hoping to apply for emergency medicine but can't seem to find a similar checklist...would you say it is the same kind of categories for that speciality?
Meg P thanks for the great feedback 👏🏻 Yes I think if you try to hit similar catagoroes that’d be great! As a general rule of thumb take a look at the ST3 scoring systems which are available .... I tend to advise working off those since that’s ultimately what you’ll need to do anyway !
Meg, speak with an EM trainee in your local hospital, they genuinely are a very friendly lot' they would be more than happy to look through your portfolio and run through common interview stations with you, or they will point you in the right direction, feel free to message if you like
@@catherinechan2846 thanks for this feedback Catherine - although I've seen this a year later always great to hear other trainees supporting juniors on the channel!
This was such an imformitive vid , every thing that we will need was mentioned 👌BTW seems u had such a fantastic portfolio 👏I wonder if u have any publications/articles ? if yes Can u please make a vid about how to write a journal article etc ??
I’m glad you found it useful! Actually Fatemeh I know you’re not in the UK but I’d also just advise you to keep a portfolio with all your achievements too if you aren’t already. I have found it a really helpful practice. Yes of course. I can do this! Saw in 2 weeks (so next fridays video)
No problems! I'm really glad you found it helpful. These 'achievements' did take me many, many years - and in all honesty I probably did too much and some of it wasn't necessary. I hope some of it will help guide you though. On reflection my message to others looking to apply to surgical training is don't stress too much and make sure you are happy 99% of the time :)
what did you send in your emails to the writers of the reports- "12 tips for medical students to maximise learning in theatre" and did you just include in your portfolio a copy of the email you sent?
Hello! Thank you for this great video. I am in my 3rd year and I've been observing and assisting surgeries, and putting them into my E Logbook. I want to gather evidence of my work in theater, but I work with different consultants each time. What would you recommend I get for evidence, other than the E logbook? Thanks in advance!
Hi. I ended up moving away from a surgical career so I couldn't really comment on this now. However there are other people on UA-cam who have excellent resources and will be much more in the loop such as Ollie Burton. You could check out his channel and I am sure he will be able to help.
Both! During and after. It took me a long time, but if you really want to do this then it's best to try commit as much time as your can to it. Good luck
Im currently entering my surgical exposure through custom made google forms. Elogbook requires patient’s DOB and in my country it is not noted. But the age is. Is it okay?
I’m not entirely sure how the elogbook works as I have not looked at mine in a long time due to a career change so it’s best to check what the surgical panel expect but it sounds ok
Thanks for sharing Dr O'Donovan. I have some few questions and I will be glad if you could answer them. Does it matter when the individual begins to show interest and commitment (i.e right from medical or after completing and working as a junior doctor) to Surgery? Does the number of years one takes out of formal training have an effect on his/her chances of getting into CST? How correct is it that the total points gained is divided by the numbers of years from completing medical school and the time of applying. What are the chances of an IMG getting into CST (possibly looking at the number of IMG trainees that were in your department)? Thank you.
Hi Evans. Thanks for the comment. I no longer am pursuing a career in surgery, so I wouldn't want to give wrong/misleading information. I would suggest perhaps subscribing to Ollie Burton's youtube channel - he is a junior doctor who I believe is interested in surgery and would be able to give you much more up to date and relevant information. Good luck.
Hi Dr Donovan. I'm an IMG from India. I have a question about the additional degrees section of the portfolio. If I did a BA/Bsc in India after completing my primary medical degree, will I score the same as an intercalated degree? ( A score of 4 ).
Sir ! Are there any suggestions or tips that you'd like to give for 1st year medical students regarding portfolio !? 😢 am a 1st year medic and wanna get into orthopedic surgery UK ..so I'd be gratified if you could suggest me something that I can do while in my med school ! ..thanks In advance sir
My advice whilst you’re in first year is focus on your studies and just enjoying life. Don’t stress about this yet . That is serious advice (otherwise you risk burnout) plus you may change your decision after some clinical experience
@@DrODonovan alas !😕 but sir planning early makes the things easier right ! Anyhow that's a great advice and I do follow it sir ...thanks a ton for your reply ☺
Hello Dr James, Can you guide me on "PG or additional degrees"? I am from India and currently in final year after which undergo a one-year internship, after which I'll graduate ( in 2023). Should I join a bachelor's degree right now or should I undertake a PG degree after I graduate?
