Core Surgical Training portfolio: maximising points (2021)

Hello again, here are my insights into maximising points for the CST portfolio. The portfolio is super important not only does it score points for CST applications but it also helps facilitate investment into your professional development. Unfortunately, it can seem like a bit of a "game" at times and it feels like a lot is expected of you. In this video, I talk you through some tactics to focus your efforts and maximise points😊
Time stamps:
00:00 Intro
01:16 What is the CST portfolio?
01:59 Why is the portfolio important?
02:36 How do you score points in the portfolio?
04:01 Commitment to surgery
09:03 Quality Improvement/Audit
12:21 Teaching
13:47 Training in Teaching
15:09 Leadership
16:38 Five top tips!
About me:
My name is Surina Taneja and I am a junior doctor working in the UK. I make videos about being a doctor as well as sharing my insights on the well-being of our mind, body and planet! 🧠, 💪🏽 🌍
Social media:
📱 Instagram: / drsurinatan​​​. .
🐦 Twitter: / drsurinataneja​​​
🔗 Linkedin: / surina-ta​​​. .
💌 Email: [e-mail]
Links mentioned in the video:
CST points criteria (2020-2021): coresurgeryinterview.com/reso...
My other videos
"Boost your medical portfolio": • Simple ways to boost y...
"How I passed the MRCS Part A": • How I passed the MRCS ...
"How I revised for the MRCS Part A": • How I revised for the ...
Online resources:
A good video to see how a physical portfolio can be laid out: • A run through my CST P...
National catheter course (free online course): www.nationalcathetereducation...
Training in teaching courses:
www.medics.academy/courses/tr...
The PG Cert (Medical Education) that I am doing:
www.herts.ac.uk/courses/postg...
🎶Music credit🎶
------------------------------
Tower (Prod. by Lukrembo)
🍪 Soundcloud : / lukrembo​​
⭐️ Twitter : / lukrembo​​
😀 Instagram : / lukrembo​​
✉️ Email : [e-mail]
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[@sandunikotinkaduwa787]

This is awesome! Please continue to make more of these informative videos! Thank you so much!

[@drsurinataneja]

Glad it helped! Let me know what else you want to see :)

[@suhasdp]

Great video. Appreciate the effort👏🏻

[@yathprem]

This was useful, thanks!

[@drsurinataneja]

You're welcome😊

[@neviesx986]

I loved this video 🥺 so useful! I’m only in second year but I’ve been advised to start early. Could you please do a video on audits please? I have no clue as to what it involves or what to do. All I know is that I have to confirm that I’ll get some credit for it or something like that. I hope you’re still enjoying Australia x

[@drsurinataneja]

Find a doctor to work with and ask if they have audit ideas and if you help collect data for it. Then present your data at a departmental meeting at the very least or enter it into a national or international conference and present it there. As long as you have a consultant supervising who can sign a letter to say you did this and evidence that you presented it then you're good 👌🏽

[@neviesx986]

Thank you so much! 🥰

[@ridah4419]

Hey Surina, your calm in the video honestly made me relax. I have 2 questions and a request: 1) Can i do a taster week within my own city (in Pakistan) & since i want to pick Ophthalmology in the future does it have to be in a different speciality? 2) i have graduated med school, if i do an elective in my city now, would that be counted? 3) Would it be ok for you to make a mini series on your audit experience and steps and the spreadsheet you were asking us to imagine with headings. Thankyou

[@winaim.4296]

Great🙂

[@venkathariharanm6511]

Much informative Dr thank you

[@rehmkhan5300]

ThankYou ❣️ ....

[@shaikwahidasulthana2458]

Hi, is it very difficult to enter in CST from fy2 for IMGs?

[@mohamadk7467]

Thank for this helpful video I have one question is 2 cycles of audit = quality improvement

[@rizwanarajmohamed289]

In the 'training in teaching' section, does the Pgcert or diploma have to be in MEDICAL EDUCATION or can it be in teaching generally? Like is a one year 'diploma in education' accepted?

[@shayonghosh3569]

Hi Dr. Surina! This video was really helpful and gave me a different aspect ( the hacks) to deal with the CST portfolio. I had one question regarding the courses that one should do. 1) Do online courses count as valid courses in the CV? 2) I am a medical student from India, so will the UK based online courses be available to me?

