Imagine you’re a trainee doctor, about to get grilled in an oral examination, or as it is called in the medical field, a viva.

Below are tips given to trainee doctors on how to prepare for their vivas, that you can adapt. My comments on the respective tips are in brackets. The tips are from a stellar article, Twelve tips for performing well in vivas, by Rob Selzer, Steven Ellen, Laila Rotstein and Robert Roseby.

#1 Behave professionally. The posture when seated should be erect and comfortable. Slouching, leaning back, leaning across the table, do not reflect professionalism in our view.