Core Surgical Training (CT1) practice

How to prepare for the Core Surgical Training (CT1) interview

The Core Surgical Training interview, as NHS England last published it for the 2026 round, is two 15-minute online stations: prepare a timed 3-minute presentation and evidence you can defend in every portfolio domain for the Portfolio station, and practise one management and two clinical scenarios out loud, 5 minutes each, for the Management and Clinical station. Prepare for the MSRA too: in 2026 it decided who was shortlisted and counted for 10% of the final score.

What happens in the Core Surgical Training (CT1) interview: parts, timings and marking An example Core Surgical Training (CT1) station, with example feedback Core Surgical Training (CT1) recruitment dates

Step by step

  1. 1

    Check the 2027 person specification

    Read the Core Surgical Training CT1 2027 person specification before you apply: for example, you must have 18 months or less of surgical experience, not counting foundation placements, at the advertised start date. The Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act 2026 applies, and in 2027 you can make at most five applications per recruitment round.

  2. 2

    Prepare for the MSRA alongside the interview

    In the 2026 round the MSRA was the basis of shortlisting, only the top-scoring 1,200 applicants were invited to interview, and it counted for 10% of the final score. Use NHS England's MSRA practice paper, with its answer key and rationales, for both papers.

  3. 3

    Build your portfolio to the scoring guide

    The guidance scores commitment to specialty (verified logbook cases and a surgical taster or elective), quality improvement or audit, presentations and publications, and teaching. You enter a letter from A to E for each domain on an index page and upload only your best achievement in each. NHS England says the domains are likely to change for 2027, so re-read the guidance before applying.

  4. 4

    Be ready to discuss any domain

    The assessors review your evidence, then ask about two domains they choose, for 5 minutes each. They may ask about any area, even one with no evidence uploaded, and may test over-claiming, so for every entry be able to explain your own role, what changed and what you learnt.

  5. 5

    Write and time the 3-minute presentation

    The Portfolio station opens with your pre-prepared 3-minute presentation and 2 minutes of questions, scored on content, presentation skills and questioning. The topic is not given on NHS England's Core Surgery pages, which say further information comes nearer the interviews; once you have it, rehearse to the clock.

  6. 6

    Practise management scenarios against the marking criteria

    The management question is given to you during the interview and you have 5 minutes. It is scored on probity and professional integrity with awareness of safety and ethics, judgement under pressure and prioritisation, and communication. Practise stating the immediate safety step, who you would inform and how you would follow up, and check your reasoning against GMC Good Medical Practice.

  7. 7

    Practise clinical scenarios on the acutely ill surgical patient

    Each of the two clinical scenarios is given during the interview, answered in 5 minutes and scored on clinical skills and knowledge, judgement under pressure and prioritisation, and communication. The essential clinical criterion is the initial management of an acutely ill patient, so rehearse assessment, first steps and escalation out loud. NHS England suggests asking local consultants in the specialty which areas interviewers may address.

  8. 8

    Rehearse on video, to time

    The 2026 interviews ran on the Qpercom video platform. Test it on the device you will use, have photo ID ready and expect to show the room on camera; interviews are terminated if the panel cannot see you. Paper notes you prepared yourself are allowed, but AI tools and recording are not.

Official resources

Common mistakes examiners report

  • Uploading portfolio evidence without the index page: it is scored 0 in the domains and not reviewed. source
  • Uploading several items in one domain: assessors only assess the first item for each domain. source
  • Leaving patient-identifiable data in evidence, such as hospital numbers or thank-you letters from families: it scores zero and you may be reported to the GMC. source
  • Using an electronic signature that can be edited after upload: the document cannot be accepted and scores 0 points. source

Practise with MedMock

MedMock runs both stations as spoken practice: the Management station, with one management and two clinical scenarios of 5 minutes each put to you in the station, and the Portfolio station, with your 3-minute presentation, 2 minutes of questions and two 5-minute questions on portfolio domains. One examiner voice speaks for each panel and there is no uploaded portfolio for it to review, so use it for structure and timing rather than evidence checks. There is a worked example of the Management station.

Practise your Core Surgical Training CT1 interview Free trial, no card needed.

Questions candidates ask

Is there a pass mark for the CST interview?

NHS England does not publish one. After interview you receive a total score and a unique ranking and are told whether you have been successful; offers follow your ranking and preferences. The final score is 10% MSRA, 45% portfolio station and 45% management and clinical station; the format page has the full scoring.

Do foundation placements count as surgical experience in the portfolio?

No. Since the 2025/26 round only elective or taster placements score, and a taster must cover at least 5 days. Operative experience is scored separately from verified logbook evidence.

How long should I prepare?

NHS England does not set a preparation time. Achievements must be completed by the close of applications, so it helps to finish your portfolio evidence early and to start practising both stations out loud when you apply rather than when you are invited.

Will the 2027 round work the same way?

NHS England's Core Surgery pages still describe the 2026 process. The national 2027 round mainly for CT1/ST1 posts takes applications from 22 October to 4pm on 19 November 2026, and prioritisation applies to interview and post offers, so check your priority status in good time; the deadline to ask for a review in Round 1 is 24 November 2026.

Sources

Checked on 27 September 2026.

Exams and their regulations change. MedMock is not affiliated with any examining body; always check the current guidance on the official site before you apply.