Getting into ophthalmology training has become increasingly competitive in recent years. In 2025, the competition ratio rose to over 21:1, compared to 3:1 in 2019 [1,2]. Similar trends are seen across other specialties, with over 30,000 doctors applying for just 10,000 specialty training posts in 2025 [3].
Amidst this growing pressure, many foundation doctors are taking time out of training and teaching fellow roles have become particularly popular. These posts offer a valuable opportunity to strengthen your portfolio while gaining meaningful experience outside the traditional training pathway.
As a current teaching fellow at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, I’ve reflected on my experience applying for and working in this role. Here are some practical tips to help you prepare for your own teaching fellow application and interview.
Why consider a teaching fellow role?
Teaching fellow posts offer a unique opportunity to develop as an educator while remaining clinically engaged. Key benefits include:
- Developing teaching skills: Whether delivering lectures, facilitating small groups or leading simulation scenarios, the variety of teaching formats builds confidence and versatility.
- Portfolio enhancement: Teaching experience is highly valued across specialties and carries specific scoring in the ophthalmology ST1 portfolio. Be proactive in gathering the necessary evidence as you go. For example, collect formal feedback after teaching sessions, obtain certificates if you assess objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs), and ask supervisors for letters outlining your role and contributions.
- Opportunities for innovation: Many fellowships encourage educational development, such as writing exam questions, designing eLearning resources or developing new teaching sessions.
- Research and scholarship: Posts often include scope for medical education research or quality improvement work, ideal for exploring academic interests and building your research profile.
- Work-life balance: Most teaching fellow roles are 9–5, providing time to pursue other interests such as portfolio opportunities, locum shifts or further research alongside teaching commitments.
Building experience before applying
If you’re planning ahead, tailor your experience early to match the person specification of posts that interest you. Commonly desirable experiences include:
- Teaching medical students or peers – contact your local medical school or education department to get involved
- Assisting in simulation training sessions (e.g. SimMan high-fidelity deteriorating patient teaching)
- Helping with OSCEs or becoming an OSCE examiner
- Assisting clinical skills teaching sessions
- Organising revision sessions or short courses.
Formal qualifications such as a PGCert in Medical Education can strengthen your application, although they can be costly and are usually not a prerequisite. Some teaching fellow posts include funded PGCert opportunities, so it’s worth checking whether this is available during the application process. In addition, certain regions offer free educator training programmes, such as the Clinical Educator Programme at the University of Edinburgh [4].
Writing your application
When completing ‘white space’ application questions, always map your answers directly to the person specification, as this is almost always the marking criteria used to shortlist applicants.
Reviewing your ePortfolio (e.g. HORUS, TURAS) is a valuable way to remind yourself of key achievements, teaching experience and challenging situations you’ve managed. Don’t overlook earlier roles of responsibility – such as committee positions, university society involvement or leadership roles – these can provide strong evidence for skills like organisation, communication and teamwork when used thoughtfully.
Focus on what you learned, not just what you did. Frameworks such as STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Reflection/Result) can help you structure your answers clearly and highlight your insight and self-awareness.
Preparing for interview
- Read the instructions carefully.
If a presentation or task is required, allow plenty of time to prepare and rehearse it. - Know your CV inside out.
Be ready to discuss any project, teaching experience or audit in detail – interviewers often draw directly from your application. - Refresh key educational theory.
Review frameworks such as Kolb’s learning cycle, Miller’s pyramid and Pendleton’s feedback model to demonstrate awareness of underpinning educational principles. - Practise out loud.
This is arguably the most important step. Thinking through answers in your head is not the same as speaking them aloud; practising verbally helps you sound more fluent, confident and natural on the day. Practise with friends or colleagues. - Reach out to existing fellows.
If you know someone currently in a similar role or who has previously worked in the role, speak with them about what the job involves and any interview tips they can share. - Understand the course you’ll be teaching on.
Familiarise yourself with the medical school’s curriculum structure (for example, a problem-based learning model with early clinical contact) and how students progress through clinical placements. - Research the Trust.
Know its values, priorities and recent developments, and be prepared to explain why you want to work there specifically. Tailoring your answers to the institution demonstrates genuine motivation and preparation. - Be professional, candid and reflective in your answers.
Interviewers want to get a sense of who you are, so allow your personality to come through. Be honest, but also thoughtful about what you’ve learned from your experiences. Think about specific examples that demonstrate a range of key skills – such as teamwork, communication, problem-solving and self-awareness (including strengths and areas for development).
Common interview themes
Motivation and career goals
- Tell me about yourself/talk me through your CV.
- Why do you want to be a teaching fellow?
- How does this fit into your long-term career plans?
Teaching experience and philosophy
- What teaching experience do you have?
- Tell us about a time you taught medical students – what went well and what would you do differently?
- What is your teaching philosophy?
- How do you adapt your teaching to learners of different abilities?
Educational theory and practice
- What educational theories have informed your teaching?
- How would you give feedback to a struggling student?
- What role does simulation play in medical education?
Reflection and evaluation
- How do you evaluate the success of your teaching?
- Can you give an example of feedback you’ve received and how you used it to improve?
- How would you approach teaching a topic you find challenging?
- What are your strengths? • What are your weaknesses?
Scenario-based questions
- A student gives incorrect information during a ward round – how would you respond?
- You’re asked to deliver a session at short notice – how do you approach it?
- A student tells you they’re struggling – what support would you offer?
Leadership, teamwork and organisation
- Describe a project you’ve led – what challenges did you face?
- How do you manage competing priorities?
- Can you give an example of where you have shown exceptional teamwork?
Knowledge of the institution
- Why this medical school or Trust?
- What do you know about the curriculum and teaching approach?
Innovation and current issues in medical education
You may be asked to discuss how you would improve existing programmes or give an opinion on a medical education topic. A useful way to structure your answer is to outline the pros and cons of the issue before drawing a balanced conclusion.
Current discussion topics could include simulation-based education, integration of AI in teaching and assessment, student wellbeing (particularly the rising prevalence of mental health concerns), and the transition to the medical licensing assessment. Demonstrating thoughtful awareness of these themes shows engagement with the wider educational landscape and highlights your potential to contribute meaningfully to future innovations in medical education.
Final thoughts
Teaching fellowships are an immensely rewarding bridge between foundation training and specialty applications. They allow you to build confidence as an educator, develop new skills and reflect on your own learning style – all while maintaining balance alongside professional development. With careful preparation and reflection, you can craft a strong application that showcases your enthusiasm, teaching experience and genuine commitment to medical education.
References
1. https://medical.hee.nhs.uk/medical-training
-recruitment/medical-specialty-training/competition
-ratios/2025-competition-ratios
2. https://medical.hee.nhs.uk/medical-training
-recruitment/medical-specialty-training/competition
-ratios/2019-competition-ratios
3. www.bma.org.uk/news-and-opinion/
major-survey-shows-scale-of-doctor-unemployment-crisis
4. https://medicine-vet-medicine.ed.ac.uk/
edinburgh-medical-school/clinical-educator-programme
[All links last accessed February 2026]
Declaration of competing interests: None declared.
