In less than a year, I predict I’ll be saying I rejected a clinically brilliant candidate last month because of their relationship with emerging technology.
They’ll have said something like “AI will never be superior to a doctor’s judgment” with complete confidence.
And that single phrase will have cost them the position.
The Language That Reveals Everything
I’ve been coaching NHS consultant interview candidates for nearly two decades and personally hiring consultants for just under a decade in our multispecialty practice. The shift happening right now is the most significant I’ve witnessed.
Trusts are hunting for something specific. Not just clinical excellence. Not just leadership potential.
They want consultants who will help them realise the efficiency gains AI promises, not block them.
The NHS Copilot trial demonstrated 43 minutes saved daily per staff member. That’s five weeks annually. Across the NHS, that translates to 400,000 hours saved monthly.
Those numbers have executive teams paying attention. And they’re reshaping what we look for in consultant candidates.
Defensive Language Is A Red Flag
When I hear defensive language about AI in an interview, I’m not just noting a knowledge gap. I’m observing something deeper about how that person will function as a consultant.
Defensive language sounds like concern about what AI means to them personally. It focuses on risks and problems rather than possibilities.
The statement “AI will never be superior to a doctor’s judgment” reveals fixed thinking. Because the evidence now contradicts it.
A JAMA study found ChatGPT responses were preferred by healthcare professionals 78.6% of time over physician responses. The AI scored 9.8 times higher on empathy.
Google’s AMIE system outperformed primary care physicians on 30 of 32 diagnostic metrics.
The future-focused candidate sees these results and asks: “How can I use this alongside my judgment to produce better outcomes with fewer errors?”
They embrace it. They don’t fear it.
What Expansive Integration Actually Looks Like
When I ask candidates where they see AI being most useful, I listen carefully to whether their answer is expansive or limited.
Limited answers mention one or two narrow applications. Maybe diagnostic support for rare cases. Maybe administrative tasks.
Expansive answers show integration across workflow. Clinical documentation. Decision support. Complex case consultation. Letter writing. Back office operations.
But here’s what separates good answers from great ones: actual examples of current use.
The attractive candidate doesn’t speak theoretically. They mention tools by name. They describe daily workflows. They demonstrate frequency of use.
Daily use is now the baseline expectation. Not occasional. Daily.
The Tools You Need To Know
If you’re preparing for a consultant interview in the next 12 months, you need hands-on experience with AI tools.
Start with Nabla or similar AI scribes. These tools generate structured clinical notes in under 20 seconds. They’re deployed across over 130 health systems, with physicians reporting they save at least two hours daily.
From a provider perspective, those are two hours the hospital is paying for. When that time shifts from documentation to direct patient care, both the organisation and the patient benefit.
That’s the kind of concrete efficiency gain trusts want to hear about.
You also need to demonstrate competence around ethics and confidentiality. Understanding the importance of anonymising data when using tools like ChatGPT. Knowing when AI-generated content requires human verification.
These aren’t peripheral skills anymore. They’re core competencies.
AI Avatars Will Interview You First
The interview process itself is transforming faster than most doctors realise.
AI avatars are already conducting preliminary job interviews in the corporate world. Companies like Fairgo.ai and Tengai use AI to assess candidates 24/7 with consistent evaluation criteria.
Hospitals typically lag corporate environments by months and even years in technology adoption.
But the direction is clear, and it’s coming. Perhaps as early as 2026.
Think about what that means for preparation. You’ll need to communicate effectively with an AI system before you ever speak to a human panel member.
The avatar will assess your language patterns. Your ability to articulate AI integration strategies. Your comfort level with technology-mediated communication.
Candidates who’ve been using AI tools daily will have a natural advantage. They’ll understand how to communicate clearly with AI systems because they already do it in their clinical work.
Your Relationship With Knowledge Must Change
The traditional consultant built their career on deep specialty knowledge retained in memory. That was the differentiator.
AI can now access that same knowledge instantly. With greater breadth. Often with superior diagnostic accuracy.
So what becomes the real differentiator?
Your ability to synthesise information. To apply judgment in complex situations. To maintain the human elements of care that technology cannot replicate.
To collaborate with AI systems rather than compete with them.
Selection committees are already evaluating this. They’re looking for candidates who demonstrate curiosity and flexibility of mind. Who show excitement about possibilities rather than defensiveness about change.
The NHS has allocated £596 million specifically for digital transformation in 2025/26. Trusts have billions in funding earmarked for AI implementation.
They need consultants who will help them deploy those resources effectively.
The Window Is Closing
If you’re approaching your Certificate of Completion of Training and preparing for consultant interviews, you have a decision to make.
You can continue preparing the way candidates did five years ago. Focus solely on clinical knowledge and traditional leadership competencies.
Or you can recognise that the evaluation criteria have fundamentally shifted.
Start using AI tools daily. Now. Not next month. Not when you feel ready.
Learn to speak expansively about integration possibilities. Develop concrete examples of how you’re already using these tools to improve efficiency and outcomes.
Understand the ethics and confidentiality requirements. Know the names of multiple AI tools beyond ChatGPT.
Because when you sit across from that interview panel, they’ll be assessing whether you’re someone who will help them realise AI’s potential or someone who will resist it.
Your language will reveal everything.
The question is: what will it reveal about you?
