The insider’s guide to obtaining a national training number in plastic surgery

Abstract

Plastic surgery is one of the most competitive surgical specialties in the UK. There is a nationalised recruitment system in place and in 2011 there was a competition ratio of applicants to successful candidates of 10:1, with 177 applicants applying for a final number of 18 posts. 1 In 2012 the corresponding ratio was 17:1, with 166 applicants for 10 posts. 2 With such a high number of applicants for so few ST3 posts, candidates must be aware of the requirements to attain a national training number (NTN) early in their surgical career.