The General Interview station in the 2027 anaesthetics CT1 interview is a 15-minute online station marked out of 50 by two assessors across communication, commitment to specialty and teamwork, with 5 marks per domain from each assessor plus a global rating out of 10.
Because there is no self-assessment at CT1, it is the only place your experience is scored. Specific examples with outcomes are what the assessors credit.
Reviewed and updated 10 September 2026. Every interview mark below is taken from ANRO's August 2026 applicant guidance and is the 2026 position; ANRO publishes the 2027 guidance before applications open on 22 October 2026. The 2027 Round 1 dates are confirmed by NHS England.
Key takeaways
- The General Interview station is 50 of the interview's 100 marks, and the interview is 85% of the selection score, according to ANRO's August 2026 guidance.
- Two assessors each give 5 marks in communication, commitment to specialty and teamwork (15) plus a global rating of 10, so 25 each.
- There is no self-assessment and no portfolio score at CT1, so taster weeks, audits, teaching and prizes only count if you say them here.
- Assessors credit evidence of commitment: theatre or ICU time, a taster week, an anaesthetic audit or QI project, teaching, and a considered reason for the specialty.
- Teamwork examples where you were not the leader score, because followership and escalation are what a CT1 does daily.
What is the general interview station in the anaesthetics CT1 interview?
The general interview station is the second of two 15-minute stations in the anaesthetics CT1 interview, in which two assessors ask about your motivation, experience and behaviour rather than a clinical scenario.
ANRO's guidance names its domains as communication, commitment to specialty and teamwork. It replaces what older guidance called the portfolio and presentation stations, neither of which exists in the current format.
ANRO's guidance describes reading time before the clinical station only. The general station's questions are not published in advance, but the domains are, so the preparation is the same every year. anaestheticinterview's free general station page summarises them.
How is the general interview station marked?
The general interview station is marked out of 50, in the same structure as the clinical station: 0 to 5 per domain from each of two assessors and a global rating of 0 to 10 from each.
| Domain | Assessor 1 | Assessor 2 | Station total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Communication | 5 | 5 | 10 |
| Commitment to specialty | 5 | 5 | 10 |
| Teamwork | 5 | 5 | 10 |
| Global rating score | 10 | 10 | 20 |
| Total | 25 | 25 | 50 |
These marks are the 2026 position in ANRO's guidance. The station's 50 marks are half the interview, and the interview is 85% of your selection score, with the MSRA the other 15%.
The same vetoes apply here as in the clinical station: a global rating of 1 from both assessors, a station at or below 25%, or a probity concern.
What counts as commitment to specialty?
Commitment to specialty is evidenced by things you have done in or around anaesthesia, not by enthusiasm: theatre and ICU time, a taster week, an audit or QI project with an anaesthetic question, teaching, and engagement with the Royal College of Anaesthetists' events and resources.
- A taster week or anaesthetic rotation, with what you saw and what you did.
- An audit or quality improvement project in theatre, recovery or ICU, with the result and the change.
- Teaching you delivered, ideally on an anaesthetic or resuscitation topic, with feedback.
- A course or simulation day, and what it changed in how you work.
- A conversation with an anaesthetist about the realities of the job, including the parts you are less sure about.
The commitment to specialty domain is the mark for whether you understand the job and have tested your interest against it. Assessors distinguish "I did a taster week" from "I did a taster week and it changed my view of pre-assessment".
How do you answer "why anaesthetics"?
Answer "why anaesthetics" with two or three concrete reasons, each tied to something you have done, and one honest acknowledgement of a downside you have thought about.
A structure that works: what drew you in, what you did to test it, what you learned that confirmed it, and what you know about the training route. Say ACCS or core if you have a preference, and why.
In practice, "I love physiology and procedures" is what everyone says. "I ran the pre-assessment audit on my surgical job and found the anaesthetic clinic was the bottleneck" is evidence. anaestheticinterview's general scenarios include the question with marked model answers.
How is communication marked when everything is spoken?
Communication is marked on clarity, structure, listening and tone: whether you answer the question asked, signpost your answer, and adapt when the assessors probe.
It is also an impression that feeds the global rating in both stations. Short sentences, a pause before answering, and a summary line at the end all score.
That said, communication questions may also be asked directly: a difficult conversation with a relative, breaking bad news, or a disagreement with a senior. Prepare one example for each.
What teamwork examples score well?
Teamwork examples score well when you describe a specific team, your specific role, a moment of friction or risk, what you did, and what happened, with a reflection at the end.
Include examples where you were not the leader. Following a plan you disagreed with, escalating a concern appropriately, and handing over well are what a CT1 anaesthetist does every day.
The teamwork domain is the mark for how you work with others under real conditions, including when the team is stretched. A cardiac arrest, a theatre list overrun and a ward round short of staff are all fair examples.
Why does the general station matter more now there is no self-assessment?
The general station matters more because ANRO removed Part 3 of the application form, so degrees, prizes, courses and audits earn no marks at application and are scored only if you raise them at interview.
ANRO's guidance states that self-assessment applies at ST4 only. So the audit you spent six months on is worth nothing unless it becomes a commitment or teamwork example on the day.
Our interview format guide sets out how the two stations combine into the 100-mark total.
What questions should you expect?
Expect questions that map directly onto the three domains, usually with a follow-up that tests whether the example is real.
- Why anaesthetics, and why now?
- What have you done to find out what the job is like?
- Tell us about a time you worked in a team under pressure.
- Describe a difficult conversation and how you handled it.
- Tell us about an audit or improvement project you were involved in.
- What would you find hardest about anaesthetic training?
- Core anaesthetics or ACCS: which have you applied for, and why?
The anaestheticinterview bank carries 27 general interview questions across seven scenarios alongside 313 clinical questions, so the general station is rehearsed against the same domains.
How do you structure a general station answer?
Structure a general station answer as a point, an example, an outcome and a reflection, in about 90 seconds, then stop and let the assessors probe.
The point answers the question in one sentence. The example is specific: where, when, who. The outcome is what happened, ideally with a number. The reflection is what you would do differently.
The spoken-answer post shows the structure in full with a worked example on working under pressure.
How do you practise the general interview station?
Practise the general interview station by writing your examples down once, then answering unseen questions aloud and timed, and having each answer marked against communication, commitment and teamwork.
Ask a colleague or a registrar to run the follow-ups; most candidates practise the opening and never the probe. anaestheticinterview's AI-marked spoken practice scores answers on the ANRO domains, and the free sample questions on the site are a fair test of whether your examples hold up.
However, the best preparation is still doing something in anaesthesia between now and the interview. A taster week in November gives you a fresh example in February.