Professional development for your SAS career

Courses and interview coaching for SAS doctors

For specialty doctors, associate specialists and specialist doctors, and doctors preparing to enter SAS roles.

Develop your leadership, teaching and communication skills, strengthen your understanding of healthcare, or prepare for your next interview.

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Choose learning for the work you do now and the responsibilities you want to develop. This page brings together our personal-development courses and SAS interview coaching, with links to each programme's content, format and booking information.

Individual preparation for your next appointment

One-to-one interview coaching for SAS doctors

Prepare for a specialty doctor or specialist grade interview, or your next appointment as an experienced SAS doctor. Practise explaining your experience, strengths and contribution, with feedback tailored to the role you are applying for.

Use your session for a focused mock interview, work on selected questions, or a combination of both. The coaching covers your non-clinical preparation, including suitability, teamwork, governance and professionalism.

Interview preparation, not clinical knowledge teaching. Diagnosis and treatment scenarios are not included.

Your SAS interview coaches

Olivier Picard

Ram Matsa

George Crowther

Lead teams and improve services

Strengthen your leadership as an SAS doctor, contribute to service improvement and find agreement when professional priorities differ.

Lead people

Leadership and management

Build confidence in leading teams, supporting performance and making decisions. Compare live training and flexible online learning.

View leadership and management

Make improvements

Change management

Explore how to plan, communicate and sustain change in healthcare, with practical approaches to involving others.

View change management

Find agreement

Negotiation skills

Prepare for discussions, understand different priorities and work towards agreements you can put into practice.

View negotiation skills

Communicate confidently and handle challenges

Develop the conversations you have with patients and colleagues, from everyday communication to difficult interactions and speaking up constructively.

Communicate clearly

Advanced communication skills

Develop your listening, rapport and communication skills for everyday interactions and more complex conversations.

View advanced communication skills

Handle difficult interactions

Dealing with difficult people and conflict

Recognise challenging behaviour and develop practical ways to respond, give feedback and manage conflict.

View dealing with difficult people and conflict

Speak with confidence

Assertiveness and influencing

Express your views, set boundaries and influence others while maintaining constructive working relationships.

View assertiveness and influencing

Teach, present and support others

Build on the knowledge and experience you bring to teaching, presentations and supporting colleagues. Choose the skills most relevant to your SAS role.

Develop your teaching

Teach the Teacher

Build your teaching skills, plan learning activities and give effective feedback. Compare live and self-paced options.

View teach the teacher

Engage your audience

Public speaking and presentation skills

Plan and deliver clear, engaging presentations, manage nerves and respond to questions. Explore the self-paced programme.

View public speaking and presentation skills

Support development

Coaching and mentoring

Structure supportive conversations and use listening and questioning to help others explore their goals and challenges.

View coaching and mentoring

Understand healthcare and organise your work

Connect your work as an SAS doctor with the wider healthcare system, quality and safety, while managing competing demands on your time.

Understand the system

NHS in Practice

Understand how decisions, funding and accountability work across the NHS and connect with your role.

View nhs in practice

Improve quality and safety

Clinical governance

Build a practical understanding of quality, safety and improvement, and how they connect with everyday care.

View clinical governance

Organise your time

Effective time management

Review your working habits, identify priorities and develop practical ways to manage competing demands.

View effective time management

Find a way to learn that suits you

Delivery options vary by course. Check the individual page for the available format, time commitment and any included webinar.

Live online learning

Set aside time for a scheduled session on Zoom, with opportunities for discussion and interaction. Explore the relevant course page for dates and details.

Self-paced learning

Work through online modules around your commitments. Some programmes also include a live webinar; each course page explains what is included.

Choosing courses and coaching for your SAS career

Start with the skills or preparation you need, then check the details of the relevant course or service.

Who is this page for?

Specialty doctors, associate specialists and specialist doctors looking for professional development, and doctors preparing to enter SAS roles. Choose from courses in leadership, teaching, communication, healthcare knowledge and personal effectiveness, or explore interview coaching for your next appointment.

Are the personal-development courses only for SAS doctors?

No. These are ISC Medical's existing courses for doctors and healthcare professionals, brought together here for SAS doctors. The individual course pages explain who they are for and what is included.

Can I choose between live and self-paced courses?

Options vary by course. The leadership and management comparison page and Teach the Teacher comparison page explain their live and self-paced formats. Other course pages set out the format and any included webinar.

Should I choose a course or one-to-one interview coaching?

Choose a personal-development course to build skills you can use in your work. For an upcoming SAS interview, one-to-one coaching focuses on presenting your experience and practising relevant non-clinical questions, with individual feedback. It is a separate service from the Coaching and Mentoring Skills course, which develops your ability to support other people.

Practical ideas to support your development

Explore free guides on leadership, teaching, communication and quality improvement in healthcare.

Free development guide

Build your skills. Prepare for your next step.

Choose professional development for your SAS role, or individual coaching for your next interview.

Explore the personal-development courses →View SAS interview coaching →

Courses and interview coaching for SAS doctors