The Complete Guide To Plastic Surgery ST3 Applications 2026

Introduction

If you are a Core Surgical Trainee, SHO or an international doctor aiming to specialise in reconstructive and plastic Surgery, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know about applying for Plastic Surgery ST3 in the UK.

Plastic Surgery is one of the most competitive higher surgical specialities, demanding outstanding clinical skills, academic commitment, and a deep understanding of reconstructive and aesthetic principles. Applicants need to balance strong training experience with a carefully structured portfolio that demonstrates leadership, teaching, research, and genuine passion for the speciality.

In this guide, you’ll find a full breakdown of the Plastic Surgery ST3 recruitment process, including eligibility criteria, self-assessment scoring, the recruitment timeline, interview format, and competition ratios. You’ll also learn practical preparation strategies and how Medset’s Plastic Surgery ST3 Interview Course can help you perform confidently when it matters most.

Understanding Plastic Surgery ST3 Training

Plastic Surgery is a uniquely diverse and rewarding field that combines technical precision with creativity and problem-solving. It focuses on restoring both function and form after trauma, disease, or congenital defects, and training is designed to develop surgeons capable of handling a wide range of complex reconstructive and aesthetic cases.

Scope of Practice

Plastic surgeons manage an extraordinary variety of conditions, including:

• Major and minor trauma
• Burns management
• Hand and peripheral nerve surgery
• Craniofacial and cleft reconstruction
• Microsurgery and flap-based reconstruction
• Skin cancer excision and reconstruction
• Breast reconstruction
• Aesthetic and cosmetic procedures (within ethical NHS boundaries)

Plastic Surgery is one of the few specialities that seamlessly integrates reconstructive and cosmetic work within NHS and private practice.

Training Structure

Plastic Surgery training starts at ST3 following successful completion of Core Surgical Training (CST) or equivalent.

Trainees rotate through regional centres, gaining exposure to burns, trauma, microsurgery, cleft, breast, and hand surgery. The programme also encourages research, audit, teaching, and management roles, preparing trainees for consultant-level practice.

Why Choose Plastic Surgery?

If you value technical precision, creative problem-solving and variety, Plastic Surgery offers a truly fulfilling career. It’s a discipline where artistry meets science — from life-saving reconstruction after trauma to life-changing cosmetic procedures.

Common motivations include:

• The intellectual and creative challenge of reconstruction
• A balance of emergency and elective work
• Opportunities in innovation, research, and regenerative medicine
• A collaborative, multidisciplinary work environment

Plastic Surgery attracts doctors who are meticulous, empathetic, and resilient under pressure. No two days are the same — and the satisfaction of restoring both appearance and function is second to none.

Eligibility Requirements

Before applying, ensure that you meet all requirements outlined in the official Plastic Surgery ST3 Person Specification (2025).

1. Qualifications and Registration

• Primary medical qualification recognised by the General Medical Council (GMC)
• Full GMC registration with a licence to practise by the start date (August 2025)

2. Core Training Completion

• Completion of an approved Core Surgical Training (CST) programme or equivalent by the start date
• Applicants outside the UK CST must provide a Certificate of Readiness to Enter Higher Surgical Training (CREHST), verifying equivalence of competencies

3. Clinical Experience

• Minimum of 24 months’ clinical experience post-Foundation Year by August 2025
• At least 12 months in surgical specialities, ideally including exposure to Plastic Surgery, Burns, or Hand Surgery

4. Examinations

• MRCS (Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons) — both Part A and Part B completed before interview

5. Right to Work

• Applicants must have a UK right to work or secure appropriate immigration status before the August 2025 start date

6. Fitness to Practise and References

• No unresolved fitness-to-practise concerns
• Professional references confirming clinical competence and suitability for higher surgical training

Tip: If you are still in CST, try to secure rotations that include Plastic or Reconstructive Surgery. Related rotations in trauma, orthopaedics, dermatology, ENT, or burns can also enhance your portfolio. Participating in taster weeks, national audits, or BAPRAS/PLASTA meetings shows initiative and strengthens your “Commitment to Speciality” score.

Key Documents for Plastic Surgery ST3 Recruitment

Several official documents outline exactly how the Plastic Surgery ST3 recruitment process works, what evidence you’ll need, and how your portfolio will be verified. Reviewing these early will save you time and prevent errors later on.

Essential Documents

• Plastic Surgery ST3 Applicant Guidance (2025) – explains the national recruitment process. This includes shortlisting, scoring, and interview format.
• Plastic Surgery ST3 Person Specification (2025) – defines essential and desirable eligibility criteria, experience levels, and required competencies.
• Plastic Surgery ST3 Self-Assessment Guidance – details scoring across each portfolio domain (Commitment to Speciality, Leadership, Teaching, Research, etc.).
• Oriel Applicant Handbook – outlines application submission steps, referee requirements, and verification procedures.

