General Surgery ST3 Application Guide

Introduction

General Surgery is a six-year training programme. Recruitment in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland is managed through a nationally coordinated process by the London and Kent, Surrey, and Sussex Deaneries. The process involves a General Surgery ST3 application, portfolio submission, and interview.

Applications are only accepted through the Oriel platform.

Eligibility & Longlisting

You must meet the eligibility criteria to be considered for speciality training. The requirements for this are detailed in the person specification.

• Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) or equivalent medical qualification
• Completion of Core Surgical Training or equivalent by start date
• Successful completion of Membership of The Royal College of Surgeons (MRCS) by the offer date
• Full registration and licence to practise with the General Medical Council (GMC) by the start date
• Complete employment history
• Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration (CESR)

A key requirement is that you will have completed Core Surgical by the time the training programme is due to start. If you have not done Core Surgical Training, you will need a completed ‘Certificate of Readiness to Enter Higher Surgical Training’ (CREHST).

This certifies that you have achieved competencies equivalent to those of the Core Surgical Training programme.

October Rotations

Candidates currently in core surgical training posts who are expected to complete core surgical training in October rather than August are eligible to apply for the coming year of General Surgery ST3 recruitment.

A full breakdown of the General Surgery ST3 recruitment dates for posts commencing in August 2026 is provided on the NHS Health Education England (HEE) website and in the table below.

Recruitment Timeline 2024/25

Portfolio Assessment & Shortlisting

This year, the ST3 general surgery self-assessment of your portfolio is back. You will calculate a self-assessment score from your personal achievements and be required to submit evidence.

The portfolio questions:

Question 1

By the end of July 2026, or by the completion of Core Training if this is later, how many months full time (or equivalent if LTFT) will you have spent in total in General Surgery in any post-Foundation job in any country? Eligible posts must include experience in both unselected emergency general surgery and elective general surgery (or a recognised general surgical sub-specialty) Please do not include any other posts.

Maximum points: 8

Question 2

By the end of July 2026, or the completion of Core Training, will you have spent at least 4 months in T&O, Plastic Surgery, Neurosurgery, ENT Surgery, Cardiac/Thoracic surgery, A&E, ITU, Paediatric Surgery, Urology, Vascular or OMFS posts since completing your Foundation Programme?

Maximum score: 4

Question 3

At the time of application, how many appendicectomies (laparoscopic and/or open) have you completed which have been done either STS or STU or P or T? These must be recorded in a validated logbook and each sheet signed by a consultant.

Maximum score: 4

Question 4

Publications: Please submit your 2 best publications, published in any PubMed indexed journal. In order to be eligible for this section, publications must have a PubMed ID and be published by the time of application.

Do not include articles which have not yet been published. Collaborative papers, abstracts, case reports, letters or technical tips are acceptable. Points will be awarded for candidate contribution, level of authorship, quality of study and impact factor of publication.

Maximum score: 10 (5 per publication)

Question 5

Presentations: Please submit your 2 best presentations. In order to be eligible for this section, the presentation must have occurred by the time of application.

You may include poster presentations.

Points will be awarded for candidate contribution, being the presenter of the work, quality of study and scope of meeting (regional, national, or international).

Maximum score: 10 (5 per presentation)

Question 6

Audits and Quality Improvement Project (QIPs): Please submit your single best closed-loop audit. Please only submit an audit which has been presented, as you will need to provide evidence for this. For each loop of the closed loop audit you must provide evidence of your involvement in the design, execution and presentation stages.

Points will be awarded for e.g. depth of candidate involvement, reference standard, study design, importance of clinical question and impact of work.

Maximum score: 8

Question 7

At the time of application, have you completed and been awarded a stand-alone UK higher degree or equivalent (see evidence below) examined by thesis/dissertation? (NB: This does not include intercalated degrees)?

This category has now been broadened to include PG Certs, Diplomas and taught Masters degrees. Points will not be awarded unless evidence is provided that the qualification has been awarded.

Maximum points: 5

You must ensure that evidence is provided for every response. You can find guidance on what evidence to provide for each question here.

