Introduction
This guide is for the 2027 recruitment round, for Core Surgical Training (CST) posts starting from August 2027. CST recruitment is one of the most competitive processes in the UK, and for this round the portfolio assessment has been revised again. Understanding the changes could be the difference between securing your ideal post and facing another round of applications. This guide breaks down the key updates to the CST portfolio for 2027 and explains how to score as highly as possible.
For those looking to strengthen their portfolio, there is still time to gain evidence by completing relevant activities before the evidence upload date of Friday 19 February 2027. Teaching now sits within the Patients, Partnership and Communication domain, and NHS England lists a certificate for an educational event focused on learning how to teach as one acceptable form of teaching evidence. A course such as our Train The Trainers course is the kind of event that describes. On its own, though, a course earns no grade for CST 2027: the indicators reward teaching you designed or delivered, and the certificate only supports that evidence.
The portfolio is graded with letter indicators (A to E) rather than points, and it is assessed at the interview rather than self-scored on Oriel, so presenting your achievements well matters more than ever. For the interview itself, our CST Interview Course has modules on the clinical stations, the management stations and the leadership presentation.
Key 2027 Portfolio Changes
For 2027 the portfolio has been regrouped into three domains aligned to the GMC’s Good Medical Practice: Knowledge, Skills and Development; Patients, Partnership and Communication; and Colleagues, Culture and Safety. The fourth GMC domain, Trust and Professionalism, is assessed through the interview. NHS England says it does not expect major changes for the 2028 portfolio.
You no longer self-assess on Oriel. You upload an index page giving a letter (A to E) for each domain, and the interviewers score your portfolio at the Portfolio station, based on your evidence and your answers to their questions. If you do not upload the index page, you score zero for the portfolio and your evidence is not reviewed.
- Operative Experience: the top indicator, A, is involvement in 40 or more cases
- Surgical Experience: a surgical taster week or elective scores A; otherwise you score B
- QIPs and Audits: the top indicators go to leading a closed-loop project, with extra credit for presenting it
- Communication: publications, presentations, teaching, podcasts, webinars and patient leaflets now share one domain, and you pick one option
For 2027 recruitment the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act 2026 applies, and priority status is taken into account at shortlisting.
CST Recruitment Timeline 2026/27
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Applications open | 22nd October 2026 |
| Applications close | 4 pm Thursday 19th November 2026 |
| Invitations MSRA | To be confirmed |
| MSRA Window | 5th to 18th January 2027 |
| MSRA scores released to applicants | From Thursday 11 February 2027 |
| Invites to interview sent | 16th February 2027 (subject to change) |
| Evidence upload portal opens | Friday 19th February 2027 |
| Evidence upload portal closes | Wednesday 24th February 2027 |
| Interview dates | 1st to 10th March 2027 |
Points Summary
A summary of the A to E indicators across the three domains of the 2027 CST portfolio, based on NHS England’s official guidance. In the communication domain you choose one option and points are not cumulative.
| Domain and item | A (Highest) | B | C | D | E (Lowest) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knowledge, Skills and Development: Operative Experience | Involvement in 40+ cases | 30–39 cases | 20–29 cases | 11–19 cases | 10 cases or fewer, or no evidence |
| Knowledge, Skills and Development: Surgical Experience | Surgical taster week (5+ days) or surgical elective (4+ weeks) | No surgical taster, elective or placement | |||
| Patients, Partnership and Communication | See the full list below: for example a top oral prize, a first-author paper, or a teaching programme you designed and delivered | For example an oral presentation, a case report or an online teaching programme | Regular teaching (4+ sessions a year) | First-author poster or regional oral presentation | None or other |
| Colleagues, Culture and Safety: Quality Improvement Project (QIP) | Lead in all aspects of a surgically themed audit or QIP with demonstrated change | Lead in all aspects of a clinical audit or QIP with demonstrated change | Contributor in a clinical audit or QIP with demonstrated change | Involved in a clinical audit or QIP | None or other |
Operative Experience
This can be tricky without a surgical rotation, so try to negotiate time to attend theatre sessions. Cases must be assisted or supervised, not simply observed. Once you reach 40 or more cases, focus on other parts of the portfolio.