These resources are available through Health Education England (HEE) and your chosen Royal College’s recruitment portal.
Access the official HEE person specification here:
https://medical.hee.nhs.uk/medical-training-recruitment/medical-specialty-training/person-specifications/person-specifications-2025/plastic-surgery-st3-2025

Tip: Bookmark each document and cross-reference it against your portfolio. The Self-Assessment Guidance is particularly critical — it determines how you’ll score and what supporting evidence you’ll need to upload for verification.

Plastic Surgery ST3 Application Timeline (2024–2025)

The Plastic Surgery ST3 recruitment process follows a strict national timeline. Missing any deadline will disqualify your application, so plan ahead and set reminders.

All applications are submitted through Oriel, the national medical recruitment platform. Candidates must complete personal details, employment history, self-assessment scores, referee information, and upload evidence before submission.

Tips for staying on track

• Upload portfolio evidence early in December — the Oriel system can slow down as deadlines approach.
• Triple-check that your MRCS and CREHST documentation are complete before the upload window closes.
• Set calendar reminders for each milestone. Missing even one can result in automatic disqualification.

Pro tip: Keep both digital and printed copies of all uploaded documents. You’ll often refer to them during your interview preparation and self-assessment verification.

Self-Assessment and Portfolio Scoring

Your self-assessment is the foundation of your Plastic Surgery ST3 application. It determines whether you are shortlisted for an interview and contributes heavily to your final ranking. The process is designed to evaluate not only surgical experience, but also leadership, teaching, audit, and academic engagement.

You’ll self-score across specific domains, each of which must be supported by clear documentary evidence. Verification panels review your evidence and may adjust scores, so ensure that everything you upload is accurate, complete, and clearly labelled.

Portfolio Domains

Portfolio Scoring Tips

• Label all documents clearly (for example, 2024_Audit_Burns_QI.pdf).
• Combine related documents into a single, well-ordered file per domain.
• Include brief reflections (around 100 words) describing what you learned and how it improved your practice.
• Quality always outweighs quantity — it’s better to have three strong examples than ten weak ones.
• If you’re uncertain about evidence, err on the side of under-claiming. Panels penalise inflated self-assessments.

Tip: To gain a competitive edge, consider enrolling in the Medset Plastic Surgery ST3 Interview Course. It includes tailored guidance on how to evidence leadership, teaching, and academic impact effectively — the same areas that score highest during verification.

Plastic Surgery ST3 Interview Format

If your verified self-assessment meets the required threshold, you’ll be invited to the national Plastic Surgery ST3 interview, which is held remotely. The interview evaluates your clinical reasoning, professionalism, communication, and motivation for the speciality.

The interview typically consists of three structured stations, each lasting around ten minutes. Two independent assessors mark each station using national scoring criteria.

What interviewers look for

• Clear, structured, and confident communication
• Evidence-based clinical reasoning
• Insight into strengths, weaknesses, and motivations
• Professional integrity and understanding of GMC standards

Tip: Record yourself practising mock stations using the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) framework for behavioural questions and ABCDE for clinical ones. Focus on clarity and reflection; overly rehearsed or unfocused answers tend to lose marks.

If you want realistic preparation, Medset’s Plastic Surgery ST3 Interview Course offers model question banks, live mock interviews, and feedback based on national scoring rubrics used in the real selection process.

Common Question Types and Example Topics

While each interview panel is unique, certain question themes appear frequently. Familiarising yourself with these can help you prepare thoughtful, structured answers.

1. Motivation and Insight

• Why Plastic Surgery?
• What influenced your decision to apply for this speciality?
• What do you think are the biggest challenges facing Plastic Surgery in the NHS?
• How do you see your career developing within the speciality?

Example Tip: Use specific examples from taster weeks, conferences, or mentorship experiences. Show how they shaped your understanding of reconstructive principles or patient-centred care.

2. Clinical and Emergency Scenarios

• How would you manage a patient with a deep hand laceration?
• A patient presents with facial burns — outline your immediate management.
• How would you manage an open fracture with soft-tissue loss?
• What are the steps if you suspect flap failure post-operatively?

Example Tip: Use structured frameworks such as A to E, mention early senior involvement, and emphasise patient safety and documentation.

3. Academic and Research Topics

• Discuss a recent research paper that changed your practice.
• How would you design an audit to improve post-operative wound outcomes?
• What are the ethical considerations around cosmetic Surgery in NHS practice?

Example Tip: Pick a current or well-known study (for instance, national audit projects or multicentre studies). Explain its relevance and what lessons you drew from it.

4. Professionalism and Teamwork

• Tell us about a time you made or witnessed an error.
• How did you handle a disagreement with a senior colleague?
• Describe how you supported a junior who was struggling.

