Why I Created the ST3 Trauma & Orthopaedic Interview Course – My Journey in Coaching the Next Generation of Orthopaedic Surgeons

By Dr Rishi Dhir, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon and Founder of Let’s Talk Dr

Every year, I have the privilege of meeting some of the most talented, hardworking, and ambitious junior doctors in the UK. They all share one common goal: securing an ST3 National Training Number in Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery.

I still remember how daunting the process felt when I was preparing for my own interviews. The uncertainty, the pressure to perform, and the feeling that a single interview could significantly influence the direction of your career can be overwhelming.

That experience is one of the reasons why I became so passionate about interview coaching and education.

The ST3 Trauma and Orthopaedic Interview Course: A Journey That Started with One Candidate

My journey into interview coaching didn’t begin with a grand business plan or a desire to create courses. It started with helping one trainee.

Then another.

And another.

Over the years, word spread, and I found myself mentoring increasing numbers of trainees preparing for ST3 interviews and, later, the FRCS examination. What struck me wasn’t simply the knowledge gap that some candidates had—it was the lack of confidence, structure, and strategic preparation. I always say that "the interview is 20% knowledge and 80% structure and technique."

Many outstanding doctors were underperforming in interviews, not because they lacked ability, but because they didn’t understand what the interviewers were really looking for.

That became my mission.

I wanted to create a programme that would not only teach candidates how to answer questions but also help them become confident, authentic, and interview-ready surgeons and take on board techniques and lessons that could make them a better decision maker and, ultimately, safer surgeon going forward. For me, my true legacy and goal is not just to coach people to pass exams or be successful in interviews but to improve the decision making of the next generation of doctors to create better, safer patient care.

Building Relationships That Last Beyond the Interview

One of the greatest privileges of coaching has been the relationships I have built with trainees.

I have watched candidates progress from nervous CT2s and clinical fellows into registrars, fellows, and consultants. I have celebrated their successes and supported them through setbacks.

The most rewarding messages are often not the ones saying, “I got my number.”

They’re the ones that arrive years later:

“Thank you for believing in me.”

“The confidence I gained on your course has helped me throughout my training.”

“I now use the same techniques when teaching others.”

Education has never been about a single interview day. It is about developing people, creating confidence, and building a community that supports one another throughout their careers.

That is what Let’s Talk Dr has always been about.

From Examiner to Coach

Being a previous ST3 interview panellist in 2022 had a profound effect on me. It gave me huge insight into the skill required for a virtual interview (which has been the new format of the ST3 interviews in a post-COVID world) but also some of the pitfalls and really sparked my interest for ways that I could help talented trainees and non-trainees going forward to achieve success in the ST3 interview.

Why I Developed the Two-Part ST3 Interview Course

As the ST3 recruitment process has evolved, so too has the level of competition.

Candidates are no longer simply competing on knowledge alone. Success requires:

• Strategic preparation

• Understanding the marking criteria

• Excellent communication skills

• Portfolio insight

• Leadership and management knowledge

• Professionalism under pressure

• Confidence and authenticity

I realised that trying to cover all of this in a single day or two-day course was simply not enough.

That is why we have developed a comprehensive two-part ST3 Trauma & Orthopaedic Interview Course, beginning on 23rd August 2026.

Part One – Building the Foundations

The first part of the course is a 14 week course over 5 months which focuses on:

• Understanding the ST3 interview process

• Portfolio optimisation and scoring

• Leadership and management scenarios

• Prioritisation stations

• Clinical stations and structured answers as well as teaching the building blocks of anatomy, orthopaedic pathology and management

• Communication techniques

• Building confidence and interview strategy

  
  

Candidates leave with a clear framework and a personalised action plan for the months ahead. We go thta step beyond any other course with personalised mentorship, voice and written notes and coaching tailored to each individual candidate as I believe no two candidates are the same and their learning needs vary.

Part Two – High-Fidelity Mock Interviews

The second part of the course is where the transformation happens.

This is an immersive experience designed to replicate the pressure and intensity of the real interview.

Candidates will experience:

• Realistic interview stations

• Individual feedback

• Consultant-led coaching

• Personalised performance analysis

• Strategies for handling difficult questions

• Techniques to maximise scoring potential

  
  

By the end of the programme, candidates are not simply better prepared—they are genuinely interview-ready. There is then a mock interview closer to the big day to hone those finishing touches!

More Than an Interview Course

I have always believed that education should inspire confidence and create opportunities.

This course is not about teaching rehearsed answers or creating robotic candidates.

It is about helping doctors tell their story.

It is about helping candidates recognise the strengths they already possess. I always say that it is a very "British" trait that we are taught to be overtly humble and find it hard to "sell ourselves" in an interview format.

It is about providing mentorship, support, and a community that continues long after the interview itself.

Many of our previous delegates remain in touch years later. Some have become faculty members, collaborators, and friends.

Watching trainees achieve their goals and progress through their careers remains one of the most fulfilling parts of my work.

Looking Ahead

The future of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery in the UK is incredibly bright.

There is extraordinary talent coming through our training programmes, and I am passionate about helping the next generation reach their full potential.

If you are preparing for ST3 interviews this year, my message is simple:

Invest in yourself.

Prepare early.

Seek guidance.

Practise deliberately.

And remember that success in interview preparation is not simply about getting a training number—it is about developing the confidence, communication skills, and resilience that will serve you throughout your entire career.

I look forward to welcoming the next cohort of candidates to the Let’s Talk Dr ST3 Trauma & Orthopaedic Interview Course, starting on 23rd August 2026.

Together, let’s take the next step in your orthopaedic journey.

Dr Rishi Dhir

Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon

Founder, Let’s Talk Dr

www.letstalkdr.com