Real questions from past General Surgery ST3 and Core Surgical Training interviews with structured model answers. Every answer uses one of the three core frameworks below. Use the toggle to view content for your stage of training.
| S | SituationPresenting condition ยท Clinical context |
| P | PriorityMost urgent patient safety issue first |
| I | Initial ActionsA-to-E assessment · Investigations · Immediate treatment |
| D | Definitive ManagementOperative or non-operative definitive plan |
| E | EscalationSBAR to consultant · Critical care · Theatre coordinator |
| R | ReviewReassess response · Document · Common traps to avoid |
| I | IssuesClinical/patient safety · Organisational · Educational |
| P | PriorityMost urgent patient safety issue in the scenario |
| I | InterventionsGather info · Actions · Re-evaluate & close loops |
| E | EscalateSeniors, other teams, bed manager, M&M meeting |
| S | SupportFor yourself and any colleagues in need |
| C | ClinicalClinical experience, logbook, operative skills |
| A | AcademicResearch, publications, presentations, audits, QI |
| M | ManagementLeadership, teaching, committees, service improvement |
| P | PersonalCommitment to specialty, reflections, career journey |
5-STEP DEEP DIVE — for any CAMP answer
| 1 | What did you do? |
| 2 | How did you do it? |
| 3 | What was the result? |
| 4 | What did you learn? |
| 5 | How will you use this in the future? |
Apply to audits, QI projects, presentations, and publications.
Three stations, every scenario type, every framework — with full model answers written by recent top-ranking ST3 appointees.
SPIDER-C, I-PIES and CAMP are the same frameworks used by top scoring CST candidates — we adapt the scenarios, the portfolio weighting, and the marker focus to the CST interview format.
Our Core Surgical Training question bank has been curated by recent CST appointees, indexed by station, with model answers, frameworks and common pitfalls.
High-yield single-best-answer and extended-matching questions mapped to the intercollegiate MRCS Part A syllabus — applied basic sciences and the principles of surgery assessed in the written papers.
Our MRCS question bank is mapped to the intercollegiate syllabus, indexed by domain, with fully explained answers, core principles and common pitfalls.
Specialty-level single-best-answer questions mapped to the FRCS (General Surgery) Section 1 written curriculum.
Our FRCS question bank is mapped to the intercollegiate specialty curriculum, indexed by subspecialty, with model answers, evidence and common pitfalls.