How to Write a Supporting Statement for a Junior Clinical Fellow (Surgery) Post
Updated: 20 hours ago
So you've found a surgical Junior Clinical Fellow post you really want. Let's take a real one as our example: a Junior Clinical Fellow (F3+ level) surgical rotation at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, a one-year, full-time, CT-equivalent year with on-call. Great post, great hospital, and yes, hundreds of doctors will apply for it.
Here's the thing most IMGs don't realise. Shortlisting is not about who is the best surgeon. Honestly, most applicants are good surgeons. It's about who shows the evidence the person specification asks for, clearly and in the right place. That's where people lose out.
👉 Applying for other posts too? See our free NHS supporting statement examples for doctors and IMGs, with an example paragraph for every common person specification criterion.
How shortlisting actually works
Think of the shortlister sitting with a pile of applications and a scoring sheet. They don't read your statement like a story. They go through the person specification line by line and ask one question: "Where's the evidence?"
Essential criteria: you need to show every one of these.
Desirable criteria: these are your bonus points. The more you clearly evidence, the higher you score.
Evidence, not adjectives: "I'm passionate about teaching" scores almost nothing. "I ran six bedside teaching sessions for final-year students and collected feedback" scores.
Make it easy: if they have to hunt for it, they may miss it.
In this guide we'll decode every line of this person specification, show you how to bridge the gap if you've never worked in the NHS, and walk you through a full example statement, paragraph by paragraph, with the reasons why each part works.
About this post and the Trust
Before writing anything, read the job advert and the full job description. Shortlisters can tell straight away who has read it and who hasn't. Here's what stands out in this one:
The rotation: Vascular Surgery and Surgical Oncology, 6 months each, over the Guy's and St Thomas' sites, with on-call including evenings and weekends.
CT-equivalent structure: the post mirrors Core Surgical Training, with local appraisal (like an ARCP), the chance to extend to a second year and work towards a certificate of equivalence. You'll be encouraged to keep a portfolio.
Education: teaching sessions, training days, simulation, grand rounds and clinical governance, with audit, QIP and service development projects, and study leave of up to 30 days and £850 a year.
The Trust: one of the largest in the country, two historic teaching hospitals plus Evelina London, and part of King's Health Partners, an Academic Health Sciences Centre.
The Trust's values: Caring, Ambitious, Inclusive
The job description says it is important that you "understand and reflect these values". So show them in your statement:
Value | What the Trust says | How to show it |
Caring | We put patients first, listen, reflect on our actions and are respectful | A patient-centred example, how you communicated with a patient or family, and what you reflected on |
Ambitious | We innovate, strive for excellence, act on feedback and seek ways to improve care | Your audit or QIP, acting on teaching feedback, your plans to improve care in this post |
Inclusive | We respect each other, work collaboratively, act on diverse views and show sensitivity to diversity of culture | MDT working, supporting colleagues, using interpreters, caring for patients from different backgrounds |
Mention the values by name once, then let your examples prove them. Our free Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Healthcare course is a great way to back up the "Inclusive" value.
The person specification, decoded
This is every criterion in the advert's person specification, and the kind of evidence that scores it.
The person specification exactly as it appears in the job description. Below, we've put each line into a table with the evidence that scores it.
