Shortlisting was widely regarded as uneven and unfair, with the Tooke Report noting: "Some excellent candidates not shortlisted. Many very poor candidates were shortlisted." A number of local schools withdrew from the process in protest, with the North Central London School of Anaesthesia noting "It is our professional duty as shortlisters to make sure that the appointment process is carried out correctly and that all candidates are considered equally and fairly. There have been a series of serious procedural errors during the process[...]There has been a general recognition that round 1 of MTAS has been unfair and ineffective."