Criteria
| Details | Criteria |
|---|---|
| Operative Experience Scoring | A: 40+ cases B: 30–39 C: 20–29 D: 11–19 E: 10 or fewer, or no evidence |
| Required Evidence | A verified eLogbook consolidation report, with the summary sheet, signed by a consultant. |
| Consolidation Report Must Include | A summary sheet with case counts and date ranges, and on every page the consultant’s full name, signature, GMC number (or equivalent) and the date. |
| Only One Report | Combine all specialties onto a single report signed on every page. Do not upload your whole logbook. |
Surgical Experience
Scoring Categories for Surgical Experience
| Indicator | Criteria |
|---|---|
| A | Surgical taster week (at least 5 days in total, which can be non-consecutive) or a surgical elective as a medical student (at least 4 weeks) |
| B | No surgical taster, elective or surgical placement |
A 5-day taster that is only booked for 2027 receives 0 points, so complete it before the upload date.
Surgical Specialties Recognised
- Cardiac and Thoracic, ENT, General, Neurosurgery, Oral and Maxillofacial, Orthopaedic, Paediatric, Plastic, Urology and Vascular Surgery
Evidence Submission
Upload one signed letter on official letterhead from your educational supervisor (or the nominated consultant for an elective), giving the hospital, dates, supervisor’s name and GMC number, and what you did, such as theatre lists or clinics. An acceptance letter sent before you started does not count.
Quality Improvement Projects (QIP) and Audit
This item sits in the Colleagues, Culture and Safety domain. QIPs and audits are vital to scoring well. Plan to complete two cycles and present your results before you submit. Both your involvement and your presentation are scored.
Subdomain 1: Involvement in QIP/Audit
| Indicator | Option | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| A | Lead in all aspects of a surgically themed QIP or audit with change shown | Must show all stages of the project, at least two cycles, and a surgical theme. |
| B | Lead in all aspects of a clinical audit or QIP with change shown | Participation in all stages and at least two cycles. |
| C | Contributor in a clinical audit or QIP with change shown | Active involvement across multiple cycles. |
| D | Involved in a clinical audit or QIP | Assisted with data collection in at least one cycle. |
| E | None or other |
Base your claim on a single project: the one matching the highest-scoring statement.
Submitting Evidence
Provide the project presentation or a summary of its scope and impact, plus a signed letter from the supervising consultant stating your level of involvement (name, GMC number, date). Include the slides to score full points.
Subdomain 2: Presentation of the QIP/Audit
You are eligible for these points only if you were at least a contributor (indicators A to C above).
| Indicator | Option | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| A | Presented both cycles of data, or the intervention and change, at a meeting | Evidence via slides showing you as first author and an acceptance letter. |
| B | Presented one cycle at a meeting | As above. |
| C | Did not present any aspect of the project |
Submit a letter of acceptance (title, presenting author, date, organiser) or a programme listing you as the presenter.
Presentations, Publications and Other Communication
In the Patients, Partnership and Communication domain, presentations, publications, teaching, podcasts, webinars and patient leaflets all sit together. Pick the single option that scores you the most. Points are not cumulative. Start early, because publication timelines are long.
Scoring Categories
| Grade | Criteria |
|---|---|
| A | Top prize for an oral presentation at a national or international meeting; first-author PubMed or Web of Science paper (not a case report); a face-to-face teaching programme you designed with local educators and delivered (4+ sessions); or a surgically themed podcast, webinar or patient information leaflet with demonstrable impact |
| B | Oral presentation at a national or international meeting; first-author prize-winning poster or oral poster; first-author case report or editorial, or a published book chapter; an online teaching programme (4+ sessions); or a podcast, webinar or leaflet with demonstrable impact |
| C | Regular teaching for healthcare professionals or medical students over the last year (4 or more sessions a year) |
| D | First-author poster or oral poster at a national or international meeting; oral presentation at a regional meeting; or cited collaborative author |
| E | None or other |
Important Notes
- Only presentations you delivered personally count, after being selected to present.