Example Tip: Focus on honesty, reflection, and learning. Avoid blame; instead, highlight self-awareness and improvement.

5. Communication and Leadership

• How do you explain complex reconstructive procedures to anxious patients?
• Describe a time you led a multidisciplinary team effectively.
• How do you balance service delivery with training opportunities?

Example Tip: Show emotional intelligence and empathy. Communication is one of the highest-scoring attributes at interview.

How the Plastic Surgery ST3 Interview is Scored

The interview is highly structured and uses national scoring criteria agreed across all deaneries. Your final ranking score combines the marks from your verified portfolio and your interview performance.

Scoring Framework

Each station is rated on a five-point scale, from “Below Standard” to “Excellent”.

Key Takeaways for Scoring Success

• Practise explaining your portfolio achievements out loud — clarity and structure are crucial.
• Manage time carefully during each station. Overrunning or rushing both reduce marks.
• Use STAR for behavioural, ABCDE for clinical, and PICO for academic questions.
• Reflect after each mock interview to identify areas of improvement.

Tip: A strong interview can offset a lower self-assessment score. Medset’s Plastic Surgery ST3 Interview Course includes simulated interviews scored against national rubrics, helping you gauge your performance before the real thing.

Competition Ratios and Selection Overview

Plastic Surgery remains one of the most competitive surgical specialities in the UK. Its combination of technical precision, reconstructive artistry, and clinical impact attracts hundreds of applicants every year, but there’s a catch: available posts remain limited.

Recent Competition Ratios

Below are the indicative competition ratios from recent recruitment cycles:

Source: Historical recruitment data from Health Education England (HEE). Exact 2025 ratios will be published after this year’s cycle closes.

What This Means for You

While the ratios highlight how competitive the speciality is, they also emphasise that success depends on structured preparation and consistency rather than luck. Strong candidates typically:

• Begin portfolio development 6–9 months before applications open.
• Understand the self-assessment marking scheme inside out.
• Practise structured interview responses under timed conditions.
• Demonstrate ongoing commitment through audits, taster weeks, and attendance at national meetings such as BAPRAS or PLASTA.

Tip: Read applicant feedback from previous years to understand how panels differentiate between “safe” and “excellent.” Balanced performance across portfolio, interview, and communication domains is what secures a national ranking offer.

Challenges and How to Prepare Effectively

Preparing for Plastic Surgery ST3 can feel overwhelming, especially when balancing clinical duties, research, and revision. The good news is that structured planning makes the process entirely manageable. Here are common challenges and strategies to overcome them:

1. Balancing Clinical Work with Application Prep

Most CSTs struggle to find time to polish their portfolio while working full rotas. The key is consistency, not intensity.
Set aside one evening each week for portfolio updates, and dedicate weekends to mock interviews or research reading. Treat it like ongoing CPD, not a last-minute sprint.

2. Misunderstanding the Scoring Framework

Many applicants lose points because they overclaim on the self-assessment or misunderstand evidence requirements. Always double-check wording in the official guidance.
If in doubt, ask a senior trainee or mentor to review your portfolio — underclaiming slightly is far safer than having marks deducted during verification.

3. Limited Plastic Surgery Exposure

If your CST didn’t include a Plastic Surgery rotation, you can still demonstrate commitment through related experiences:

• Arrange taster weeks in regional plastic units.
• Complete audits in wound care, burns, or trauma reconstruction.
• Attend national events such as BAPRAS, PLASTA, or ASiT meetings.
• Enrol in short skills courses (e.g., microsurgery, flap dissection, or wound management).

All of these contribute valuable evidence for your “Commitment to Speciality” domain.

4. Managing Interview Anxiety

Remote interviews can feel impersonal and high-pressure. Practise regularly using a timer and webcam to simulate conditions. Record your answers and review posture, pacing, and clarity. Seek feedback from peers or senior registrars.

Tip: Confidence comes from familiarity — by the time you sit your real interview, aim to have completed at least three full-length mock sessions.

5. Strengthening Your Academic Profile

If you lack publications or presentations, start small. Participate in multicentre audit collaborations or local QI projects — these are efficient, high-yield ways to boost your academic score. Remember, reflection and completion matter more than volume.

How Medset’s Plastic Surgery ST3 Interview Course Helps You Succeed

Applying for Plastic Surgery ST3 is as much about structure as it is about skill. The competition is intense, but with the right preparation and feedback, you can approach the process with confidence.

The Medset Plastic Surgery ST3 Interview Course is designed to replicate the national interview environment and help you maximise your score across every domain.

Interactive Mock Interviews

These allow you to take part in timed, structured mock stations that mirror the national format. Each participant receives personalised feedback highlighting strengths, weaknesses, and improvement points mapped directly to the interview scoring domains.