Area | Criterion | Essential or desirable | Evidence that scores well |
Qualifications | Full GMC Registration with a licence to practice at the time of application | Essential | Your GMC number and licence status, stated in the first lines |
Qualifications | Higher degree | Desirable | MS, MRCS, FCPS, MSc or similar, with year awarded |
Experience | Successful completion of a Foundation Programme (or equivalent) | Essential | Your internship / house job, with dates, and that it is recognised as equivalent |
Experience | Prior NHS experience working at FY2 or junior clinical fellow level in a surgical specialty | Essential | NHS post, Trust, specialty and dates |
Experience | Previous experience at FY3/JCF level in a relevant surgical specialty | Desirable | Surgical posts at this level (home or UK): specialty, dates, case mix, logbook numbers |
Experience | Previous contribution to audit | Desirable | Audit title, standard, your role, results, re-audit or change |
Experience | Previous teaching experience | Desirable | Who you taught, how often, format, feedback |
Experience | Participation in research in a relevant field | Desirable | Project, your role, outcome (poster, presentation, publication) |
Skills | Ability to work as an effective member of a multidisciplinary team | Essential | A specific example of working with nurses, theatre staff, other specialties |
Skills | Effective verbal and written communication | Essential | Handover, consent, clear notes, discharge letters, breaking bad news |
Skills | Commitment to teaching | Desirable | Ongoing teaching plus training in how to teach |
Skills | Commitment to ongoing personal development | Desirable | Courses, CPD, reflection, exams in progress, career plan |
Skills | Clear decision-making ability in a busy environment | Desirable | A real on-call or theatre example: what you decided, why, outcome |
Other | Evidence of understanding of and adherence to the principles of Good Medical Practice set out by the General Medical Council | Essential | Show you know the four domains and give an example of each in practice |
Tip: use the person specification's own words as your headings or in your topic sentences. It makes the shortlister's job easy, and easy to score is what you want.
Never worked in the NHS? Here's how to bridge the gap
This is the question we get asked most: "The person spec says NHS experience. I've never worked in the NHS. Should I even apply?"
Our answer: don't count yourself out. Plenty of IMGs get their first NHS post exactly this way. Your job is to show the shortlister that you already understand how the NHS works and that you've been working at the same level back home. Here's how:
1. Show your equivalent experience. If you've worked as a surgical clinical fellow, medical officer or registrar abroad, say it clearly and give it the NHS equivalent: "working at a level equivalent to FY2/JCF and above in general surgery". Back it up with numbers: on-call rota, take, logbook.
2. Bring in your clinical attachment. A UK clinical attachment is your bridge into the NHS. Write about what you actually saw and learned: SBAR handover, the WHO surgical safety checklist, NEWS2, MDT meetings, enhanced recovery. Describe it honestly as a clinical attachment. Shortlisters respect honesty, and what impresses them is what you learned there. No attachment yet? Our Clinical Attachment Support can help you secure one.
3. Show NHS knowledge through CPD. This is where most IMGs leave marks on the table. Completing short, NHS-focused CPD courses on Good Medical Practice, clinical governance, audit and QIP, teaching and leadership shows you've done the homework. You're not just saying you understand the NHS; you can prove it with certificates and reflective notes. (More on this below.)
4. Gave up your licence? No problem. This advert mentions full GMC registration with a licence to practise. If you have your licence, great, just state it. If you gave it up while job-hunting, you don't need to restore it just to apply. Simply make it clear in your application, for example:
"I hold full registration with the General Medical Council. I have recently given up my licence to practise, and I am more than happy to restore it as I fulfil all the requirements."
No need to explain why you gave it up. Once you get the offer, restoring it is quick and easy, and we've explained every step here: How to Restore Your GMC Licence After an NHS Job Offer.
Put these together and your application tells a clear story: experienced surgeon, already familiar with NHS systems, actively learning NHS standards. That's exactly what a JCF post is looking for.
How to structure your statement
Follow the order of the person specification. Give each section a short, clear heading so the shortlister can find your evidence in seconds.
Section | What to cover |
Opening | The post, your GMC status and licence, your level, why this rotation |
Qualifications | Primary degree, internship as Foundation equivalent, higher degree or exams |
Surgical experience | Posts at FY2/JCF level and above, specialties, on-call, operative and logbook numbers, NHS experience and clinical attachment |
Audit and quality improvement | Name your audit briefly, what you learned, what you'll do in this post (full details go in the form's audit section) |
Teaching | Brief mention, what you learned, what you'll teach in this post |
Research | Research heading only, what it taught you, what you'll do next |
Teamwork, communication and decision-making | One concrete clinical example covering all three |
Good Medical Practice and personal development | GMP domains in action, CPD completed, reflection, next steps |
Closing | What you will bring and your career plan |
Writing rules that help shortlisters score you:
Use the CARL pattern for examples: Context, Action, Result, Learning.
