UK Medicine – Complete Application Guide 2025

Before applying to medicine, you should do all you can to ensure that this is the right career for you. This can be a difficult decision for many, as even those in the late stages of medical school or even their first years of work are only just finding out what life as a doctor is really like.

Before deciding to apply to medical school, speak to medical students or junior doctors, find some work experience and attend open days whenever possible. Ask yourself, what are my motivations for becoming a doctor? Is it the reward of helping others? Is it the esteem? Is it the financial reward? (Although this certainly isn’t as much as many other professions).

The most important step in making this decision is taking the time to reflect and think about what it is you want from life and the values that are important to you.

OST – Application Guide 2025

The Ophthalmic Specialty Training programme is a competitive 7-year training programme towards a certificate of completion of training (CCT) to become a Consultant Ophthalmologist. With a competition ratio of 9.91, this may appear daunting at first glance, but understanding the selection criteria and early preparation is key to a successful application. The national recruitment process has traditionally been led by the Severn deanery and you should regularly check their website for updates on the evidence folder requirements and the recruitment timeline.

CST – Application Guide 2025

The CST Application process commences around November each year when the self-assessment scoring criteria (or ‘portfolio’) is released and applications can be submitted via Oriel. Applicants typically spend a year or two perfecting their portfolios ahead of submission, as it’s the only domain where you can guarantee marks. That being said, having a weaker portfolio by no means precludes from securing a CST place.

Core Surgical Training (CST) Portfolio Guide – 2024/25

The Core Surgical Training Self-Assessment, commonly referred to as the ‘CST Portfolio’ accounts for 30% of an applicant’s points. The 2024 guide has just been released.

In this article, we demystify the portfolio, break down each section and explain how points can be maximised ahead of submission. The full portfolio can be found here.

How I Scored 100% At My ST3 Interview

The key reason I scored 100% at ST3 interview is that I used a great answer framework. The difference that separates the best candidates from everyone else is not what they know, but how they communicate. The secret to effective communication at interview is using the right answer framework.

Free Quiz – Which Medical Speciality Should I Choose?

Take our psychometric test to find out which medical speciality is best matched to your personality…

General Surgery ST3 – Application Guide 2025

General Surgery is a 6-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 an application, portfolio submission and interview.

Urology ST3 – Application Guide 2025

The Urology ST3 selection process is a national evaluation lasting up to 60 minutes, conducted by two Consultants who will independently score your performance. Additionally, a layperson may be present in your interview station, but their role is to assess the examiners for fairness, not you.

For the year 2024, the interview format mirrors that of 2023, comprising four stations covering: