Histopathology is a run-through specialty which offers a five year training programme. Training is centred in 12 Histopathology Schools in England which were first established in 2001. The Wales Training Programme participates in the same recruitment process.

Histopathology has been a run-through specialty since 2005 with a national recruitment process using an on-line application form and subsequent selection centre. There has been significant development of the selection process over the years and the cohort selected in 2009 are part of an ongoing predictive validity study in conjunction with the Open University.

The Histopathology selection process was revised in 2010 to build on findings from the predictive validity study. In order to improve reliability of results through triangulation of attributes the candidates are scored against cross-referenced dimensions from the person specification across the various panels.

The National Histopathology Recruitment Working Group

The National Histopathology Recruitment Working Group continues to revise options available and explore the benefits and issues of nationally coordinated recruitment for 2011 and beyond. The Group hold quarterly meetings and consists of Histopathology consultants from England and Wales with support from the Royal College of Pathologists and the London Deanery recruitment team.

The Working Group aim to:

• Engage the medical profession with the projects in ways that ensure decisions on selection processes are evidence based.
• Ensure that the best quality applicants receive an offer for their first preference post in Histopathology
• Ensure consistency, validity, cost-effectiveness and reliability of recruitment processes across the UK and provide the opportunity for further development of the process.
• Disseminate the findings from the study to inform practice in medical recruitment.
• Integrate evidence from the pilots with existing experience on selection processes to provide robust conclusions on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of different tools, methods and approaches in a range of contexts.

2012 Round 2 ST1 Histopathology recruitment dates and information

London Deanery is nationally coordinating 2012 Round 2 National Recruitment to ST1 Histopathology.

The dates and format are listed below

Applications open:  12:00 (UK local time) 30 March 2012

Applications close:  12:00 (UK local time) 1 May 2012

Interviews:  28 May 2012        

Venue:  To Be Confirmed.    

Application forms will be available online here from Friday 30 March 2012

Nationally agreed person specification that lists the required competences is available on the Medical Specialty Training website.   

For all recruitment enquires please email our dedicated recruitment enquiries team at recruitmentenquiries@londondeanery.ac.uk

Foundation Competences

The only acceptable evidence of achievement of Foundation competences, other than a FACD 5.2 certificate issued by a UK Foundation School in the three years preceding commencement of ST1 training, is a correctly signed-off current Alternative Certificate A or B.  

Please see the our guidance on competences.

The Alternative Certificate A or B is only acceptable as evidence of achievement of Foundation competences if the consultant who signs it off has worked with the candidate for a minimum of 3 months full-time in a paid clinical post in the three years leading up to the commencement of ST1 training and has observed the candidate demonstrate all the listed competences, or is able to obtain reliable evidence from another physician who has observed, within the last three years, the candidate demonstrate competences not observed by the consultant signing-off the certificate.  

Posts which are not paid clinical posts and/ or which have a duration of  less than the equivalent of three months full time and / or which occurred more than three years prior to commencement of ST1 training, cannot be used as the basis for signing-off Foundation competences.

For example, honorary posts or research posts cannot be used to provide evidence of Foundation competences.

Candidates who have no experience in valid posts that can be used to sign-off Foundation competences are advised to take a paid clinical post of a minimum three months full-time duration in a medical or surgical specialty, that involves the active care of sick patients, in order that they are able to obtain a valid signed-off Alternative Certificate A or B.

2011 Recruitment Newsletter

A newsletter has been produced to provide updates on key developments during 2011 recruitment. The publication is available to download from the top right of this page.

If you would prefer to have it sent to your inbox, please subscribe via email histonewsletter@londondeanery.ac.uk using the email address you wish to have the newsletter sent to.