Put numbers in: cases, sessions, patients, dates, percentages.
Write in the first person and active voice: "I led", "I taught", "I audited".
Mention your CPD courses and certificates where they match a criterion, then show what you did with the learning. A course on its own shows commitment; a course plus a change in your practice shows understanding.
Using CPD courses as evidence
The desirable criterion "commitment to ongoing personal development" is where many IMGs leave easy marks on the table. Short, targeted CPD shows a shortlister that you are already learning how the NHS works, and gives you the language and frameworks to describe your own experience well.
Our free online CPD courses are built around NHS person specifications. Each takes a few hours, ends with a quiz, and offers an optional verifiable certificate and an appraisal-ready reflective note.
Person specification criterion | Free course | How to use it in your statement |
Understanding of Good Medical Practice (essential) | Name the domains and give a real example of each | |
Previous contribution to audit | Describe your audit cycle using standard, data, change and re-audit | |
Teaching experience and commitment to teaching | Show how you plan sessions and use feedback | |
Participation in research | Show you can appraise evidence and run journal clubs | |
Effective multidisciplinary teamwork and decision-making | Describe leading a team on call or in theatre | |
Effective verbal and written communication | Consent, breaking bad news, handling complaints | |
Commitment to ongoing personal development | Show how you reflect and turn learning into change | |
Clear decision-making in a busy surgical environment | Revision for the deteriorating and trauma patient on call | |
Probity (part of Good Medical Practice) | Honest documentation, consent, raising concerns |
How to write it so it counts:
Keep it simple: in your statement, just give the course title and what it taught you, for example: "I completed the Clinical Audit and Quality Improvement course to deepen my understanding of PDSA cycles." Put the provider, date and certificate in the separate training/courses section of the application form, not in the statement.
Link it to practice: one sentence on what you then did differently.
Keep it real: call it what it is, CPD, and let the learning do the talking. If you also hold formal courses like RCUK ALS or ATLS, list them separately.
Keep the evidence: bring your certificates and reflective notes to interview and add them to your portfolio.
Worked example: the full statement, paragraph by paragraph
Meet our example applicant: an IMG who worked as a surgical clinical fellow back home for several years, has done a UK clinical attachment, and has never had a paid NHS job. Sound familiar? Below is their statement, broken into paragraphs. It's deliberately detailed so you can see what a strong statement looks like; trim it to fit your form's word limit, keeping the parts that match your strongest evidence. After each one we explain why it works and which course helps you write yours. Swap the details in [brackets] for your own, and keep everything true to you.
Quick tip before you start: Trac and NHS Jobs application forms already have separate sections for audit, teaching, research and publications. Put the full details there. In your supporting statement, just name them briefly, then focus on what you learned and what you'll do in this job. That saves words and reads far better.
1. Opening
I am applying for the Junior Clinical Fellow (F3+) surgical rotation at Guy's and St Thomas' because it offers exactly what I need at this stage of my career: a structured, CT-equivalent year in Vascular Surgery and Surgical Oncology, in one of the UK's leading teaching hospitals, with local appraisal and the opportunity to work towards a certificate of equivalence. My long-term goal is core surgical training, and this rotation is the ideal bridge. I hold full registration with the General Medical Council (GMC number [1234567]); I have recently given up my licence to practise and am more than happy to restore it, as I fulfil all the requirements. I bring [five] years of post-internship surgical experience, including [two] years working at a level equivalent to JCF and above, a recent UK clinical attachment, and a genuine commitment to safe, patient-centred surgical care.
Why this works: in three sentences the shortlister has ticked the GMC and licence essential, sees surgical experience at the right level, and spots NHS exposure straight away. No life story, no "since childhood I dreamed...". Straight to the point.
2. Qualifications
I graduated MBBS from [university] in [2017] and completed a one-year rotating internship, equivalent to the UK Foundation Programme, including [six] months in general and emergency surgery, where I first managed the acutely unwell surgical patient. I passed MRCS Part A in [2025] and I am preparing for the Part B OSCE in [2026]. Preparing for MRCS has strengthened my applied anatomy, peri-operative care and clinical reasoning, and keeps me firmly on track for surgical training in the UK.
