What happens in the Consultant interview
Substantive NHS medical, surgical and dental consultant appointments in England are made through an Advisory Appointments Committee (AAC) panel interview, governed for NHS trusts by the National Health Service (Appointment of Consultants) Regulations 1996 (with NHS foundation trusts recommended to follow the same standards, equivalent regulations in Wales and Northern Ireland, and a separate process in Scotland). No single interview duration is fixed nationally: each trust sets its own panel procedure against the job description and person specification.
Checked against the official sources on 24 October 2026.
The parts, in order
A multi-member panel interview chaired by a lay member (normally the trust chair or another non-executive director) alongside an external Royal College or Faculty assessor, the chief executive (or board-level deputy), the medical or dental director (or deputy), a consultant from the trust, and a university representative where the post carries teaching or research commitments.
Employers may add selection exercises agreed in advance — such as a timed presentation on service vision or governance followed by panel questions, stakeholder meetings or clinical case discussions — notified to shortlisted candidates before the interview.
How it is marked
Shortlisting and final appointment decisions are made by the Advisory Appointments Committee against the essential and desirable criteria in the post's person specification and job description, with the external college or faculty assessor advising whether the candidate is suitably trained and qualified for the post.
Passing
There is no numerical national pass mark; the committee decides whether each candidate is appointable against the person specification. For NHS trusts in England, medical consultants must hold (or be within six months of CCT for) GMC Specialist Register entry and dental consultants must hold (or be within six months of CCST for) GDC Specialist List entry.
Worth knowing
- Covers both medical/surgical specialties and the seven NHS dental consultant specialties (Orthodontics, Restorative Dentistry, Oral Surgery, Paediatric Dentistry, Special Care Dentistry, Oral Medicine and Dental Public Health).
- MedMock practises both a 40-minute Full Panel Interview and seven focused thematic stations anchored to your target NHS trust and medical or dental specialty. Pre-interview presentations are not simulated.
Sources
- NHS Employers: Guidance on the employment of medical and dental consultants
- The National Health Service (Appointment of Consultants) Regulations 1996
Formats change. MedMock is not affiliated with any examining body; always check the current regulations on the official site before you apply.
Practise the Consultant interview out loud
MedMock runs spoken Consultant interview practice with AI and marks every session. Start with a £5 taster: 30 credits: 30 minutes of speaking practice. One-off payment, no subscription.
Start with the £5 taster