The interview is designed to assess a number of different aspects of your candidature, with interviewers independently awarding scores for different areas before these are compiled.

During interview, you will be assessed on six independent aspects of your candidature. For each aspect, you will receive two marks - one from each of the two interviewers assessing you on each aspect; thus giving 12 marks in total.

Each of these marks will be between 1 and 5; so with 12 marks awarded, the maximum score available here is 60. This score is referred to as your 'raw' interview score - ie the score awarded to your interview as a whole, before any weighting is applied.

Details on how such weighting is applied to scores can be found on the relevant tab above.

The score of 1-5 an interviewer will award you for each assessment area is judged in relation to how well you perform against an expected level. These scores will be used to ascertain your appointability status and overall score; covered on the relevant tabs above.

Below are the two frameworks used by interviewers to guide scoring at interview: a general one used for most questions and a specific one for application and achievements question scoring.

As shown in the table, for each of the question areas at interview, 3/5 is considered a satisfactory score; and reflects the level of performance that would be expected of a trainee ready to progress to IMT. Should your performance go above and beyond this expected level, interviewers can award marks of 4/5 or 5/5 as appropriate.

Conversely, should your interview performance not reach the expected level, then interviewers can award marks of 1/5 or 2/5, as reflects their level of concern over your performance.

General question scoring framework

Mark Rating Assessment
1 poor not considered appointable
2 area for concern performed below the level expected during F2;
possibly unappointable, subject to discussion and performance in other areas
3 satisfactory performed at the level expected during F2;
the candidate is suitable for appointment
4 good performed at the level expected on completion of F2;
the candidate is suitable for appointment
5 excellent performed at the level expected at IMT or above;
the candidate is suitable for appointment

Application and achievements scoring framework

Mark Rating Assessment
1 poor Unappointable – unclear and/or poorly structured presentation. Achievements well below those expected for experience levels/personal circumstances and/or little relevance to being an IM trainee
2 area for concern Unclear and/or poorly structured presentation. Achievements below that expected for experience levels/personal circumstances and/or little relevance to being an IM trainee; possibly unappointable, subject to discussion and performance in other areas
3 satisfactory Achievements commensurate with experience levels/personal circumstances, at least some relevance to being an IM trainee and presentation clear and well-structured; the candidate is suitable for appointment
4 good Achievements above expectations for experience levels/personal circumstances, good relevance to being an IM trainee and presentation clear and well-structured; the candidate is suitable for appointment
5 excellent High achieving applicant - achievements significantly above expectations for experience levels/personal circumstances, high relevance to being an IM trainee and presentation clear and well-structured; the candidate is suitable for appointment

From the twelve scores awarded during your interview, an 'appointability' status will be calculated to determine whether or not you can be considered for an offer.

The intention is to ensure successful candidates can display competence consistently across all areas of assessment covered at interview; rather than allowing outstanding achievement in one or more areas to make up for sub-par performance elsewhere.

Appointability is awarded automatically, and is based on two factors: individual interview scores and the 'raw interview score'.

Raw interview score

The raw interview score (RIS) is the sum of all 12 scores awarded to you during your interview, but before any weighting is applied (see the Total score tab for information about this).

As each individual score will be between 1 and 5, your RIS will be between 12 and 60.

Appointability requirements

To be classed as 'appointable', you must meet all three criteria below:

  • none of your twelve interview scores can be 1/5
  • no more than two of your eight interview scores can be 2/5
  • your RIS must be 36 or above.

If you meet all three requirements, your application will be assessed as appointable, and can progress to be considered for post offers.

However, if you fail to meet any of these requirements, your application must then be assessed as not appointable, and it will progress no further in that round.

After interview, a weighting is applied to the scores in each area.

These scores are then combined to give your total score which is determing your ranking which will in turn be used to inform how offers are made. The weighting of different sections, as well as the method by which your total score is established, is detailed in the table below.

   Interviewer 1   Interviewer 2  Weighting  Max score 
Question 1
Application and achievements / 5 / 5 x1.6 / 16
Suitability for IMT / 5 / 5 x1.6 / 16
Question 2
Clinical scenario - investigations/diagnosis/management / 5 / 5 x1.2 / 12
Clinical scenario - patient handover / 5 / 5 x0.8 / 8
Question 3
Ethical, professionalism and governance / 5 / 5 x1.6 / 16
 
Communication mark / 5 / 5 x1.2 / 12
 
Raw interview score                  / 60  
 
Interview score (w weighting) / 80
 
 Total score / 80



We have published data to this website showing the distribution of scores from interviews in round 1 of recruitment from recent years, along with data on average scores and appointability rates.

Please visit the previous years' data page of this website, along with the document library, for more information.