Interviews

If you are shortlisted for a General Surgery ST3 interview, you will be invited to book an interview slot via Oriel. Invites to interview will be sent on 10 March 2026. Slots will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

The 2026 interview window is 26 — 27 March 2026.

Since the pandemic, General Surgery ST3 interviews have taken place online. This will continue for the 2026 process. The interview will assess different areas of your skills, knowledge and experience. The stations will have two consultant interviewers.

The interview lasts 40 minutes and is made up of 3 stations: Clinical, Management & Portfolio.

1. Clinical Station – You will be given a scenario and have 5 minutes reading time before the interview – this will be a clinical scenario about a patient. You will have 10 minutes to answer questions about the clinical scenario and other related questions.
2. Management Station – You will be given a scenario and have 5 minutes reading time before the interview – this scenario will be about a management problem based in the clinical environment. You will have 10 minutes to answer questions about the management scenario and other related questions.
3. Portfolio Station – You will have 10 minutes to answer questions about aspects of your career to date. You do not need to prepare or present a hard copy of your portfolio. Portfolio evidence will not be available to the interviewers to review during your interview.

The key to success at the interview comes down to two things: preparation and using the right answer frameworks.

The key reason I scored 100% in my ST3 interview is that I used the right answer frameworks. The difference that separates the best candidates from everyone else is not their knowledge but how they communicate it.

If you want to learn the answer frameworks that allowed me to score 100% at my ST3 interview, the Medset General Surgery ST3 Interview Course contains everything I used to score full marks at every station, rank in the top 10 in the country and get my first choice job.

Preferences

Following the interview, you will be invited to preference available posts on Oriel before offers being made.

Your ranking will be based on your portfolio and interview scores. These scores will be combined to generate one national ranking from which offers will be made to all available posts.

Offers

Offers will be made to those successful applicants who have ‘matched’ to a post and will be based on the applicant’s ranking and preferences. Offers will be made via Oriel by 5 pm on 14th April 2026.

Following initial offers being released, further offers are made in subsequent iterations. You have 48 hours from the time of offer (excluding weekends) to confirm via Oriel whether you wish to accept, reject or hold your offer. Offers made after the hold deadline will only have the option to accept or reject.

Allocations

Once offers have been accepted, the appointee’s details will be passed on to the local training programme director around 14 weeks before the start date and to the first Trust you have been appointed to 12 weeks before your start date.

Preparing For The ST3 Interview?

The Medset General Surgery ST3 Interview Course contains everything that I used to score 100% at interview, rank in the top 10 in the country and get my first choice job.

Unlike other courses, the focus is not just on a series of practice questions and scenarios – instead it focuses on the answer frameworks and strategies that will allow you to get full marks even when confronted with new unfamiliar scenarios.

Sign up to the course to give yourself the very best chance of getting the job you want.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens during the General Surgery ST3 Application longlisting process?

During longlisting, your application is checked against the person specification. Key evidence includes:

• MBBS/equivalent
• Full MRCS by offer date
• Core surgical competencies via CST or CREHST
• Complete employment history

Applications may be withdrawn if the entry criteria aren’t met.

How is the Certificate of Readiness to Enter Higher Surgical Training (CREHST) used, and what does it entail?

The CREHST programme offers training experiences designed to equip trainees with the relevant skills and knowledge necessary for HST (Higher Specialist Training).

During the programme, trainees are assessed on various aspects of surgical competency, including generic skills, professionalism, and leadership.

To complete this training, a consultant relevant to each subject must sign the CREHST form to confirm the trainee’s readiness for HST.

This acknowledges and supports diverse training pathways, making it specific to individuals. CST is a highly competitive process, and this has led to increasing popularity of CREHST among aspiring surgeons.

Boost Your ST3 General Surgery Portfolio

With general surgery being a highly competitive field, it is important to give yourself the best chance of standing out. Enhance the overall appeal of your portfolio by investing in your skills with another available training course:

Train The Trainers

Medical Leadership & Management Course

Advanced Communication Course

Further Reading

General Surgery ST3 Interview Preparation

How I Scored 100% at ST3 Interview

Person Specification 2026

Teaching Skills For Doctors – The Complete Guide