[@drsurinataneja]

Hey, glad you found it helpful. 1) Yes online courses should count - no guarantee but if it has obvious surgical relevance then it should be. 2) It will depend on the specific course I guess

[@miraclegao5322]

Hi! Thank you for your video! Does the evidence for completion of surgical elective require the supervisor's gmc number?

[@drsurinataneja]

No as they may not be GMC registered

[@sharonglenn5700]

Hey Surina! Thank you for this very informative video. I have a couple of questions that I was hoping you could clarify 1. I know you explained what an elective was, but is it, in theory the exact same as a taster week ? How long does an elective last? These are not common practices where I am from so I am unfamiliar with the phrasing! 2. You mentioned courses conducted locally that are free and could potentially be counted, do you have any specific suggestions? 3. Audits are completely unheard of from where I am from, could you please suggest some resources for topics? Also where can I find audits that have been published, I feel like I can never come across them on pubmed! 4. For a 3 month regional teaching programme, how many classes must I generally teach as a minimum (50%?) and how many classes are generally there in the 3 month period, are they weekly or once every 2 weeks? Thank you!

[@drsurinataneja]

Hey! Glad you find it useful! Sure: 1. A taster week is usually a week of shadowing you do during your foundation years (first postgraduate job) in a speciality you are not working in. Usually in your own hospital or nearby ones. An elective is a 6-8 week placement, usually abroad and usually whilst you are still at medical school. The portfolio does not elaborate further but this is what an elective is known to be in the UK. 2. I will not be able to advise on your local courses. You will have to ask around at your hospital/university/region. The only free course I know about online is linked in the video description (the catheter course). 3. Sure, if you google what an audit is or google audit ideas/surgical audits you'll find out a lot. I can do a more in depth video on this if that would be useful but there is tonnes of info online. 4. The portfolio says: "You have delivered at least one of the sessions yourself" Hope that helps!

[@sharonglenn5700]

@@drsurinataneja Thank you very much!

[@siddiqus1]

Great Video! Just one question, does being the first author of a systematic review give points? Or does it have to a primary research? Thanks!

[@drsurinataneja]

The portfolio requirements keep changing so you need to read the wording very carefully for every update

[@hamzaarshad5469]

If someone achieved these requirements of portfolio in their homeland …. Would they still worth in portfolio? Like QIP , operative experience, LOR , surgical courses etc

[@Born-Surgeon]

Can you link some award competion links?

[@wardahhassan6543]

teaching experience should be related to UK students?

[@helheimpanda]

Love the video, What do you suggest to people who are just interns in their home country?

[@drsurinataneja]

The same advice :)

[@sikharsaha4201]

Hello Ma'am Hope uh are doing well! Ma'am is it necessary for an IMG to have some of research and publications for general surgery?

[@drsurinataneja]

You get more points for your CST portfolio with research and publications but is it not compulsory for application (You can see the points break down on here: coresurgeryinterview.com/resources/2021-Self-Assessment-Guidance-for-Candidates..pdf)

[@PriyadharshiniRamesh]

Can we maintain the surgical cases e logbook during junior resident in India and get signed from the Indian consultant (probably who don't have a gmc number)?

[@drsurinataneja]

Yes they just need to sign with their national registration number/ID - does not have to be GMC.

[@amrhsyrf]

hello, you linked medics academy for training in teaching - was this something you've personally signed up for? if yes did you manage to get the max points for it? thank you

[@drsurinataneja]

Hey! No I didn't sign up for this but have heard others have. I did the PG Cert diploma in medical education which I did receive points for but a training to teach course is also worth some points!

[@xenne.]

is there an equivalent of the CST programme in Australia?

[@drsurinataneja]

Kind of - seems you apply for surgical training which is around 5 years or so then next step is to apply for surgical fellowship jobs before then becoming a consultant

[@raho1819]

Also if we do a surgical audit, does that get u points under the audit section and the commitment to surgery section or just one of the 2

[@drsurinataneja]

All this info is in the scoring criteria document which is linked in the video description 😊 there is no part in the “Commitment to Surgery” section that is to do with audits.

