The Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists requires selection interviews to be based on its roles in practice and the advertised selection criteria, and prohibits personal questions. That makes the roles the map of the interview: every question tests one or more of them, and a candidate who has prepared an example for each has prepared the interview. The roles are adapted from the CanMEDS framework and are used, with variations, by several other colleges.
The seven roles
Medical expert. The clinical knowledge, skills and judgement of an anaesthetist. Tested through the clinical scenarios: the drowsy patient in recovery, the tiring asthmatic, anaphylaxis at induction, the two deteriorating patients. Panels score systematic assessment, the right treatment, early escalation and honesty about limits.
Communicator. Communication with patients, families and colleagues. Tested through the difficult conversation, the opioid error disclosure, the patient refusing blood products, and the ISBAR handover. Panels score structure, plain language, adaptation and listening.
Collaborator. Working within the perioperative team: surgeons, nurses, technicians, intensivists. Tested through teamwork examples and conflict with a senior. Panels score respect across professions and your own contribution.
Leader and manager. Leading a theatre team, managing a list, contributing to the department's governance and resources. Tested through leadership examples, the delegation question, and the quality improvement project. Panels score ownership of decisions and awareness of the system.
Health advocate. Advocating for patients and populations: cultural safety, rural access, the frightened patient, the vulnerable. Tested through the cultural safety question and the rural rotation question. Panels score actions rather than values.
Scholar. Lifelong learning, teaching, research and audit, and exam preparation. Tested through the audit question, teaching experience, and how you will manage the primary alongside work. Panels score evidence and honesty.
Professional. Ethics, wellbeing, reflection, the professional documents, and conduct. Tested through the unsafe consultant decision, the colleague diverting opioids, fatigue and wellbeing, and the error you made. Panels score patient safety first and the obligations known.
How to prepare
Write the seven roles down. Under each, prepare one STAR example with your own actions and an outcome, and one clinical or situational scenario answer. Then map the questions in the question bank to the roles and check that every role has at least two answers ready. In a four minute monologue, naming the role in your signpost helps the panel score you.
What the roles exclude
Personal questions about family, relationships, health or plans outside work are prohibited. If one is asked, you may decline politely, and the panel should not score it.
Other colleges
The Royal Australasian College of Physicians uses professional qualities with similar content; the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons uses competencies that add technical expertise, judgement and cultural competence; the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine uses curriculum domains that add prioritisation and decision making. The roles page for the surgical competencies covers the RACS version.
Practising
Have someone ask a question and name the role it tests before you answer, until the mapping is automatic. Then answer against the clock in your network's format.