Paediatric Surgery (ST3)
Walk into your Paediatric Surgery ST3 interview already knowing how you will answer
Rehearse for your Paediatric Surgery ST3 interview against an AI interviewer who challenges your answers. Get feedback on any session you finish, in seconds.
What is the Paediatric Surgery ST3 interview, and how do you practise for it?
Paediatric Surgery ST3 national recruitment interview, run online by NHS England North East and Yorkshire: four 10-minute stations for 2026 — Career Progression, Academic, Clinical and CARE Communication, a communication station piloted in 2026. Before each station there are 5 minutes of reading time when a document is shared, and two panel members score each station independently. The published interview maximum is 264 (Career Progression 64, Academic 100, Clinical 100); the CARE Communication pilot is not counted. Here one examiner voice speaks for the panel, and the parent in the CARE station is simulated by voice. MedMock lets you practise it out loud against an AI interview panel, with examiner-style feedback on any station you finish.
Last updated 29 October 2026
About Paediatric Surgery (ST3) recruitment
Paediatric Surgery ST3, 2025 recruitment round (Round 2). NHS England competition ratios
- The National Recruitment Office for ST3 Paediatric Surgery is NHS England North East and Yorkshire, recruiting to ST3 posts across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
- In the 2026 round, the Paediatric Surgery interview was split into four 10-minute stations: Career Progression, Academic, Clinical and CARE (Communication).
- In the 2026 Academic station, a presentation topic was sent to applicants one week before the interview. Each station was assessed independently by two panel members.
- The CARE (Communication) station was introduced as a pilot in the 2026 round. Candidates were scored for it, but the scores did not count towards the final interview score.
- For 2027 entry, the Paediatric Surgery interview stays at four stations, and the Career Progression station now includes a Non-Technical Skills element.
- In the 2026 round, Paediatric Surgery applicants were shortlisted using their validated self-assessment score; applicants under the Disability Confident Scheme or seeking ACF clinical benchmarking needed a minimum self-assessment score of 12 to be invited to interview.
Checked on 13 October 2026 against Paediatric Surgery ST3 National Recruitment 2026 Applicant Handbook and National Paediatric Surgery ST3 Recruitment. Recruitment changes each year: confirm on the official pages before you apply.
Paediatric Surgery ST3 interview practice, on demand
MedMock gives you an AI interviewer who challenges your answers, available 24/7. Pick a station, have a spoken conversation, and ask for examiner-style feedback when you finish, scored against what genuinely matters in the Paediatric Surgery ST3.
How it works
Choose a station
Choose the kind of question or scenario you want to rehearse — ethics, motivation, a role-play, and more.
Have the conversation
Speak naturally, out loud. The AI interviewer listens and asks the demanding follow-ups, just as a real interviewer would.
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.
Practise every scenario
MedMock covers the stations you will face in the Paediatric Surgery ST3 interview. Rehearse each one until it feels routine.
Career Progression
Questions on elements of your career and experience to date, after 5 minutes' reading. Scored out of 64.
Academic Station
Questions on your academic experience, after 5 minutes' reading. Scored out of 100. In the real interview a presentation topic is sent a week beforehand; no topic is published, so none is set here.
Clinical
A paediatric surgical clinical scenario, read during 5 minutes of reading time and then discussed with the panel: assessment, investigation, management and escalation, including safeguarding where relevant. Scored out of 100.
CARE Communication
A communication station piloted in 2026 and not counted in the score, with a role-player playing a parent: explaining a diagnosis, consenting for surgery, or a difficult conversation. The child is not in the room.
Sample Paediatric Surgery (ST3) interview questions
Two questions from the topics that come up most in MedMock's Paediatric Surgery (ST3) bank.
“Tell me about your strongest completed clinical audit. Walk me through how you identified the standard, how you collected the data, the specific change you personally implemented, and what the re-audit showed.”
“Speak to the mother of a 10-year-old girl admitted with right iliac fossa pain and a working diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Obtain consent for a laparoscopic appendicectomy.”
Example scenarios
A sample of the Paediatric Surgery ST3 scenarios you can practise, each as a spoken conversation.
“Talk us through your career to date and what has prepared you for ST3 training in paediatric surgery.”
“Tell us about a piece of research you have contributed to — your own role, the methods and what you would do differently.”
“A 5-week-old boy has a three-week history of projectile non-bilious vomiting. Talk us through your assessment and management.”
“Speak to the father of a 6-week-old boy with pyloric stenosis about the diagnosis and the operation his son needs.”
Paediatric Surgery (ST3) recruitment dates 2026–27
The next Paediatric Surgery (ST3) recruitment date we hold is: Applications 19 November 2026 to 10 December 2026 (national Round 2). Checked against NHS England Medical Specialty Recruitment on 24 September 2026.
Time until Applications 19 November 2026 to 10 December 2026 (national Round 2)
— d — h — m — sPaediatric Surgery (ST3) is recruited through NHS England’s national recruitment round 2, which the national timeline says is for ST3/ST4 posts. Applications are made on Oriel.
Recruitment dates change. MedMock is not affiliated with NHS England Medical Specialty Recruitment; confirm every date, application window and venue on the official site before you apply. NHS England Medical Specialty Recruitment
Paediatric Surgery (ST3) practice — your questions answered
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 Paediatric Surgery ST3 stations?
Yes. You can pick any of the 4 stations 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.
Formats change from year to year: check the official candidate guidance or applicant handbook from the body that runs your exam or interview (the Royal Colleges, NHS England, the GMC and others) for your sitting.
Ready for your Paediatric Surgery ST3 interview?
Rehearse real Paediatric Surgery ST3 scenarios out loud and get instant, examiner-style feedback.
- Instant, personalised feedback
- Real voice-to-voice conversation
- Repeatable attempts, a different run every time
Related exams to practise
Be ready for your Paediatric Surgery ST3 interview before you walk in
Start with the £5 taster, a one-off payment for 30 credits: practise Paediatric Surgery ST3 interview scenarios out loud and get any of them marked when you are ready.
Practise your Paediatric Surgery ST3 interview