[@raho1819]

@@drsurinataneja thanks. Because in the previous one, it counted. The 2020 one.

[@Born-Surgeon]

Please make more videos mam

[@sanketpatil2737]

Hello, thank you so much for the video 🙏 I had some doubts: 1) In prize section can a prize won at a conference be used for claiming points where UG and PG both had participated ? 2)can surgical taster be attended while being on Nontraning job or one has to be in training pathway(i.e in foundation training)? 3) In surgical experience is it compulsory to have cases signed by consultant or supervisor from UK or it can be done from one's own country ? 4) Are there opportunities in leadership & management for IMGs while being in FY-2 or at a Non training post FY-2 level ? Thank you.

[@drsurinataneja]

Hi, no problem! 1. Prize can be won at any UG and/or PG event 2. No I think a taster week can happen any time! 3. You should enter your cases in the online logbook I’ve spoken about in this video. It does not need to be signed off you just need to enter the consultants name. 4. Yeah there should be! Look into leadership posts within your hospital or deanery or within the BMA or any societies too.

[@sanketpatil2737]

@@drsurinataneja got it thanks a lot

[@harshitgoyal6396]

@@drsurinataneja is surgery taster attended outside uk considered?

[@drsurinataneja]

Yep!

[@heewonyoon7886]

Hi Surina! I am UK medical student who wants to apply for CST in the future. In terms of elogbook, can I start it from medical student stage with cases that I observed? Or does this only apply from FY with the cases that I scrubb in? And I could not get surgical elective due to covid19 but got A+E instead. I arranged self elective at Paediatric surgery in country outside of the Uk, and received certificate. Would this be allright? And can I also start RCSE courses/catheter course you mentioned at the video from med student level?

[@drsurinataneja]

Yes start log book as soon as possible! Check the portfolio requirements for what you need for the elective. I think you can do the catheter course whenever.

[@raho1819]

What about clinical experience? Does experience for 6 months in the a and e have any points?

[@drsurinataneja]

The categories for "commitment to surgery" are stated in the scoring criteria document. They include: MRCS A, surgical courses, involvement in surgical cases in theatre (documented on an online log book), a surgical taster week and a surgical elective. 6 months in A&E will not come under any of these categories.

[@eget4144]

Do the documents from Turkey count? Or only wester ones are accepted?

[@drsurinataneja]

Should be fine as long as they meet the evidence criteria

[@ahmedkhan3067]

Im an IMG and plan to become a surgeon in the uk. Do I need to do all these things while im in the Uk during my foundation training or can i do these things in my home country as well? And furthermore, how can i arrange a teaching session? Can i be employed in a teaching job and then teach a few topics at a medical school and get a certificate for that? Does that work?

[@drsurinataneja]

No these things can be done any time from medical school onwards. Teaching sessions can be arranged by contacting a university directly or an educational team within your hospital. Teaching is usually done alongside your clinical duties. You can arrange for a certificate or letter from the consultant who oversees the programme.

[@shrutizalawadia6210]

Nicely explained I do have one question : Currently i have started teaching 1st year medical students and i have started this with my friends. So, only maintaining feedback forms are enough? Because in self-assessment criteria its written that we need formal feedback, supported by a letter or certificate form organiser ot deputy. And as i will teach them mostly for more than 3 months. So should i get feedback forms for each and every session? Or can i get it when one system is done?

[@drsurinataneja]

It doesn't specify how much feedback you need. I would definitely get feedback for the sessions you personally teach and perhaps some feedback for the overall course.

[@shrutizalawadia6210]

@@drsurinataneja thankyou so much

[@raho1819]

Can a symposium, which is basically a presentation by a group of people with slides and Q and A count as oral presentation? And a certificate of it count as evidence?

[@drsurinataneja]

There are definitions for most things in the scoring criteria document. In the presentation section they define what a "Medical Meeting" is on page 12 :) And yes certificates are always great evidence!

