# Practising for Ophthalmology (ST1) with MedMock

Canonical page: https://medmock.com/exams/ophthalmology-st1

## What is the Ophthalmology ST1 interview, and how do you practise for it?

National recruitment interview for Ophthalmology ST1, as set out in the NHS England South West applicant guide: two online medical consultations of up to 10 minutes each, which may come in either order. Before each you have 5 minutes to read the scenario, and you may make notes and take them in. You speak only to an actor playing a patient or carer; two assessors watch and score without being seen or heard. Interview 1 focuses on clinical knowledge, Interview 2 on a difficult communication or ethical scenario. Examination skills are not demonstrated online. MedMock lets you practise it out loud against an AI interview panel, with examiner-style feedback on any station you finish.

## About Ophthalmology (ST1) recruitment (official sources, checked 2026-10-13)

- 2025 recruitment round, NHS England figures for Ophthalmology ST1: 2197 applications for 102 posts, a competition ratio of 21.54.
- NHS England (South West) co-ordinates the national selection process for Ophthalmology ST1 recruitment.
- The Ophthalmology selection process has 3 stages: the MSRA, an evidence folder with self-assessment, and a virtual assessment.
- Applicants self-score across 8 domains, with a maximum of 47 points, and must score a minimum of 19 points to continue in the process.
- The virtual assessment has two separate interviews or role plays of up to 10 minutes each, with 5 minutes of reading time before each. One is a clinical knowledge consultation and the other a difficult communication or ethical scenario.
- In each Ophthalmology role play the candidate speaks with an actor playing a patient or carer, and two assessors observe and score. The assessors are not seen or heard by the candidate.
- The total score combines the evidence folder (maximum 50 points) and the online assessment (maximum 50 points); the MSRA score is not included in the total score.
- The highest ranking 350 candidates have their evidence folders reviewed and scored, and the highest ranking 260 are then invited to the interview and assessment.

Sources: https://medical.hee.nhs.uk/medical-training-recruitment/medical-specialty-training/competition-ratios/2025-competition-ratios https://medical.hee.nhs.uk/medical-training-recruitment/medical-specialty-training/ophthalmology/ophthalmology-st1/overview-of-ophthalmology-st1/selection-process https://medical.hee.nhs.uk/medical-training-recruitment/medical-specialty-training/ophthalmology/ophthalmology-st1/overview-of-ophthalmology-st1/scoring-ranking-and-offers

Recruitment dates: Applications 22 October 2026 to 19 November 2026 (national Round 1); Interviews within the national Round 1 window, 11 January 2027 to 2 April 2027 (source: NHS England Medical Specialty Recruitment, checked 2026-09-24).
All Ophthalmology (ST1) dates: https://medmock.com/exams/ophthalmology-st1#dates

## Stations you can practise

- **Interview 1 — Medical Consultation: Clinical Knowledge** — Interview 1: a medical consultation focusing on clinical knowledge, with an actor playing a patient or carer — for example taking a history, explaining a condition in plain English or discussing treatment options. Five minutes to read the scenario beforehand; you may take your notes in.
- **Interview 2 — Medical Consultation: Communication or Ethics** — Interview 2: a medical consultation focusing on a difficult communication or ethical scenario, with an actor playing a patient or relative — for example an angry patient, breaking bad news, confidentiality or consent. Five minutes to read the scenario beforehand; you may take your notes in.

## Sample Ophthalmology (ST1) questions

- *Interview 1 — Medical Consultation: Clinical Knowledge:* Explain the diagnosis of anterior uveitis to a patient, detailing its potential link to their underlying joint issues, and explain the eye drop regimen.
- *Interview 2 — Medical Consultation: Communication or Ethics:* How would you respond to this situation: family members disagree about cataract surgery for a patient who cannot decide independently?

## Example scenarios

- *Interview 1 — Medical Consultation: Clinical Knowledge:* Explain to a 65-year-old patient that their recent OCT scan shows wet age-related macular degeneration and discuss the anti-VEGF intravitreal injection regimen and risks.
- *Interview 2 — Medical Consultation: Communication or Ethics:* Break the news to a patient that the swelling at the back of their eye on fundus imaging is papilloedema, and walk them through the urgent neuroimaging pathway.

## How a practice session works

1. **Choose a station** — Choose the kind of question or scenario you want to rehearse — ethics, motivation, a role-play, and more.
2. **Have the conversation** — Speak naturally, out loud. The AI interviewer listens and asks the demanding follow-ups, just as a real interviewer would.
3. **Get instant feedback** — The moment you finish, you get specific, examiner-style feedback and a score — what you did well, what cost you marks, and precisely what to fix before the next attempt.

## Price

Start with a one-off £5 taster: 30 credits (30 minutes of speaking practice), not a subscription. After that, or instead, £45 per month for 300 credits. One credit is one minute of spoken practice, or two typed exchanges, and where the examiner or patient speaks first, that opening line is free. Examiner scorecards, mark schemes and model answers for finished sessions are included at no extra credit cost. Cancel at any time. Full details: https://medmock.com/pricing

## Frequently asked questions

### How does the feedback work?

When you finish a station you can have it marked, and the scorecard comes back in seconds — what you did well, what cost you marks, and exactly what to work on next. Scorecards, mark schemes and model answers are included at no extra credit cost.

### Can I practise specific Ophthalmology ST1 stations?

Yes. You can pick either station to drill a weak area, or run a mixed set to simulate the real interview.

### How much does it cost?

You can start with a one-off £5 taster: 30 credits, which is 30 minutes of speaking practice, with no subscription. After that, or at any time, you can choose a monthly plan, which includes a monthly credit allowance. Current prices are on the pricing page.

## About MedMock

MedMock is a web app for practising the spoken parts of UK medical and dental exams and interviews out loud. The candidate talks; an AI patient, examiner or interview panel answers in real time by voice; and when the station ends MedMock marks the performance against that exam's assessment domains and shows the model answer.

It covers 104 spoken exams and interviews — OSCEs, vivas, structured oral exams, simulated consultations, and specialty-training and consultant interviews. It does not cover written or multiple-choice papers, and it is not a question bank.

It was founded by Mr Sam Nahas, MBBS BSc MEd FRCS (Tr & Orth), a practising consultant orthopaedic surgeon in the UK, with co-founder and CTO Arjan Jandu. It is operated by VirtualPatients Ltd (company no. 16303492).

Pricing: a one-off £5 taster of 30 credits to try it (not a subscription, one per account), and a monthly subscription from £20 to £129 depending on the exam (student exams cost least, fellowship exit exams and consultant interviews most), or £199 to £275 for the Intensive plans, which carry more credits. One credit is one minute of spoken practice, or two typed exchanges, and where the examiner or patient speaks first, that opening line is free. Examiner scorecards, mark schemes and model answers for finished sessions are included at no extra credit cost. Subscriptions can be cancelled at any time.

It runs in a web browser on a laptop or phone; spoken practice needs a microphone. There is no public demo: practice needs an account with credits, usually from the taster or a monthly plan.

MedMock is for adults aged 18 or over. Sign-up asks every new account to confirm it.

MedMock is a revision tool. The patients, examiners and cases are fictional and AI-generated; it is not clinical guidance and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any Royal College, the GMC, the GDC or any examining body.

Start with the £5 taster: https://medmock.com/auth/signup