Why this works: it maps the internship to the "Foundation Programme or equivalent" essential in so many words, and the MRCS shows commitment to a surgical career, which supports the "higher degree" desirable too.
3. Surgical experience and NHS exposure
From [2020] to [2025] I worked as a surgical clinical fellow at [a 900-bed tertiary teaching hospital], rotating through general, colorectal, upper GI and emergency surgery. I was the first on-call doctor for the surgical take on a [1-in-5] rota, assessing [15–20] acute referrals per shift, including acute abdomen, bowel obstruction, GI bleeding, trauma and post-operative complications. I ran ward rounds, prioritised sick patients, booked emergency theatre cases and worked closely with anaesthetists, radiologists and intensivists.In theatre I built steady, safe operative skills. My logbook records [over 300] procedures, including [80] appendicectomies and [40] laparoscopic cholecystectomies as primary operator under supervision, as well as incision and drainage, wound debridement, hernia repairs and assisting in laparotomies and bowel resections. I also ran a weekly minor-procedures list and a post-operative follow-up clinic. This gave me confidence to work independently at a JCF level while knowing exactly when to escalate.To prepare for NHS practice, I completed a [four-week] clinical attachment in [colorectal surgery] at [the NHS Trust]. I joined consultant ward rounds, MDT meetings, theatre lists and emergency clinics, and saw how NHS surgical teams work day to day: structured SBAR handover, the WHO surgical safety checklist, NEWS2 escalation, enhanced recovery pathways, electronic prescribing and discharge planning with the wider team. I learned how much the NHS relies on clear documentation and teamwork, and how patients are involved in every decision. My supervising consultant has kindly agreed to act as a referee. This experience means I can settle quickly into a busy NHS surgical team and contribute safely from day one.
Why this works: this is the big one. The applicant hasn't worked in the NHS, so they show equivalent level with hard numbers, then use the clinical attachment to prove they already understand NHS systems. Naming specific NHS tools (SBAR, NEWS2, WHO checklist) is what convinces a shortlister you'll settle in quickly. And a UK consultant referee is gold.
Course that helps: Clinical Governance in the NHS teaches the safety systems NHS teams use, so you can talk about them confidently even before your first NHS job.
4. Audit and quality improvement
Audit and quality improvement are a big part of how I practise. My audit of VTE risk assessment in surgical admissions against NICE NG89 (details in the audit section) showed me how a simple system change, a prompt on the admission proforma backed by teaching for junior doctors, can make care measurably safer, and how important it is to close the loop with a re-audit. I also took part in a departmental audit of [consent documentation]. The Clinical Audit and Quality Improvement course taught me how to move from one-off audits to PDSA-based quality improvement, involving the whole team and measuring change over time. In this post, I would like to join the department's audit programme, present at audit meetings and lead a QIP on [post-operative VTE prophylaxis or enhanced recovery compliance].
Why this works: Trac and NHS Jobs forms have a separate audit section, so don't waste your statement repeating the full data there. Name the audit in one line, then say what you learned and what you'll do in this job. That shows reflection and forward-thinking, which is exactly what the shortlister wants to see in the statement.
Course that helps: Clinical Audit and Quality Improvement, plus our free Audit & QIP Guide to plan your next project.
5. Teaching
I enjoy teaching and see it as part of being a good doctor. For [two] years I taught final-year medical students and new interns (listed in my teaching section), running bedside sessions on abdominal examination, suturing workshops and on-call induction. Feedback taught me that the best sessions are hands-on, short and focused on what learners need on the ward. The Teaching Skills for Doctors course gave me a structure for planning sessions with clear objectives and for giving constructive feedback. In this post, I would like to teach foundation doctors and students on the surgical take, support new doctors at induction, and contribute to the department's teaching programme and simulation sessions.
Why this works: again, the details go in the form's teaching section. Here it's one line of what you did, one line of what you learned, and one line of what you'll bring. That covers both "previous teaching experience" and "commitment to teaching" in three sentences.
