Self-Assessment
The official 2027 self-assessment scoring system, question by question, with the interview stations and the full 234-mark matrix. Transcribed from the NHS England documents; always confirm against the national recruitment page before applying.
The 13 Self-Assessment Questions (2027)
Your validated self-assessment score shortlists you for interview and carries 34 weighted marks of the final 234. The scorers also mark how meticulously you follow the evidence instructions — treat the upload itself as an organisational test (Question 13 scores it explicitly).
Q1. Employment summary pageDetails
A single page summary (to end July 2027) of graduation date, foundation training and every post-foundation post with job title, specialty and dates, LTFT details, and any periods out of employment. Unscored — but it frames the whole review.
- Do not upload employment contracts — a single summary page only.
- Include periods out of employment (sick leave, parental leave etc).
Q2. Months in Trauma & Orthopaedic postsmax 8 ptsDetails
Total months (FTE) in a primarily T&O placement in any post-foundation job in any country, by end of July 2027 or completion of Core Training if later. Note the deliberate penalty for very long experience.
| Response | Score |
|---|---|
| 0 to 3 months | 0 |
| 4 to 9 months | 1 |
| 10 to 36 months | 8 |
| 37 to 59 months | 4 |
| 60 months or more | 1 |
- Evidence of completion of training posts; contract front page (with dates) for non-training posts.
- A month counts as 30 days; unaccounted periods to end July 2027 are ASSUMED to be T&O employment.
- Prospective statements of intent about ceasing employment are not considered.
Q3. Complementary specialty experiencemax 2 ptsDetails
At least 4 months (post-foundation) in: Plastics, Neurosurgery, Vascular, ENT, Cardiothoracics, EM, ITU, Urology, OMFS, Paediatric Surgery or General Surgery.
| Response | Score |
|---|---|
| No 4-month block in any listed specialty | 0 |
| 4+ months in 1 listed specialty | 1 |
| 4+ months in 2 or more listed specialties | 2 |
- Training post evidence or contract front page with dates.
Q4. Neck of femur fracture operations (STS/STU)max 4 ptsDetails
Wholly completed NOF fracture operations performed supervised-trainer-scrubbed or supervised-trainer-unscrubbed, at the time of application, in a consultant-validated logbook.
| Response | Score |
|---|---|
| 0 to 5 | 0 |
| 6 to 17 | 2 |
| 18 or more | 4 |
- Consultant-validated logbook consolidation sheets — name, signature and GMC number on each sheet.
Q5. Validated PBAs for NOF fracture surgerymax 1 ptsDetails
6+ ISCP consultant-validated PBAs at level 2 or above for wholly completed NOF operations.
| Response | Score |
|---|---|
| 0–5 validated PBAs | 0 |
| 6 or more validated PBAs | 1 |
- ISCP evidence validated by a consultant or recognised ISCP trainer (registrar trainers without CCT not accepted).
- Upload exactly 6 — more is not needed.
Q6. First-author publicationsmax 4 ptsDetails
Best 2 first-author PubMed-indexed papers since starting medical school. No abstracts, case reports, book chapters, letters or technical tips.
| Response | Score |
|---|---|
| None with PMID | 0 |
| One with PMID | 2 |
| Two with PMID | 4 |
- PMID, title, authors, journal, date for each; only the first 2 evidenced are considered.
- Collaborative group names don't count as first author.
- Journals not indexed in BOTH PubMed and Web of Science (e.g. Cureus) are discounted.
Q7. Other publicationsmax 2 ptsDetails
Best 2 other publications (any author position, excluding Q6 papers). An Associate PI role on an NIHR study counts as one 'other author' publication.
| Response | Score |
|---|---|
| None with PMID | 0 |
| One with PMID | 1 |
| Two with PMID | 2 |
- PMID + details, or a validated Associate PI confirmation letter (one only).
- Collaborative papers need evidence of a significant role (design, analysis or writing).
Q8. National / international presentationsmax 4 ptsDetails
Best 2 presentations at national/international conferences. Group 1 = podium delivered by you (2 pts each). Group 2 = delivered by co-author, poster walk, JAM or poster (1 pt each).
| Response | Score |
|---|---|
| 0 presentations | 0 |
| 1 × Group 2 only | 1 |
| 1 × Group 1 only | 2 |
| 2 × Group 2 | 2 |
| 1 × Group 1 + 1 × Group 2 | 3 |
| 2 × Group 1 | 4 |
- Certificate of delivery/acceptance + display, and attendance certificate.
- Each project counts once even if presented at several meetings.
Q9. Audit / QIP / collaborative projectsmax 2 ptsDetails
Best 2 projects since Foundation: closed-loop audit against a published standard, QIP using recognised methodology (e.g. PDSA), or a published collaborative project (data collection = one closed-loop audit).
| Response | Score |
|---|---|
| None | 0 |
| One project | 1 |
| Two projects | 2 |
- Active involvement in BOTH cycles; outcomes evidenced on a single slide (not the full deck).