- First authorship must meet the ICMJE criteria.
- Meetings need peer review and must be organised or accredited by a surgical Royal College, a national or international surgical organisation or a deanery, or have CPD accreditation. Student-society conferences do not count.
- A publication without a PubMed ID or Web of Science reference scores 0.
- You cannot claim the same project in both the QIP and communication sections.
Submitting Evidence
Upload the documents that match your claim: the article with its PubMed ID, an acceptance letter, or a programme page and certificate of attendance. For a podcast, webinar or leaflet, add the link, transcript or PDF and a supervisor’s letter describing your role and the impact.
Tip: Target trainee-oriented national meetings, which often have higher acceptance rates, and seek consultant mentorship for writing opportunities.
Teaching
Teaching is an excellent way to strengthen your CST portfolio. For 2027 it counts within the Patients, Partnership and Communication domain, so you choose one option across the whole domain. To reach the top indicator, work with local educators to design a programme and deliver at least four sessions.
Teaching Indicators
| Option | Indicator | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| A | Worked with local educators to design a face-to-face teaching programme (4 or more sessions) and delivered at least 4 sessions | Show that you identified a gap in the teaching provided and had input into the objectives and outline of the sessions. |
| B | The same, delivered online (4 or more sessions) | Evidence of the platform used is needed, with a link where possible. |
| C | Regular teaching for healthcare professionals or medical students over the last year (4 or more sessions a year) | Formal feedback, reviewed by a consultant, is required. |
Submitting Evidence
Provide a signed consultant letter (name, GMC number, dates) confirming that you designed, organised and delivered at least four sessions, with formal feedback such as anonymised participant surveys or a teaching assessment. Alternatively, a consultant letter can confirm that you delivered teaching and that participant feedback was reviewed, or you can provide a certificate for an educational event focused on learning how to teach.
NHS England lists a certificate for an educational event focused on learning how to teach (a course such as Train The Trainers is the kind of event this describes) among the acceptable forms of teaching evidence. A course on its own earns no grade: indicators A, B and C depend on teaching you designed or delivered, so treat the certificate as support for that teaching, not a substitute for it.
Tip: If opportunities are limited, organise virtual evening webinars or work with undergraduate departments.
Summary and Tips for Maximising Your Portfolio Score
Assessors have limited time (NHS England’s pages give a 10 to 15 minute review window), so make your evidence clear, concise and relevant.
Upload Your Index Page
Without it you score zero for the portfolio. List the letter you are claiming in each domain.
Lead With Your Best Achievement
Assessors assess and ask questions about the first achievement uploaded in each domain, and an achievement can be used in only one domain. Choose the one with the highest indicator, and claim nothing you will not have completed by Friday 19 February 2027.
Present Your Evidence Clearly
Create one continuous PDF per domain, containing only that domain’s evidence, with the index page on top, named with the evidence title, your Oriel pin and your name. Put your strongest item first: only the first pieces of evidence are assessed, and nothing can be added after 24 February 2027.
Beware of Disreputable Sources
Avoid unaccredited or pay-to-present sources: NHS England warns that a meeting you pay to present at is unlikely to be peer reviewed. For reference, Medset’s Train The Trainers course (also sold as Teach The Teachers) carries 12 CPD points. You can take it online and self-paced (£195) or as a live virtual classroom (6 hours of live teaching plus online modules, £279 from the November 2026 dates). Either way, the course alone earns no CST grade.
Check Your Signatures
Be wary of electronic signatures. NHS England warns that they can often be edited and then cannot be accepted as secure. Check that a signature is not in an editable text box. Where a GMC number is required, you must provide it, or the evidence scores 0.
Ensure No Patient Identifiable Data (PID)
Do not upload anything that identifies a patient, including hospital numbers or thank-you cards. If assessors find any, no score is awarded and you may be reported to the GMC.
Claim Honestly
Over-claiming can be tested in the questions you are asked and can lead to a probity referral. Provide a certified translation for any document not in English.
