Applications to Paediatrics in all Deaneries is handled by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child health. 

The application window opens around Christmas time and the time to apply is when you are in Foundation year 2, or you would have completed your foundation level competencies by the end of August of the following year. Based on your application form you may be offered a interview.

You will be asked to rank your choice of deanery and are most likely (but not guaranteed) to get an interview in your first choice deanery.

The interview is a 4 station interview, each station lasts 10 minutes:

• Station 1: Will be a presentation of a case or clinical information that will be given to you on the day. No previous Paediatric experience will be necessary or expected at ST1 level applications. You will be mainly marked on presentation skills.
• Station 2: This will be the “interview” station where you will be asked some questions about your training so far and your motivation to do Paediatrics. Also clinical governance issues such as audit.
• Station 3: This will be a communication station, which will assess communication skills in a scenario with an actor.
• Station 4: Clinical thinking station: this will assess thought processes dealing with a common clinical problem, again no Paediatric experience will be necessary or expected. 
   

If you are offered the post in your first choice deanery, you will be expected to accept that offer; however you will have a window of time to think about it. If you are unsuccessful, your overall score will be passed to the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and your score will be passed onto your second choice deanery. You will not need to be interviewed more than once.

London has the most posts available (about 90 ST1 posts) and offers a wide range of training opportunities.