Core surgical training interview questions and stations
The Core Surgical Training (CT1) interview has two 15-minute online stations. In the Management and Clinical station you answer one management scenario and two clinical scenarios, given to you during the interview, with 5 minutes for each. In the Portfolio station you give a 3-minute prepared presentation, take 2 minutes of questions on it, then answer two 5-minute questions on portfolio domains the assessor chooses. Every part is scored from 0 (no evidence) to 6 (outstanding).
Management and Clinical station
One management scenario question and two clinical scenario questions, given to you during the interview, with 5 minutes to answer each. The station panel has 2 members.
The management question is scored on probity and professional integrity and awareness of safety and ethics, judgement under pressure and prioritisation, and communication. Each clinical question is scored separately on clinical skills and knowledge, judgement under pressure and prioritisation, and communication.
Practice questions: management scenarios
- You are covering the ward when two patients deteriorate and theatre calls for you; how would you prioritise your actions?
- What are your immediate priorities if you realise that you prescribed ten times the intended dose of a medicine?
- A family is distressed because different doctors have given conflicting information; how would you manage this?
- A patient asks you not to tell their family about a serious diagnosis; how would you respond?
- What would you do if you receive a critical investigation result after the patient has been discharged?
- When and to whom would you escalate if an interpreter is unavailable for a patient who needs an urgent consent discussion?
Practice questions: clinical scenarios
- A 63-year-old presents with haematemesis, melaena and haemodynamic instability. Which investigations would you request, and how would they change your management?
- A 75-year-old has a painful irreducible groin lump with vomiting. What definitive treatment may be required, and when would you escalate?
- A 68-year-old presents with abdominal distension, vomiting and absolute constipation. What complications would you anticipate, and how would you monitor for them?
- A 32-year-old develops increasing abdominal pain and tachycardia after laparoscopic surgery. How would you assess and initially manage this patient?
- A 23-year-old motorcyclist arrives after high-energy blunt abdominal trauma. How would you assess and initially manage this patient?
- A child presents with a painful swollen scrotum. How would you assess them?
Portfolio station
A pre-prepared 3-minute presentation, 2 minutes of questions on it, then two 5-minute questions on two of your portfolio domains, chosen by the assessor. The station panel has 3 or 4 members.
During the interview, the interviewers assess your portfolio. Each portfolio question is scored separately on skills and knowledge, and the presentation on content, presentation skills and questioning.
Practice questions: portfolio questions
- What did you learn from your most important clinical audit?
- What would you do differently if you repeated your formal teaching experience?
- How has your experience of surgical taster weeks prepared you for Core Surgical Training?
- How does core surgical training fit your long-term career plan?
- Tell me about a poster or oral presentation you delivered at a national or international conference. How did you prepare, what questions did you face from the audience, and how did you answer them?
The practice questions come from MedMock's own question bank, written for this interview's published format. They are not past interview questions.
Scoring and selection
- Your total score combines the MSRA (10%), the portfolio station (45%) and the management and clinical station (45%) into an overall selection score out of 100.
- In the 2027 recruitment process, approximately the top 1200 candidates will be invited to interview and to upload evidence for the portfolio station.
- For 2027 entry, interviews are held online on the Qpercom video platform between 1 and 10 March 2027.
- After interview, each candidate receives a total score and a unique ranking and is told through Oriel whether they were successful.
- In the 2025 recruitment round there were 5399 applications for 630 Core Surgical Training CT1 posts, a competition ratio of 8.57.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the CST interview?
Two stations of 15 minutes each, taken in either order, held online on the Qpercom video platform.
Do you get the CST interview questions in advance?
No. The management scenario and the two clinical scenario questions are given to you during the interview. The 3-minute presentation is pre-prepared.
How is the CST interview scored?
Each part is scored from 0 (no evidence) to 6 (outstanding). The final score is the MSRA (10%), the portfolio station (45%) and the management and clinical station (45%).
Checked on 13 October 2026 against Core Surgery: interviews (NHS England), Core Surgery: applying for core training (NHS England), Core Surgery: overview (NHS England) and 2025 competition ratios (NHS England). Recruitment changes each year: confirm on the official pages before you apply.
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