The Royal College of Surgeons has successfully negotiated a rescue package for trainee surgeons. The Department of Health has agreed to re-run the first round of the Medical Training and Application
Service (MTAS) to make sure that all worthy candidates will be shortlisted.

Surgeons will now use full CVs and the customary structured interview to select candidates for jobs rather than relying on a computerised selection process which has clearly failed and has caused deep
distress to both trainees and those who were tasked with selection.

All candidates who have been previously selected for interview will still be interviewed, but trained medical advisors will now go back and examine in detail the candidates who were left out first time around. Those candidates who are worthy of training posts will now re-enter the process and go forward to interview at no disadvantage.

The President of the Royal College of Surgeons, Mr Ribeiro said,

“Over the last few weeks I have gathered evidence from surgeons, trainees and their families around the country and I understand the distress that the MTAS process has caused.

It is clear that there is a large group of highly skilled trainees who have not been short listed for interview due to faults in the application process.

I am pleased to say that the Secretary of State for Health has listened to our advice and acted quickly to set up this review which has hopefully reassured both patients and trainees. We can only be part of an application process that provides the NHS with first class trainee surgeons – this is vital for the safety of patients. The College has consistently given advice to the MMC team on a process for selection of surgeons by surgeons. I will continue to pressurise the Department to act on our advice to introduce a selection process for next year which is fair to all and effectively selects the highest quality surgical trainees for our NHS, our patients deserve no less.’’

Those consultants that will be involved in further round one interviews over coming weeks should note carefully the requirements we have insisted upon with regard to structured, in-depth interviews and the availability of application forms and full CVs for all applicants.