Dr Jade Miller

Ranked 1st nationally for Core Surgical Training (2026)

I definitely wasn't "born a surgeon"! I decided I wanted to pursue surgery in my F1 year, and from that point I was deliberate about how I spent my time. I built connections, published first-author, co-author and collaborative research, completed a PGCert in Healthcare Research Skills, presented at numerous conferences and passed MRCS Part A.

By the time CST applications came around in F2, it had already been an intense year. With interviews approaching, I needed an impactful strategy to help me score well without burning out.

I'm a firm believer in revising smartly and not wasting time on passive learning. That approach worked: this year I ranked number 1 for core surgical training and secured my top-choice job in London's most competitive deanery.

Why I built this resource:

I spent months compiling everything I learnt during my own revision into one comprehensive resource. It's designed around what actually gets marks:

- Interview-style practice from day one. You're rehearsing how you'll answer under pressure from day one, building muscle memory by the time your interview date rolls around.

- My exact scripts for structuring your answers, so you hit every mark on the scoring framework.

- "Golden nuggets" above CT1 level. These are the details that help you stand out and score in the excellent or outstanding bracket.

Join the OptiMedics CST Community!

I'm very excited for you all to benefit from this! This year, OptiMedic is building a community of CST applicants where we can advise and support one another through the application process, with 100% transparency.