Over the past few years, the recruitment process for GPST / GPVTS has considerably evolved and has now been harmonised across all deaneries. The current GPST recruitment / selection process contains 4 main selection stages:
The first step in getting into a GPST / GPVTS training programme is to complete the application form. The form consist mainly of employment-related information and is used to determine whether you satisfy the mnimum requirements of eligibility to apply. At this stage, no assessment is made at this stage of any of your clinical or interpersonal skills). On the form, you will also be asked to submit your choices for the four deaneries to which you would like to apply.
Click here for further information on the GPST / GPVTS Entry Stage 1 application form and how to choose your deaneries
If you have satisfied all the eligibility criteria for GPST Stage 1, you will be invited by email to attend a computer-based assessment. The GPST computer-based test consists of two separate papers:
Paper 1: Professional Dilemmas (also called Situational Judgement Tests or SJTs) - 110 minutes This paper contains lasts 110 minutes and is designed to test your approach to a number of dilemmas (typically 55-60 scenarios) that you may encounter in the context of your medical practice, and in particular your professional integrity, ability to cope with pressure, your empathy and your sensitivity. Though you do not need to have specific knowledge of general practice, the paper requires general familiarity with typical primary and secondary care procedures. You are expected to answer all question as a second year Foundation doctor.
There are two types of questions:
The difficulty of this paper lies in the fact that there can be several possible answers for any given scenario, and that some answers may attract a higher mark than others, depending on the level of consensus reached by the markers. As such, success in this paper requires a thorough understanding of the criteria used in the marking process and how those criteria may contradict one another.
Click here for further information on the GPST Stage 2 Professional Dilemma / SJT paper
Paper 2: Clinical Problem Solving (75 minutes) This part lasts 75 minutes and contains approximatly 90 clinical scenarios, which you must resolve using judgement and problem solving skills to determine appropriate diagnosis and management of patients using knowledge Foundation Programme Year 2 level.
Questions are usually presented in two different formats: Single Best Answer i.e. basically MCQs; and Extended Match Questions (EMQs). They usually consist of actual patient-based scenarios in which you may be asked to give a diagnosis based on the information given, indicate first line management, select the investigation you would consider ordering, explain how you would prescribe or select the causes of a specific condition. Questions may be asked on any topic, including:
Click here for further information on the GPST Stage 2 Clinical Problem Solving papers
Candidates who have scored the best at Stage 2 wil be invited to attend the GPST Selection Assessment Centre. At that stage, the ratio of applicants to places is 1.5:1, but all those shortlisted tend to be of a high standard, making competition fierce.
The GPST / GPVTS Selection Assessment Centre consists of two sections, both of which must be taken on the same day.
Section 1: Simulation Exercises (30 minutes) You will be asked to undergo 3 separate role plays / simulation exercises, each of which is 10 minutes long:
The role of the patient, relative and colleague is played by an actor who is not directly involved in the recruitment process but whose feedback is taken into consideration by the GPST Stage 3 examiners. The actor plays a specific role and has been briefed to react in a certain manner (e.g. aggressive, obtrusive, emotional).
You will be judged on your communication skills and your ability to react to the other person's behaviour during the consultation and in particular:
Only a very small part of the mark relates to your clinical knowledge.
Click here for further information on the GPST Stage 3 Simulation Exercises / Role Plays
Section 2: Written prioritisation exercise (30 minutes) The prioritisation exercise contains two parts within the same 30-minute time slot:
The key to success in this section is to understand that the reasons for ranking different tasks in a given order are more important than the actual ranking order itself and to concentrate on giving good explanations. Many candidates also lose points by ignoring the reflective section; as such candidates are advised to provide full answers to all questions asked.
Click here for further information on the GPST Stage 3 Written Priorisation Exercise
Once all candidates have undergone Stage 3, they are ranked according to their results at both Stage 2 and Stage 3. that ranking then determines whether they are entitled to an offer. Candidates who have received an offer then have 48 hours to decide whether to accept it or reject it (on the basis that some candidates may actually reject an offer because, for example, they have received an offer for a training post in a hospital speciality). For that reason, since 2011, the acceptance/rejection date for entry into GPST / GPVTS coincides with the acceptance / rejection date for entry into CT and ST posts for hospital specialities.
Candidates which are deemed suitable for GP training but did not rank high enough to get an offer will be placed on a local reserve list. If successful candidates from the deaneries they have applied to reject their own offer then those on the reserve list will be offered the training post (local clearing). Following the local clearing process, deaneries with unfilled places will open their doors from candidates from other deaneries (national clearing); this would happen mostly in under-applied deaneries.
Candidates who have failed to get a placed in the main round of applications can apply for the limited number of places made available in Round 2, which usually takes place in May. Those places are either places which were unfilled following national clearing, or new places made available through additional funding. For Round 2 of the GPST/GPVTS selection process, the schedule is exactly the same albeit at a faster pace.