Hi! Thanks for your comment Shayon. It's an interesting one. I personally would graduate then think of undertaking a Masters degree (if you are able to) in an area you are interested in and might specialise in. I do not know your circumstances however (financial/personal etc...) so it's quite hard for me to give specific advice.
Hi, do you feel someone is at a disadvantage in case they dont achieve MBBS with honours? Secondly, the additional degrees/research such as MRes that you mentioned about, were they done during your time working as an FY or a surgical trainee? Or you had to take a year out and then do them?
MBBS with honours will only count for maybe 1 extra point (if that...) I didn't get honours and never found it an issue. Yes I took a total of 5 years out of formal training (1 year to do my MRes, 1 year to do a Research Fellow position at Harvard, 3 years to do my PhD at Oxford where I also worked in Uganda and Stanford)
I’d advise strongly against this. I considered this myself but Fy1 and FY2 are really busy with very unpredictable Rotas often involving a lot of night shifts and weekends. Wait until after FY2 and if you still want to do one you’ll probably have a better idea of what speciality you want to do plus you can locum part time alongside.
@@DrODonovan I am an IMG and I wish to add another degree specifically for my CV. Would you advice that I go for a local research degree just like MRes? Thank you!
@@helheimpanda sure. That sounds fine if that is your sole purpose. Although I’d caution against this approach if you’re doing it just for CV building.
@@DrODonovan Thank you fo the advice. My approach to this degree is for my CV yes but I really am interested in this particular degree as I am very invested in research related to medicine. 🙂
Hiii Thanks so much for this wonderful video.Exactly what I needed.I would be glad if You can be my mentor..I really need a lot of coaching...I am an International Medical Graduate Hoping to move To UK with the hope to enter Surgical training .. I really need a mentor...
Try get involved in a departmental audit and do a full audit cycle and see if it can be published. Otherwise join STARsurg- it’s a national initiative where you become involved in research I believe. Try find a good surgical mentor and see if they can involve you in projects. Good luck.
Hi Donovan ..I asked you before how I can get a scholarship to study medicine in Harvard but you didn't reply. Am done with my undergraduate though not in medicine but in science.. Please help
BSc will be fine - as long as you have done it it will contribute to some points. You will need to provide evidence e.g. your graduation certificate/transcript
I just get depressed 😔but THANK you so much doctor. Appreciate your effort 🩷
Thank you, for taking time out and explaining each section elaborately. You mentioned that portfolio contributed 33% marks and what contributes to the rest and how to improve points on those regards? Thanks.
The rest is interview ! So make sure you are familiar with each interview component and practice with friends
Can you post the link of the marks spreadsheet
Goodness me you've done so many things that I am convinced you're more than one person haha. Absolutely stunning portfolio, you should be so happy. I'm a pre-med graduate student- what are the most high yield things to do in the first few years of med school to maximise chances of getting into a surgical specialty? Also may I ask what kind of surgery you are interested in? Thank you so much in advance
Hey Sidi thanks for watching and commenting. Good luck with your journey. I recommend focussing on finding a good
Mentor in a related surgical field to mentor you. Start off doing things which will help them including audits (which you need to close the loop for) and things that interest you. Then pick an area you’re passionate about to do some research on. Again a mentor will help you with this endeavour.
@@DrODonovan Thanks very much for your reply/support. As someone with no research experience in the past- are there any surgical specialties that are 'light' on research or is this unrealistic/wrong approach to take? Thanks again
@@Incandescence555 it's an unrealistic approach to take, I think the best thing to do if you are dead set on surgery is to pick an speciality to focus and work towards that goal. In medical school, there are lots of free courses and conferences you can go on that give you points for any surgical application for eg. Suturing courses, teaching
Also try and get on the committee for a surgical society
It's about showing them you're committed to surgery
@@taintedsoul888 Thanks very much for this. I'm very much eyeing up neurosurgery and am trying to engage with lots even before I start medical school. Hopefully this makes me slightly competitive down the line at least. Thanks for the advice. What are you pursuing?
An amazing portfolio.