Course that helps: Teaching Skills for Doctors.
6. Research
My research on [outcomes after emergency laparotomy] (listed in my research section) taught me how good data can change surgical practice, and why accurate, timely documentation matters for both patients and research. I also run a monthly journal club in my department. The Research and Critical Appraisal course sharpened how I appraise papers and apply evidence to the patient in front of me. In this post, I hope to contribute to the department's research, support national audits such as NELA, and present our work at a regional or national meeting.
Why this works: just mention the heading of your research or publication. The full details belong in the form's research and publications section. The statement is where you show what it taught you and what you'll do next.
Courses that help: Introduction to Research if you're starting out, and Research and Critical Appraisal for journal clubs and appraisal.
7. Teamwork, communication and decision-making
On a busy night shift I was called to a post-operative patient who had become tachycardic and hypotensive with worsening abdominal pain. I assessed him using an ABCDE approach, started fluid resuscitation, sent urgent bloods and lactate, and requested a CT, while prioritising two other referrals waiting in A&E. I recognised a likely anastomotic leak and escalated to the consultant using SBAR. I agreed the plan with the anaesthetist, theatre coordinator and nurse in charge, and made sure the A&E referrals were reviewed by my colleague. I then explained the situation and the need for surgery to the patient and his wife in clear, simple language, checked their understanding and answered their questions. He was in theatre within [two] hours and made a good recovery.Reflecting on this case, I learned to escalate even earlier, to delegate clearly when several patients need me at once, and to document my decisions and timings precisely. The Communication Skills for Doctors and Leadership and Management for Doctors courses helped me build on this, especially around consent, breaking bad news and leading a team under pressure. These are skills I will use every day on the surgical take.
Why this works: one real case ticks three criteria at once: MDT working (essential), communication (essential) and clear decision-making in a busy environment (desirable). It also shows reflection and learning. Smart use of words!
Courses that help: Communication Skills for Doctors and Leadership and Management for Doctors. For on-call confidence, Advanced Life Support and Trauma Life Support revision courses.
8. Good Medical Practice and personal development
I understand that Good Medical Practice sets the standards expected of every doctor in the UK, and I apply it across all four domains. For knowledge, skills and development, I keep a reflective log, set yearly learning goals and complete regular CPD. For patients, partnership and communication, I involve patients in decisions, respect their choices and use interpreters when needed. For colleagues, culture and safety, I support my team, raise concerns and report incidents, as I did when I reported a near-miss in specimen labelling, which led to a change in our theatre process. For trust and professionalism, I keep honest, contemporaneous records, act within my competence and always put patient safety first. To prepare for UK practice I completed Understanding Good Medical Practice, Professionalism and Probity and Reflective Practice, Appraisal and Revalidation. My certificates and reflective notes are in my portfolio, and I would welcome regular supervision, workplace-based assessments and an annual appraisal in this post.
Why this works: Good Medical Practice is essential in this post, and most applicants just write "I follow GMP". This applicant names all four domains with an example each. That's the difference between "claims to know" and "clearly understands". The CPD line also scores "commitment to ongoing personal development".
Courses that help: Understanding Good Medical Practice, Professionalism and Probity and Reflective Practice, Appraisal and Revalidation.
9. Why this Trust and its values
I am particularly drawn to Guy's and St Thomas' because of its long tradition of clinical excellence, teaching and research, and its place within King's Health Partners. The Vascular and Surgical Oncology rotations would build directly on my experience managing [diabetic foot sepsis, limb ischaemia and patients undergoing major cancer resections], and the Trust's simulation, grand rounds and clinical governance programme would support my development. The Trust's values of being Caring, Ambitious and Inclusive reflect how I already work. I put patients first and reflect on my practice, as in the case above. I am ambitious to improve care through audit and QIP and act on feedback from patients and colleagues. And having trained and worked in a diverse population, I value inclusive teamwork and treat every patient and colleague with respect; I completed the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Healthcare course to deepen my understanding of inclusion in the NHS.
