Screening and shortlisting
When the final date for applications has closed, candidate applications are compiled for review. As part of the screening process, candidate application letters or online submissions are reviewed along with their CV and any other additional information provide, such as registration and licensing certificates, results of higher degree programs, letters of reference, trainee assessment reports and portfolios. The purpose of this step is to evaluate each applicant's qualifications and determine which applicants are the most qualified for the position.
When determining how the candidates are selected, the Selection Committee needs to decide how their application will be considered. This includes what weighting needs to be applied, for example it might be decided that if candidates choose to supply information that is not specifically requested that this will be ignored as it would not be fair to other candidates.
Shortlisting, or culling, of applications is carried out as a matter of necessity. Many training programs receive more applications than the number of available positions and don’t have the resources to offer an interview to all candidates. Even in situations where the number of applicants is close to, or even less than the number of positions to fill, there may be some candidates who are clearly unsuitable for the role. In this case, offering an interview would be redundant for both the candidate and the Selection Committee. Excluding candidates who don’t meet the selection criteria in some cases will be obvious, for example the candidate not having the appropriate medical registration or level of experience.
The first review of applications might be performed by the Chair of the committee alone and then they present their findings to the rest of the committee. However this is an administrative task, that is objective in nature, and does not require clinical expertise to complete.