Im not sure what specialty to go into .but I have nothing really at this moment to prepare for the portfolio for any specialty.
Thanks for watching the video - I hope it helped you come up with some ideas
@@DrODonovan
Definitely. Much appreciated
☕ Your video neatly cleared a few queries I had regarding portfolio design. Thank you for the guidance.
Aisha Eliana Amani great !!
This is incredible, thank you.
You're very welcome!
Fantastic summary of everything I needed to be aware of before applying for surgical training! Back to the audit drawing board I go
Great! Very glad you found it useful.
Yes try complete at least one full cycle audit before CST application and present it at a national meeting - ASIT is usually a great meeting for this sort of stuff. Otherwise try a surgical organisation such as EFORT / BACO etc
Great video. I used it for CST preparation last year. I am a current CT1 in ENT. Out of interest, what made you change paths. I'm in the same decision crisis at present. Thanks again, Sean
Glad it was helpful! Great question, which would take a long answer. A mixture of push and pull factors I guess. Push: I didn't enjoy theatre as much as I felt I probably should to have a sustainable lifelong career as a surgeon, I didn't like the idea of being sub-specialist as I think I am a generalist at heart, I found it hard to envision being in training still at 40+, I had a hit and miss time with the teams I worked with (some were great; others really bad) and I knew I'd have at least 7+ more years of rotating, I saw consultants frustrated at cancelled operating lists/excessive admin duties/management issues and felt that took up more time than actual clinical work (acknowledging GP partners have ++ management stuff, but salaried less so). Pull factors: portfolio career of GP well trod path and very much encouraged; super training on GPVTS programme (really keen for you to learn); flexible in choice of training location; wide variety of cases meaning lifelong learning and never getting bored; good opportunity for research in primary care; I really enjoy clinics and talking to patients and it is still quite a 'pure' form of medicine; much shorter training time; ability to be heavily involved in MedEd; the chance to work abroad pretty easily - MRCGP well recognised abroad + much more. Hope that might help you. Best thing I found was to make a pro/cons list plus a list of what makes you genuinely happy in life. A lot of surgeons I met were doing surgery for the 'wrong reasons' i.e. prestige, competition etc. I think it needs you to set ego aside and assess if you really want to do that career and why you want to do it... good luck man.
P.s. for what it's worth I do not regret my decision at all (but again a v personal thing...)
@@DrODonovan Thanks very much for your answer. I think you make alot of true points. I think the status/ego thing is huge in surgery. I completely understand the operating theatre point and personally most of the consultants I work with only get to operate once weekly. Sounds like you have made a strong and well thought out choice. Thanks very much for the videos/content and I wish you well!
I am also in this decision crisis. Out of interest, did you end up sticking to surgery?
This was such a helpful video, thank you. I am hoping to apply for emergency medicine but can't seem to find a similar checklist...would you say it is the same kind of categories for that speciality?
Meg P thanks for the great feedback 👏🏻
Yes I think if you try to hit similar catagoroes that’d be great! As a general rule of thumb take a look at the ST3 scoring systems which are available .... I tend to advise working off those since that’s ultimately what you’ll need to do anyway !
Meg, speak with an EM trainee in your local hospital, they genuinely are a very friendly lot' they would be more than happy to look through your portfolio and run through common interview stations with you, or they will point you in the right direction, feel free to message if you like
@@catherinechan2846 thanks for this feedback Catherine - although I've seen this a year later always great to hear other trainees supporting juniors on the channel!
This was such an imformitive vid , every thing that we will need was mentioned 👌BTW seems u had such a fantastic portfolio 👏I wonder if u have any publications/articles ? if yes Can u please make a vid about how to write a journal article etc ??
I’m glad you found it useful! Actually Fatemeh I know you’re not in the UK but I’d also just advise you to keep a portfolio with all your achievements too if you aren’t already. I have found it a really helpful practice.
Yes of course. I can do this! Saw in 2 weeks (so next fridays video)
Thanks for the video, it was very informative! A bit of a weird question, but where are your glasses from?
I think they are from Specsavers!
