IMT Training

What can you expect
Nothing leaves a bad impression as coming in late for your interview. That said, try to get to the interview centre as early as you can. You should arrive at least 30 minutes before your booked slot. When you get to the IMT training interview, you will be asked to submit your portfolio, and someone will check your identity. You will need to bring your passport with you, as well as a photocopy of the following pages of your passport

•    outer cover
•    inside front cover
•    photo and signature page (if your passport have the photo and signature on different pages, these are both needed)
•    any additional pages of relevance within the passport (such as giving information on immigration status)

You’ll also need to show proof of GMC registration if you have obtained it by the time of the interview. You can get it by downloading the certificate from your GMC online account. You do not need GMC registration to apply for IMT, but you must have it by the time the training post starts.

Be safe
The interviewers who are interviewing you usually want to accept a professional who can work and get along well with other colleagues, so it is always important to play it safe and make a good impression. They are looking for candidates they can trust to be on-call and look after patients. They want to know that you can think under pressure and make decisions whilst not over reaching yourself. They want to see that you know your limits and understand when it’s the right time to call for help. Part of the training is to ensure that the candidate does not only answer all the IMT interview questions but also recognises their limits and knows when to seek for help from the team.  

Be Polite
Aside from considering the safety of your clinical practice, the interviewers want to find candidates who have a great personality. Medicine is a team game and finding players that buy into that is important to your bosses. Being dressed appropriately, being courteous as you enter the room, and thanking your interviewers as you leave are all important. Make sure you listen attentively and look the interviewer in the eye when answering. By also considering these things not included in the IMT interview question bank, you can better prepare for the actual interview.

Be Prepared
You have been preparing long and hard during your training, enough to know what to expect so don’t be surprised when you get there! Make sure you arrive on time so you don’t add any extra stress to your day. Know where the interview is and what’s waiting behind the door! Practising the sort of questions you’ve encountered in the IMT interview question bank will help you feel comfortable with the style and layout of the interview and get you prepared for that tricky question at the end!

Keep a good portfolio
Many applicants fail to put detail and emphasis on this area of their application. Most interviews beyond medical foundation applications will require you to bring a portfolio of your achievements to the interview. What to include and how to structure this is often provided on the organisation’s website.

It’s important that you prepare your portfolio as much as you prepare for the IMT interview questions. As you write a list of your achievements, you will inevitably come across accomplishments for which you have no physical proof. Allowing yourself time to obtain/find certificates will save a lot of stress before the interview. Interviewers may look at your portfolio before the interview, but you will also often have your folder in front of you in a portfolio station of the interview. As a result, keeping an organized portfolio and being able to flick quickly to the relevant page presents a good image to the interviewer.

Many interviews also have a significant portion of marks available for how organised and aesthetic your portfolio is. Keeping it succinct and intuitively laid out, therefore, scores you points both directly and indirectly. Asking help from a professional to review your portfolio before the actual interview is worth investing on as this would further improve it.

Now that you have a better idea of what the IMT training will entail, you can better prepare yourself for the things that you need to accomplish whether it’s preparing your documents, building your portfolio, or taking additional training courses. The tips mentioned above will guide you in doing all the tasks for a successful training interview. Make sure that you keep all the things mentioned in this article in your mind to increase your chances of getting selected. Good luck!