Last Minute Radiology Portfolio Changes!
Portfolio scoring system has changed (slightly)! Plus details on our 2024-25 application changes webinar, call for our final November MedEd course and a MSRA discount code just for you!
Blink and you’ll have missed it!
Yes, that’s right. The portfolio scoring criteria has changed. You see, yesterday we were informed by our eagle-eyed Clinical Radiology Application & Interview Course (CRAIC) exclusive telegram group members that there were last minute changes to the portfolio scoring system. And guess what? They were spot on! So, let’s get straight into it.
Last Minute Radiology Portfolio Changes
Indeed, on review of the portfolio scoring system, we noticed a few subtle changes. These changes seem to have been made following the hench newsletter we just released and the application advert going live on Oriel. Is it annoying that it was done so last minute? Yes. Should you moan about it? Yeah if it’ll make you feel better. Can you do anything about it? No and truth be told, it’s better you’re aware of the changes so you don’t over-or-under score yourselves.
The two changes we’ve identified specifically refer to the following domains:
Commitment To Specialty - on review of what “experiences” constitute a “significant exposure”, they have removed the following descriptors
More than 2 attendances at MDT preparation and meeting outside the taster week setting
More than 2 attendances at radiology-based list such as one stop breast clinic or interventional radiology list outside the taster week setting
A combination of these with 3 episodes or more
“Yo RadCast fam, why would they make these changes”? Well homie, we’re not really sure. It’s a bit weird they would remove additional descriptors but on face value, it may be that the assessors are looking for dedicated experiences within a taster week itself i.e. attending MDT and procedural lists within your taster week. Another reason, and we’re purely speculating here, is that these changes may be aimed at reducing the managerial burden on a radiology department. Like imagine it, you have a stream of budding radiology applicants asking if they can come to this procedural list and that MDT outside the remit of their taster week. It sounds like an absolute nightmare to micro-manage!
“So can I claim for these marks still RadCast mandemz”? Well my brother from another mother, that is the million dollar question. You have to remember that the assessors get the same scoring information as you. Yes, they can discuss discrepancies collectively but the wording is the same. So, to claim for points based on criteria not mentioned is a risky game to play. You may argue “what’s the worst that can happen? I’ll just get down-marked no”? Yes and no. Yes, you’ll get down-marked but remember, the recruitment leads have stated in black and white “you should be honest with your evaluation and not attempt to gain unfair advantage by exaggerating or misrepresenting achievements. If this is identified, it could be considered a probity matter which could lead to outright rejection of your application, and in extreme cases, fitness to practice proceedings”. With that being said, we would ask you to err on the side of caution. The safest route, and one we recommend, is to get two different taster weeks +/- courses and conferences. Honestly, follow the path of least resistance!
Prizes & Awards - on review of what constitute a “prize and award”, they have removed “distinction award of final year primary medical qualification (or equivalent)”
“What? So that means my honours means nothing”!? Now, now, now. Don’t take it to heart. This was probably done due to the challenges in verifying the differing distinction/honours criteria used by medical schools across the world. But what does this mean for you? Whilst we fully sympathise with the fact you may not be able to claim for full marks in this domain anymore, you may be to argue your case for 1 mark in this domain. How? Well, you see, your “distinction/honours/whatever fancy Latin word is used to say you’re a nerd” may still constitute a prize based on the assessors definition of it which is “to be eligible, a prize must have been open to all peers at that level of training and geographic region, so to all medical undergraduates and/or postgraduates within a nation, region, or specific locality. A single hospital Trust, University or similar would constitute a “local” organisation. If we use that definition, you can see why we argue that you can claim for it since:
Prize must have been open to all peers at that level of training and geographic region - yes, everybody in your year/medical school is eligible to get distinctions/honours if they meet the criteria
A single hospital Trust, University or similar would constitute a “local” organisation - your university counts as a local organisation which makes you eligible for 1 mark out of 6
Once again, we appreciate how annoying these last-minute changes can be. Especially, if your marks have changed drastically within the space of 24 hours i.e. going from 6 to potentially 1 mark in the “prizes and awards” domain of the portfolio. But there is nothing you can do here unfortunately and just have to take it on the chin. Remember, you can make up for these marks in your interview which is now worth a juicy 60% of your final rank.
2024-25 Radiology Application Changes Webinar Now On YouTube/CRAIC
For those of you who couldn’t make our 2024-25 Radiology application changes webinar yesterday (we missed you), you can now watch the recording on our YouTube channel or for free on our Clinical Radiology Application & Interview Course (CRAIC) webpage:
Last Call For The Final 2-Day MedEd Course In November
If you’re looking to join a 2-day MedEd course then you’re in luck! Specifically, we’ll be rolling out our final 2-day MedEd course this November (before the application deadline) with our partners over at Health Careers Portal. If you’re interested in finding out more, then reach out to them via hello@radcast.co.uk or via hello@healthcareersportal.com. We’ll then get back to you outlining the programme.
MSRA Discount Code
Provided you haven’t been living under a rock, you’ll know that we continuously and consistently hammer on about how necessary it is to SMASH the MSRA. No, not just PASS the MSRA but absolutely DESTROY it. Why? Because if you don’t then you’re not getting shortlisted for an interview. Simples.
With that being said, we’ve being reaching out to the “big players” in this space that consistently get raving reviews about their MSRA preparation resources and asked one simple question. Will they pretty please give our RadCast community some love in form of discount? And recently Dr Mahibur Rahman who is Medical Director of Emedica, and considered a MSRA guru, got back to us kindly offering an affiliate link which will give you a 10% discount off their subscriptions to the question bank/online resources and £25 discount for their live 2 day MSRA Crammer course. To make use of this discount, just use the code radcast on the Emedica website! We’ll also be doing a webinar with Dr Rahman shortly about his top tips for the MSRA so stay tuned for that.
As always, our virtual doors are always open for guidance. Just hit us up via hello@radcast.co.uk and we’ll get back to you.
Till next time,
From your ‘my PACS has crashed…again’ friends,
Muhammad, Uzoma and Jamie
RadCast Co-Founders