Thank you so much. This is incredibly useful! I now do think you have 9 lives though 😂
No problems! I'm really glad you found it helpful. These 'achievements' did take me many, many years - and in all honesty I probably did too much and some of it wasn't necessary. I hope some of it will help guide you though. On reflection my message to others looking to apply to surgical training is don't stress too much and make sure you are happy 99% of the time :)
what did you send in your emails to the writers of the reports- "12 tips for medical students to maximise learning in theatre" and did you just include in your portfolio a copy of the email you sent?
Hi I don't understand the question... I was the author of the article "12 tips for medical students to maximise learning in theatre"...
Inspiring.
Thanks for watching
Hello! Thank you for this great video. I am in my 3rd year and I've been observing and assisting surgeries, and putting them into my E Logbook. I want to gather evidence of my work in theater, but I work with different consultants each time. What would you recommend I get for evidence, other than the E logbook? Thanks in advance!
Hi. I ended up moving away from a surgical career so I couldn't really comment on this now. However there are other people on UA-cam who have excellent resources and will be much more in the loop such as Ollie Burton. You could check out his channel and I am sure he will be able to help.
@@DrODonovan Thank you for your reply! How come you left surgery (if you don't mind me asking)
Did you invest time in all these after med school or during med school? And if after med school..how much time did it require?
Both! During and after. It took me a long time, but if you really want to do this then it's best to try commit as much time as your can to it. Good luck
Im currently entering my surgical exposure through custom made google forms. Elogbook requires patient’s DOB and in my country it is not noted. But the age is. Is it okay?
I’m not entirely sure how the elogbook works as I have not looked at mine in a long time due to a career change so it’s best to check what the surgical panel expect but it sounds ok
Hello!
Can you make a video on how to do clinical audit?
Sure. I am making a list of videos to make in the next few months so I will do this.
Hi. Nice video. Can I ask what resources you used to prepare for the clinical and management station?
I didn't use any actually but going over common basic clinical scenarios and surgical emergencies is helpful.
Can you give us an insight on how to do a clinical audit?
Sure - I can create a video on this
Does publishing in pubmed central has the same value as pubmed?
Yes
How much time did it took you after Medical school to Optimise your Portfolio?
It is a constantly ongoing process !
Thanks for sharing Dr O'Donovan. I have some few questions and I will be glad if you could answer them. Does it matter when the individual begins to show interest and commitment (i.e right from medical or after completing and working as a junior doctor) to Surgery? Does the number of years one takes out of formal training have an effect on his/her chances of getting into CST? How correct is it that the total points gained is divided by the numbers of years from completing medical school and the time of applying. What are the chances of an IMG getting into CST (possibly looking at the number of IMG trainees that were in your department)? Thank you.
Hi Evans. Thanks for the comment. I no longer am pursuing a career in surgery, so I wouldn't want to give wrong/misleading information. I would suggest perhaps subscribing to Ollie Burton's youtube channel - he is a junior doctor who I believe is interested in surgery and would be able to give you much more up to date and relevant information. Good luck.
Is it really Hard for IMGs after taking PLAB to complete the courses and works required to fulfill portfolio ??
I think it just depends on the individual!
Hi Dr Donovan. I'm an IMG from India. I have a question about the additional degrees section of the portfolio.
If I did a BA/Bsc in India after completing my primary medical degree, will I score the same as an intercalated degree? ( A score of 4 ).
Please consult the latest surgical training scoring system which has recently changed
Hi how did you manage to do BA/Bsc after mbbs? Was it online or offline? Could you please elaborate.
Hey there..do we need to give any exam for core surgical training after FY2 or we get it through our portfolio?
It is just the MRCS exam you will need to sit.
Hello, O'Donovan, well elaborate portfolio, could you please share the site or link for e - logbook!!
It should be on amazon - just search surgical portfolio folder
@@DrODonovan thank you😊
Sir ! Are there any suggestions or tips that you'd like to give for 1st year medical students regarding portfolio !?
😢 am a 1st year medic and wanna get into orthopedic surgery UK ..so I'd be gratified if you could suggest me something that I can do while in my med school ! ..thanks In advance sir
My advice whilst you’re in first year is focus on your studies and just enjoying life. Don’t stress about this yet . That is serious advice (otherwise you risk burnout) plus you may change your decision after some clinical experience
@@DrODonovan alas !😕 but sir planning early makes the things easier right !