Why this works: it proves the applicant has actually read the job description: it names the rotations, the education programme and King's Health Partners. Then it takes each Trust value and links it to evidence already in the statement. Shortlisters love this, because the job description itself says applicants must "understand and reflect these values".
Course that helps: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Healthcare.
10. Closing
This rotation would give me supervised NHS surgical experience, regular operating and the teaching, audit and assessment opportunities I need on my way to core surgical training. In return, I will bring reliable on-call experience, safe operative skills, a calm approach under pressure, real enthusiasm for audit and teaching, and a commitment to kind, safe care for every patient. I am confident I would be a dependable member of your surgical team from day one, and I would welcome the opportunity to discuss my application at interview.
Why this works: it ends on what they get from you. Short, confident, and linked back to the post.
Common mistakes that cost shortlisting points
Writing a life story. A long opening about why you chose medicine uses words that score nothing.
Ignoring the essentials. If you meet an essential criterion, say so clearly, near the top.
Claims without evidence. "Excellent team player" scores nothing without an example.
Listing courses with no learning. Add one line on what you changed after each course.
Hiding your clinical attachment in one line. It's your bridge into the NHS, so give it a proper paragraph: what you saw, what you learned, who can vouch for you.
Copying a template. Statements that read like examples online are easy to spot.
Forgetting Good Medical Practice. It is essential in this post and in most NHS posts.
Final checklist before you submit
I have stated my full GMC registration, and either my licence to practise or that I have recently given it up and am happy to restore it.
I have addressed every essential criterion, in the person specification's own words.
I have evidenced as many desirable criteria as I honestly can.
Every example has a result or learning point, with numbers where possible.
My audit is described as a full cycle, with a change and re-audit or a plan for one.
My CPD courses are named in the statement and linked to what I now do differently; provider, dates and certificates are in the training section.
I have shown understanding of all four Good Medical Practice domains.
Everything I have written is true, and I can talk about it at interview.
I am within the word limit and have checked spelling and grammar.
Final word
Look, the doctors who get shortlisted aren't always the most experienced. They're the ones who make it easy for the shortlister to tick every box. You've got the experience. Now it's about showing it the NHS way.
Here's your plan for this week:
Pick 3 or 4 of our free CPD courses that match your weakest criteria. Most people start with Good Medical Practice, Audit and QIP and Teaching Skills. Each takes a few hours, and you get an optional verifiable certificate and a reflective note you can quote straight into your statement. See all 17 free courses.
Write your statement using the structure and example above.
Get it checked before you submit. Our NHS Job Application Review & Rewrite service goes through your statement against the job's person specification, line by line, and rewrites it so every criterion is clearly evidenced. Just email cvreviewexperts@gmail.com with the job advert and your draft.
No clinical attachment yet? Our Clinical Attachment Support service finds suitable Trusts, applies on your behalf and handles the follow-up, so you get the NHS exposure this kind of post looks for.
Good luck. And please share this guide with a friend who's applying for surgical jobs. 🙂
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply for a junior clinical fellow in surgery post without UK surgical experience?
Yes. Many surgical clinical fellow posts accept doctors who are new to the NHS. Show the operative and ward experience you already have, your GMC registration status and any UK exposure, such as a clinical attachment, an audit or a relevant course.
How should I show surgical skills in a supporting statement?
Give specific, honest examples: procedures you have performed or assisted with, how you managed surgical patients before and after theatre, and how you worked with the wider team. Link each example to a criterion on the person specification.
Do I need a logbook for a junior clinical fellow surgery application?
Check the advert and person specification. If a logbook or evidence of operative experience is requested, keep a clear, accurate summary ready to share at interview.
Should I use the same supporting statement for every surgical post?
No. Tailor each statement to that Trust's person specification and values, because shortlisters score your statement against the criteria in that advert.
Related guide: How to do your first clinical audit
Related guide: How IMG doctors can get research experience
Related guide: Clinical attachments in NHS Wales
CareerPro UK is independent and not affiliated with the NHS, the GMC or any NHS Trust. We can't guarantee shortlisting, but we can help you put your best application forward.
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