StepUp ST4
All stations/Station 2/Sub-station 2A

Sub-station 2A — Medical Registrar Suitability (1-minute presentation + probe)

Opens with your prepared 1-minute pitch: 'Why will you be a safe and effective medical registrar?' Then structured probing on leadership, teamwork, QI and NHS structure.

7–8 minutes 2 examiners (Station 2 panel) Station 2
Practise Medical Registrar Suitability (1-minute presentation + probe) questions Run a timed mock

What happens in the room

  • You deliver a strict 1-minute uninterrupted presentation. The examiner will stop you at 60 seconds.
  • Probing then follows on the points you raised: leadership style, dealing with conflict, handling the on-call workload, prioritisation.
  • Expect at least one NHS structure question (GMC, JRCPTB, NHS England, Royal Colleges, appraisal/revalidation).
  • Often closes with QI/management vignette: 'How would you improve handover on your ward?'

What the examiners are scoring

  • A structured, well-rehearsed but not robotic 1-minute pitch.
  • Self-awareness — knowing your strengths and gaps as a registrar.
  • Leadership and followership — when to lead, when to support.
  • Prioritisation under pressure (multiple sick patients, conflicting demands).
  • Understanding of NHS structure, governance, appraisal/revalidation and the registrar role.
  • QI mindset — turning a problem into a measurable improvement.

Framework — 1-min pitch (Hook → 3 Pillars → Forward) + STAR for probes

  1. 1Hook (10s)

    One memorable sentence — your motivation or a defining experience.

  2. 2Pillar 1 — Clinical (15s)

    Acute medicine breadth, on-call experience, ALS/teaching evidence.

  3. 3Pillar 2 — Leadership/QI (15s)

    A specific QI/leadership example with impact.

  4. 4Pillar 3 — Teaching/Teamwork (15s)

    Evidence of teaching, supervision, MDT working.

  5. 5Forward (5s)

    Why now and what you'll bring to the registrar tier.

High-yield topics

Prioritising the on-call take with 3 simultaneous sick patientsDealing with a difficult colleague / underperforming juniorHandover, SBAR, escalation pathwaysQI methodology — PDSA cycles, run charts, driver diagramsNHS structure: GMC, JRCPTB, NHS England, Health Education England, Royal CollegesAppraisal, revalidation, ARCP, training portfoliosRota gaps, locum cover, workforce challenges

Example stems

  • "Tell us in one minute why you will be a safe and effective medical registrar."
  • "It's 02:00, you have a peri-arrest on the ward, an unwell admission in ED and a referral from surgery. How do you prioritise?"
  • "Describe a time you led a team through a difficult situation."
  • "How would you improve handover on the acute medical take?"
  • "What is the role of the GMC / JRCPTB?"

What a Score 5 answer looks like

  • 1-minute pitch lands cleanly at 55–60 seconds with three clear pillars.
  • Prioritisation answer uses an explicit framework (e.g. life-threat → time-critical → routine) and delegates safely.
  • Quotes a specific QI project with PDSA cycles and measurable outcome.
  • Knows NHS structure accurately and uses correct terminology.
  • Demonstrates emotional intelligence — manages conflict respectfully, asks for help, supports juniors.

Common pitfalls

  • Memorised pitch that sounds robotic or runs over 60 seconds.
  • Saying 'I'd see the sickest patient first' without naming how you'd triage and delegate.
  • Talking about QI without a measurable outcome or completed PDSA cycle.
  • Confusing GMC, JRCPTB, Royal Colleges, NHS England, HEE.
  • Failing to ask for help / call seniors — examiners worry about lone-wolf registrars.