In this episode of the Ace Your Consultant Interview podcast, Tessa and Becky tackle a question almost every final‑year trainee asks: “When should I actually start preparing for my consultant interview?” They unpack why last‑minute, two‑week prep creates panic, how early, light‑touch preparation in your final year protects you from surprise adverts, and how it frees up headspace for pre‑interview meetings and presentations when the job you really want finally appears.
They then walk through a real “mistake” example from an Academy student – a malpositioned syndesmosis fixation requiring revision – and use it to show why some clinical stories worry panels more than they help you.
Tessa and Becky also break down the increasingly common question, “How would you create a culture where people can speak up?” and show you how to answer it without slipping into vague buzzwords.
The episode closes with a deep dive into interview presentations: typical timings, why five minutes is harder than it sounds, and how to avoid the classic mistake of overrunning and being cut off mid‑pitch.
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