Designed by Top Applicants

Sessions are delivered by top-scoring trainees who have been through the recruitment process themselves. They share personal insights, example answers, and what interviewers truly look for.

Why It Works

• Builds structured and confident communication — good answer frameworks are crucial at interview
• Manage Plastics conditions with high-level registrar thinking
• Develops insight and reflection — the qualities panels reward most
• Focus your preparation efficiently on the areas that score the highest

Enhancing Your Portfolio Beyond the Application

Your portfolio is more than just a checklist — it’s a reflection of your commitment, consistency, and potential as a future Plastic Surgery registrar. A well-organised portfolio tells a coherent story of progression, reflection, and genuine enthusiasm for the speciality.

1. Commitment to Plastic Surgery

This is one of the most heavily weighted domains in the self-assessment, and one of the most important to evidence clearly.
Strong examples include:

• Taster weeks in accredited Plastic Surgery units
• Participation in BAPRAS, PLASTA, or ASiT meetings
• Involvement in audits or QI projects on wound care, trauma, or reconstruction
• Presentations and posters on plastic or reconstructive topics
• Completion of relevant surgical skills or microsurgery workshops

If you have limited direct experience, related rotations (orthopaedics, ENT, burns, or dermatology) are still highly valuable. Use your reflections to show transferable learning — how these experiences improved your technical or clinical judgement in reconstructive cases.

Tip: Aim to show progressive commitment over time — for example, moving from attending a taster week to presenting at a national meeting the following year. This trajectory demonstrates focus and long-term intent.

2. Teaching and Leadership

Leadership and teaching skills are essential components of the Plastic Surgery curriculum and reflect your readiness to contribute beyond clinical practice.

Ways to strengthen this domain include:

• Delivering structured teaching to medical students or foundation doctors
• Creating teaching resources or simulation sessions
• Completing a Train The Trainer course
• Leading multidisciplinary audits or service improvement projects
• Chairing departmental meetings or rota coordination

Tip: Support every example with tangible evidence — such as feedback forms, certificates, or emails thanking you for your contribution. Uploading structured feedback scores can provide objective proof of teaching effectiveness.

3. Academic and Research Output

Plastic Surgery remains one of the most research-active surgical specialities, with national trainee collaboratives and multiple active audits each year. Academic engagement is a high-value domain and can substantially improve your ranking.

If you are just beginning your academic journey:

• Join national trainee collaboratives like Reconstructive Surgery Trials Network or PLASTA Research Collaborative.
• Participate in multicentre audits — these count towards collaborative publications.
• Complete research methodology or critical appraisal workshops.
• Attend conferences to understand key developments in reconstructive Surgery, tissue engineering, or wound management.

Even one or two well-chosen academic outputs, particularly if relevant to the speciality, are far more impressive than many superficial or incomplete projects.

4. Reflection and Presentation

Good presentation and organisation are just as important as content. Your assessors may review hundreds of portfolios — clarity and structure make yours memorable.

Portfolio presentation tips:

• Use a logical folder system mirroring self-assessment domains.
• Name documents clearly and consistently.
• Include short reflections summarising learning points and outcomes.
• Keep documents concise and legible — avoid clutter or duplication.

Prepare a short verbal “portfolio summary” for interview day so you can discuss your evidence fluently if asked.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Thoughts and Next Steps

Plastic Surgery offers one of the most dynamic, creative, and rewarding careers in modern medicine. From life-changing reconstructive procedures to innovative research in regenerative techniques, it’s a speciality that demands precision, empathy, and resilience.

While the pathway is undeniably competitive, it is entirely achievable with structured planning and professional guidance. Success in Plastic Surgery ST3 recruitment comes down to preparation, reflection, and the ability to communicate your passion effectively.

Here’s how to focus your next steps:

Start Early and Stay Organised

Download the self-assessment guidance today. Build a simple tracker for each domain and update it weekly. Small, consistent progress adds up quickly.

Build Genuine Commitment

Seek out meaningful experiences — taster weeks, national conferences, or reconstructive audits. Demonstrate curiosity and growth.

Practise Interview Technique

Structure your answers and practise with feedback. Use video recording to refine pacing, clarity, and confidence.

Get Professional Support

Structured coaching can dramatically improve performance. The Medset Plastic Surgery ST3 Interview Course mirrors the official 2025 interview structure and provides detailed feedback aligned to HEE scoring domains.

Keep Perspective

Every successful registrar once stood where you are now. Preparation and reflection, not perfection, are what matter most. Whether you’re applying for the first or second time, each step you take builds your readiness for a career defined by technical excellence and patient-centred care.

Ready to take the next step?

Begin your preparation with the Medset Plastic Surgery ST3 Interview Course and gain the structure, confidence, and insight you need to succeed.