Anyhow that's a great advice and I do follow it sir ...thanks a ton for your reply ☺
Hello Dr James,
Can you guide me on "PG or additional degrees"?
I am from India and currently in final year after which undergo a one-year internship, after which I'll graduate ( in 2023). Should I join a bachelor's degree right now or should I undertake a PG degree after I graduate?
Hi! Thanks for your comment Shayon. It's an interesting one.
I personally would graduate then think of undertaking a Masters degree (if you are able to) in an area you are interested in and might specialise in. I do not know your circumstances however (financial/personal etc...) so it's quite hard for me to give specific advice.
Hi, do you feel someone is at a disadvantage in case they dont achieve MBBS with honours?
Secondly, the additional degrees/research such as MRes that you mentioned about, were they done during your time working as an FY or a surgical trainee? Or you had to take a year out and then do them?
MBBS with honours will only count for maybe 1 extra point (if that...) I didn't get honours and never found it an issue. Yes I took a total of 5 years out of formal training (1 year to do my MRes, 1 year to do a Research Fellow position at Harvard, 3 years to do my PhD at Oxford where I also worked in Uganda and Stanford)
@@DrODonovan So you took out 5years extra after medschool and did these amazing stuff to improve your cv?
Is there anything an IMG can do back home to add to the portfolio?
Audits, research, leadership projects etc. All of the areas I suggested in the video.
Hi! I am one of the candidates for CST in Ireland. Do you know how recruitment for CST in Ireland looks like?
Sorry I don’t ! But I hope this video helps - it’s only really relevant to U.K. CST though and it’s from a few years ago now
Does a MSc done during medical school count for how many points? It's not hugely clear
Sorry . I’m unsure on this
Do you think we can do MRes while doing our FY1/FY2?
I’d advise strongly against this. I considered this myself but Fy1 and FY2 are really busy with very unpredictable Rotas often involving a lot of night shifts and weekends. Wait until after FY2 and if you still want to do one you’ll probably have a better idea of what speciality you want to do plus you can locum part time alongside.
@@DrODonovan I am an IMG and I wish to add another degree specifically for my CV. Would you advice that I go for a local research degree just like MRes? Thank you!
@@helheimpanda sure. That sounds fine if that is your sole purpose. Although I’d caution against this approach if you’re doing it just for CV building.
@@DrODonovan Thank you fo the advice. My approach to this degree is for my CV yes but I really am interested in this particular degree as I am very invested in research related to medicine. 🙂
Hiii
Thanks so much for this wonderful video.Exactly what I needed.I would be glad if You can be my mentor..I really need a lot of coaching...I am an International Medical Graduate Hoping to move To UK with the hope to enter Surgical training ..
I really need a mentor...
Me too 😥
Sorry I don't have the availability to do individual mentorship as I am extremely busy but best of luck in your career and I hope this video helped.
Sir how we can publish in pubmed?? Procedure
Check out this video: ua-cam.com/video/yKDxplX9Nps/v-deo.html
Having a hospital management course with first class through online can help you with extra points for your portfolio?
Please see the specific scoring criteria on the website.
Is it possible to get accepted if I'm an international medical graduates? Do you know someone who did it?
Yes - very possible
Surgery img friendly or not? Is it impossible for imgs
Very possible for imgs now that the application criteria has changed putting imgs on a more level playing field
I'm interested to know about your PhD in medical education
My profile is here: www.education.ox.ac.uk/people/james-odonovan/
How to do research and publication during FY1 job?
Try get involved in a departmental audit and do a full audit cycle and see if it can be published. Otherwise join STARsurg- it’s a national initiative where you become involved in research I believe. Try find a good surgical mentor and see if they can involve you in projects. Good luck.
@@DrODonovan thank you so much
@@mrityunjayagahlot6085 No problem
Hi Donovan ..I asked you before how I can get a scholarship to study medicine in Harvard but you didn't reply. Am done with my undergraduate though not in medicine but in science.. Please help
Hi all of the information I’m able to give is in my video on how I got a scholarship to Harvard . Good luck and hope it goes well for you
I have done bsc after graduation sir. Will I get the marks?
BSc will be fine - as long as you have done it it will contribute to some points. You will need to provide evidence e.g. your graduation certificate/transcript