# Practising for Paediatrics (ST1) with MedMock

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

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

RCPCH national selection for ST1 Paediatrics. Two 20-minute Qpercom video stations, each split into two 10-minute parts: Communication, Career Motivation, Reflective Practice, and Paediatric Clinical Reasoning. MedMock lets you practise it out loud against an AI interview panel, with examiner-style feedback on any station you finish.

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

- 2025 recruitment round, NHS England figures for Paediatrics ST1: 2680 applications for 476 posts, a competition ratio of 5.63.
- ST1 applicants to paediatrics must have no more than two years of experience in paediatric posts, excluding Foundation posts, when they apply. Those with more experience should aim to apply to ST3.
- For ST1 posts starting in August/September 2026, shortlisting scored five sections: transferable clinical capabilities, personal achievements and reflection, QIP/audit, academic achievements and teaching, with written answers limited to 50 words per section.
- For ST1 posts starting in August/September 2026, applicants were invited to interview based on their shortlisting score; eligible applicants have exceeded virtual interview capacity in recent years.
- For ST1 posts starting in August/September 2026, the interview was a virtual two-station format on the Qpercom platform, with 20-minute stations and 45 minutes overall, covering communications, career motivation, clinical reasoning and reflective practice.
- For ST1 posts starting in August/September 2026, the final appointability threshold was 55% or more of the interview score, and offers were made on a combination of score ranking and preferencing.
- For ST1 posts starting in August or September 2027, applications open on 22 October 2026 and close on 19 November 2026, and the interview window runs from 2 February to 25 March 2027.

Sources: https://medical.hee.nhs.uk/medical-training-recruitment/medical-specialty-training/competition-ratios/2025-competition-ratios https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/education-careers/apply-paediatrics/ST1

## What happens in the real Paediatrics (ST1) (checked against the official source on 2026-09-27)

Yes, Paediatrics ST1 selection includes an interview. In the 2026 recruitment round (posts starting in August or September 2026, the latest round with a published format), applicants shortlisted on their application form had a virtual interview on Qpercom, coordinated by the Paediatrics National Recruitment Office (part of NHS England) with the RCPCH: two 20-minute stations, about 45 minutes in all, covering four parts of up to 10 minutes each (Communication, Career Motivation, Reflective Practice and Paediatric Clinical Reasoning). Two clinicians in each station score you independently, and you need at least 88 out of 160 (55%) to be appointable.

- **Communication** (10 minutes): The first part of the interview. You are given a scenario to read 5 minutes before the virtual interview starts, then talk with a role player (a patient, parent or carer), explaining a clinical condition or the reasons for an intervention or transfer. Assessors mark the content against a list of key points and your overall performance.
- **Career Motivation (Portfolio)** (10 minutes): Your commitment to a career in paediatrics, your understanding of the specialty, and how your personal attributes and career so far will make you a good paediatrician. You do not show a portfolio, and the assessors do not see your application form, so prepare the examples you want to talk about; they do not have to be strictly clinical.
- **Reflective Practice** (10 minutes): You reflect on a significant clinical event from your career so far, where something went well or not well: how it changed your practice and how you shared the learning. Spend as little time as possible describing the event, so most of the time goes on the reflection.
- **Paediatric Clinical Reasoning** (10 minutes): One assessor puts a case-based scenario to you, set in paediatrics, and you describe the relevant issues and how you would manage the situation. It does not test complex paediatric knowledge: the expected level is that of a UK F2 doctor, and assessors look for a clear, methodical approach that takes account of your own level and ability.

Marking: Two clinicians in each station score you independently. Each of the four parts is worth 20 marks per assessor (40 in total), giving an interview score out of 160, and each assessor follows a scoring framework for the specific scenario with positive and negative indicators. At the end of each interview day the scores are reviewed, and final marks are agreed by the interviewers, lay chair and Clinical Lead. Offers are made in rank order from a single national list based on your interview performance; your shortlisting score is not carried over.

Passing: To be appointable you need at least 88 out of 160 (55%). You can score above this and still be vetoed for serious concerns about behaviour, performance or dangerous decisions, and a low score (25% or below) on any station from either assessor leads to a discussion with the Clinical Lead before a final decision is made. Being appointable does not guarantee an offer: offers depend on your rank and preferences.

Sources: https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/education-careers/apply-paediatrics/ST1 https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2025-10/st1_paediatrics_applicant_guidance_august_2026_final_v.3_151025.pdf https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2025-10/st1_scoring_guidance_glossary_for_shortlisting_2026-27_v.4_jac_271025.pdf https://medical.hee.nhs.uk/medical-training-recruitment/medical-specialty-training/person-specifications/person-specifications-2027/paediatrics-st1-2027
Full format page: https://medmock.com/exams/paediatrics-st1/format

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 Paediatrics (ST1) dates: https://medmock.com/exams/paediatrics-st1#dates

## Stations you can practise

- **Communication** — 10-minute communication role-play with a paediatric patient, parent, or carer. Explain a clinical condition or counsel the parent on an intervention or transfer.
- **Career Motivation** — 10-minute discussion of your commitment to paediatrics, your understanding of the specialty, your personal attributes and your career to date. The guidance says your examples do not have to be strictly clinical.
- **Reflective Practice** — 10-minute reflective practice viva. Candidate describes a significant clinical event, what they learned, and how reflective practice informs day-to-day work.
- **Paediatric Clinical Reasoning** — 10-minute case-based clinical reasoning question asked by one of the assessors, with no written scenario to read first. The guidance is explicit that it is not looking for complex paediatric knowledge — it tests safe, structured reasoning at a level commensurate with an applicant to ST1.

## Sample Paediatrics (ST1) questions

- *Reflective Practice:* How do you incorporate reflective practice into your routine working day, even when not prompted by a significant event?
- *Paediatric Clinical Reasoning:* A 1-month-old neonate presents with poor feeding, lethargy, and a temperature of 38.2°C. Describe your immediate assessment and management plan for suspected sepsis in this age group.

## Example scenarios

- *Communication:* Counsel the mother of a 14-month-old admitted yesterday after his first febrile seizure during viral tonsillitis. Take her concerns and explain what to do if it happens again.
- *Career Motivation:* Tell us about a piece of work you have done that has confirmed your decision to apply for ST1 Paediatrics — what did you contribute, and what did you take from it?
- *Reflective Practice:* Please could you briefly describe a significant clinical event you were involved in or observed, and discuss your learning from it.
- *Paediatric Clinical Reasoning:* A 3-year-old presents to the paediatric ED with a 4-hour history of stridor at rest, drooling, and respiratory distress. Talk me through your initial assessment and immediate management.

## 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 Paediatrics ST1 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.

## 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