Evidence without portfolio theatre
Build examples for the published criteria, not imaginary points
Anaesthetics CT1 has no separate scored portfolio station. Evidence helps you recall and explain real experiences; certificates do not create marks on their own. Use the person specification and interview domains as the map.
Informed commitment to specialty
Know the whole perioperative pathway, the novice period, training choices, examinations, out-of-hours responsibility and current service pressures. Be able to say which observed experiences changed your view.
- A completed taster with notes from pre-assessment, theatre, recovery and an acute pathway, plus a clear reflection on the anaesthetist's decisions.
- A course certificate, passive society membership or a list of procedures watched without insight into the work.
- Arrange two or three focused sessions, speak to trainees on Core and ACCS routes and write down specific trade-offs you observed.
Communication
Choose an example where the audience, risk or emotional context required you to adapt. Anaesthesia includes brief but consequential conversations with patients and rapid closed-loop communication with theatre, recovery, maternity, ICU and surgical teams.
- A case with a defined communication problem, your wording or approach, confirmation of understanding and a patient or team outcome.
- Saying you communicate well because colleagues have never complained.
- Use routine clinical work to practise explaining risk, checking understanding and documenting decisions; ask a supervisor for feedback.
Teamwork and leadership
Use a situation where roles, workload or conflict had to be managed. State what you personally noticed and did, how you used senior input and what the team achieved.
- A pressured clinical example with clear delegation, escalation, follow-up and reflection on another profession's contribution.
- A title alone, or describing what 'we' did without identifying your contribution.
- Take responsibility for a bounded task such as a teaching rota, safety huddle or small improvement project and seek feedback on how you coordinated it.
Judgement under pressure
The person specification expects safe initial management of acute illness, prioritisation, risk reduction and decisions under uncertainty. Entry-level answers should show structured assessment, help, reassessment and clear limits.
- A real acute case described within your competence, including uncertainty, escalation threshold and how new information changed the plan.
- An heroic rescue story, retrospective diagnostic certainty or unsupported anaesthetic detail beyond CT1 entry level.
- Debrief acute cases with a senior and practise explaining decisions aloud using ABCDE, differential risk and repeated reassessment.
Reflection and development
Reflection is explicitly scored in the Clinical Judgement station. A credible answer identifies what changed in later behaviour, not only that a form was completed.
- A concise account of the event, feedback, one specific learning need and evidence that you applied the change later.
- 'I reflected and would communicate better next time' without a concrete change.
- Revisit one difficult case with a supervisor and record the exact cue, phrase, checklist or escalation behaviour you now use.
QI, teaching and research
The 2027 person specification lists experience of these as desirable, but publishes no CT1 points grid. Their value comes from what you learnt about systems, evidence and improvement and how precisely you can explain your role.
- A finished, proportionate project with an identified standard or question, your contribution, feedback or measurement and an honest limitation.
- Buying an online certificate, attaching your name to data collection you cannot explain or starting a large project unlikely to finish.
- Join a local safety or trainee research-network project with a defined job; complete a small loop before chasing a prestigious title.
What not to buy or build
Avoid portfolio theatre
The official interview page says ANRO and the RCoA do not recommend commercial interview courses, websites or specialist advice books. Spend only where a resource solves a real learning need.
Passive memberships
Membership does not create CT1 points. Join an organisation for access to teaching, representation, a project or a community you will use; do not collect logos for the application.
Generic certificates
Unrequired online certificates rarely show judgement, teamwork or understanding. Mandatory employment training should be done because it is mandatory; interview value comes from applying learning.
Expensive interview courses
No commercial course is required or endorsed. The official domains, RCoA material and repeated spoken practice provide a defensible preparation route. Pay only if you have assessed the teaching and need it.
Unfinishable projects
Starting a multicentre study or major QI project weeks before application can leave you unable to explain an outcome. Choose a defined local task or contribute honestly to an existing network.
Premature technical performance
CT1 selection tests safe entry-level clinical judgement, not whether an FY2 can recite a consultant anaesthetic. Unsupported drug doses, airway plans or invasive techniques can expose unsafe overconfidence.
Memorised policy speeches
The General Interview may ask about the NHS and anaesthesia. A current statistic is useful only if you connect it to a patient, team or service decision and can discuss limitations.
From understanding to practice
Put this topic into an interview answer
Use General Interview station for original prompts and an answer structure relevant to this topic.
Explore Anaesthetics CT1 practiceExplore the Question bank and spoken practice coming at launch.Spoken practice is launching soon. Use the free questions and guides to start preparing now.
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