[@hamzaarshad5469]

Assalam o Alikum hope you are fine , kindly guide if someone achieved requirement of portfolio for CST in their homeland would these still of worth like surgical courses , LOR , electives , PGCert , teaching experience , clinical audits , operative experience

[@ziadsamir6961]

thanks doc for the informative video❤. asking about the teaching section, I am still a medical student and have teached different college lectures on different subjects with my collegues for more than a year now(every month I do one lecture which is consistent with formal feedback on each lecture) but no local tutors "actual doctors" are involved. So how many points would I get on that ?

[@drsurinataneja]

I would say to read the portfolio wording very carefully - if it says needs local tutors then without that it would not get the points. You will only get points if you satisfy all the wording/requirements states

[@ziadsamir6961]

@@drsurinataneja thanks doc a lot❤️. So to make it clear, the word "local tutors" means actual lecturers "doctors" who are licensed by the college and not students?

[@ziadsamir6961]

@@drsurinataneja thanks again for your precious time. My dad is an orthopaedic consultant,who is a local tutor, can we arrange teaching programmes together on youtube and I get the full amount of points?

[@JUSSTTIINFU3K]

Are you leaving Australia? To work as a surgical SHO, in the NHS? I must have misheard you. Oh and by the way the ‘competitive’ nature of applications is manufactured. As a Reg I was told about plans to severely limit job numbers in order to improve competitiveness and drive up standards. It’s a crap job, forgot about actually getting trained, you’ll be lucky to get any training as a Reg let alone a SHO. Stay in Australia, earn the dollars and live life. Btw real pay is currently being cut in the nhs, just look at inflation figures and ddrb latest recommendations.

[@joetony2669]

Where can I ask you a few doubt?

[@Born-Surgeon]

Hello mam , i am indian medical student now i am in my final year,i want to audits in my home country , if i do so in my home country, will it be accepeted in uk ?

[@drsurinataneja]

Yep!

[@aaditihardenia3551]

Hi Dr. I am studying for PLAB 1 and doing junior doctor job in my home country. Is there anything I can do from the list in my home country ?

[@drsurinataneja]

All of these things!

[@aaditihardenia3551]

@@drsurinataneja so that means publications, research work, teachings, audits done in India would also be valid there!?

[@anjali2530]

@@aaditihardenia3551 yes certainly gonna be valid ! why not ?

[@bhumeipatel4284]

Hey hie..It was really helpfull watching ur mrcs and the portfolio videos... I m a junior resident in surgery in India..And I plan to sit for mrcs... I get to have hands on patients...and assist the surgeries with the surgeons..How do I , in India maintain a Logbook? Should i have it paper based ? Is there any particular template for one ? Please help 🙏

[@sharonglenn5700]

Hello there! eLogbook is a website that allows you to maintain a record of your surgical cases. You have to set up an account as a non-UK surgeon or trainee. It’s free I use it myself. You only have to patient and case details, like a form. I also maintain an excel spread sheet alongside. Take a look at the various fields in eLogbook, you could potentially use that as a template for the excel spreadsheet.

[@sharonglenn5700]

I was also wondering what resources in particular you use for MRCS-1 and is there an ideal time to take this exam as a non-UK medical intern? Thank you :)

[@drsurinataneja]

Yes like Sharon said eLogbook is a good choice. I go through it in detail in this video starting at 06:48

[@drsurinataneja]

@@sharonglenn5700 All in this video :) kzbin.info/www/bejne/l6qppZmdgLWXrLM

[@bhumeipatel4284]

@@sharonglenn5700 Thank you so much... 🙏

[@BilalKhan-sm6mw]

Hi Surina, for prizes, do you know if runner up prizes can be used if they're from RSM in the portfolio to grab points?

[@satyabhat7450]

I am a doctor from india, 1. Are the courses conducted by the American associations accepted? Or should it be the royal college courses only? 2. What is the proof I need to produce for leadership roles? Will the positions held in my home country help? 3. Will teaching experience and training to teach courses from my home country help?

[@drsurinataneja]

1) Course must have surgical focus/relevance. Does not have to be a RCS course 2) A letter from a senior e.g. consultant stating what you did (use the wording from the portfolio guidelines). Yes the position can be held in any country. 3) Yes, again its about the experience you have matching what it says on the portfolio guideline, not about which country you did it in.

[@satyabhat7450]

Thank you so much