- Validated certificate or letter from the audit lead — not the meeting agenda.
Q10. Higher degreemax 2 ptsDetails
A completed stand-alone UK higher degree (or equivalent) examined by thesis/dissertation, at the time of application. Intercalated BScs don't count.
| Response | Score |
|---|---|
| None | 0 |
| Masters (MSc, MMedEd, MS, MCh(Orth), ChM) or PGCert | 1 |
| PhD or MD | 2 |
- Degree certificate; overseas degrees need an equivalence letter + transcript.
Q11. Leadership & managementmax 3 ptsDetails
One statement best describing your involvement within medicine.
| Response | Score |
|---|---|
| No evidence | 0 |
| Local role (rota co-ordinator, journal club organiser) | 1 |
| Significant local/regional role (6+ months) | 2 |
| National/international formal role, elected or competitively appointed (6+ months, e.g. BOTA, ASiT) | 3 |
- Signed letter from the recognised body for national roles; otherwise consultant-signed documentation with GMC number.
Q12. Teachingmax 3 ptsDetails
Involvement in teaching to end July 2027 (or completion of Core Training).
| Response | Score |
|---|---|
| Little or none | 0 |
| Regular formal teaching over last 2 years (4+ sessions/year) | 1 |
| Significant role: recurring programme (fortnightly+), course delivery, or teaching in contract | 2 |
| Formal substantive teaching role (solely teaching) | 3 |
- OoT forms / delegate feedback (redacted) / programme evidence / contract; role within last 5 years, 6+ months.
- ATLS Instructor / Training-the-Trainer attendance does not count.
Q13. Organisation of evidencemax 2 ptsDetails
The reviewer scores how well your upload is organised: summary page first per domain, legible, orientated documents.
| Response | Score |
|---|---|
| Poorly organised evidence | 0 |
| Well organised evidence | 2 |
- This question cannot be appealed.
The Interview: four 10-minute stations
A single 60-minute online interview (Qpercom), two independent scorers per station, five minutes of reading time before each. Notes on paper are permitted; AI use is not.
Commitment to Specialty
10 minutes on your career and experience — two interviewers score Career Motivation/Learning & Development, Leadership & Team Involvement, Organisation & Planning, Communication (Information Giving) and Academic. The panel does NOT see your portfolio.
Clinical Judgement
A 10-minute clinical scenario scoring Technical Knowledge, Problem Solving & Decision Making, Situational Awareness and both Communication domains.
Prioritisation
A 10-minute prioritisation exercise scoring Organisation & Planning, both Communication domains, Judgement under Pressure and Situational Awareness.
Communication
A 10-minute patient-communication scenario scoring Technical Knowledge, Situational Awareness, Judgement under Pressure and both Communication domains.
Practise every station in the question bank — including AI-marked spoken answers scored on the real station domains.
Scoring Matrix — 234 marks
| Station | Domains (10 marks each) | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Self-Assessment | Career Motivation, Learning & Development (16) · Academic (16) · Organisation & Planning (2) | 34 |
| Commitment to Specialty | Career Motivation, Learning & Development · Academic · Leadership & Team Involvement · Organisation & Planning · Communication — Information Giving | 50 |
| Clinical | Technical Knowledge · Situational Awareness · Problem Solving & Decision Making · Communication — Information Gathering · Communication — Information Giving | 50 |
| Prioritisation | Judgement under Pressure · Situational Awareness · Organisation & Planning · Problem Solving & Decision Making · Communication — Information Gathering | 50 |
| Communication | Technical Knowledge · Judgement under Pressure · Situational Awareness · Communication — Information Gathering · Communication — Information Giving | 50 |
| Overall | Appointability: 146/232 minimum overall (2026 figure — 2027 TBC) | 234 |
Key Dates
The 2027 timeline is not yet published (interviews expected March 2027, TBC). The 2026 cycle ran as follows — expect the same shape a year on:
| Applications open | 10am, Thu 20 November 2025 |
| Application deadline | 4pm, Tue 16 December 2025 |
| Evidence upload (Qpercom) | 5–14 January 2026 |
| Self-Assessment validation | 27/28 January 2026 |
| Interviews (online, Qpercom VIDs) | Tue 24 – Fri 27 March 2026 |
| Initial offers released | by 5pm, Tue 14 April 2026 |
| Hold / upgrade deadlines | 22–23 April 2026 |
Source: NHS England 2027 Self-Assessment Scoring System and the 2026 Applicant Handbook, via the national recruitment page. Always verify against the official documents before relying on any figure.
More interview info
Practise every station
The question bank covers every station with model answers and AI-marked spoken practice.
Register for the question bank