CST Self-Assessment 2027: What Replaced It

Is there a Core Surgical Training self-assessment in 2027?

No. The Core Surgical Training self-assessment on Oriel was abolished and does not exist for 2027 entry. It was replaced by an evidence upload with an index sheet, and by a live portfolio station worth 45% of the score.

According to NHS England's portfolio guidance for candidates, evidence is graded A to E across four domains and discussed with a panel, rather than scored from a form you fill in at application.

This page exists because the URL still ranks for the old term. If you searched for the CST self-assessment, the Portfolio Station page in this guide is where the marks now sit; coresurgeryinterview keeps this page so the change is explained rather than silently redirected.

What did the old CST self-assessment score?

The old CST self-assessment was a set of scored questions on the Oriel form, verified by consultant surgeons against uploaded evidence. Legacy guidance put the verified score at about 30% of the total; in earlier rounds it was also the shortlisting tool.

Two features of the old scheme are worth remembering because they carried over in spirit. Over-scoring could be treated as a probity concern, and every claim had to be evidenced before a point was awarded.

What counts now instead of the CST self-assessment?

Instead of the CST self-assessment, three things now count: the evidence you upload in the evidence window, the index sheet that maps it to the four domains, and your answers in the 15-minute portfolio station.

The station's marked domains are skills and knowledge, and the presentation: its content, your presentation skills and your handling of questions. Each item is scored 0 to 6.

How does the evidence index differ from the self-assessment?

The evidence index differs from the self-assessment in who scores it and when. You no longer award yourself points; a panel grades your evidence A to E and then questions you on it live in the portfolio station.

In practice this rewards organisation more than the old scheme did. The panel has minutes, not hours, so an index sheet that leads straight to each piece of evidence is what earns the grade.

What happens if you leave out the CST index sheet?

Leaving out the CST portfolio index sheet scores zero for portfolio evidence, whatever the portfolio contains. According to NHS England's portfolio guidance, the sheet is mandatory and there is no discretion.

That said, the sheet is the easiest part of the process to get right. It is a map of your evidence against the domains, and it can be drafted months before the upload window opens.

Does the MSRA replace the self-assessment for shortlisting?

Yes. The MSRA now shortlists for Core Surgical Training: only the top 1,200 applicants at the MSRA are invited to upload evidence and to interview. The self-assessment no longer plays any part in who is interviewed.

The MSRA also contributes 10% of the selection score, scaled to a mark out of 10. In 2025 there were 5,399 applications for 630 posts, 8.6 to 1, so a cap of 1,200 admits about 22% of a field that size to interview.

What should you do with old CST self-assessment guidance?

Use old CST self-assessment guidance only as a list of the kinds of evidence surgical panels value, and never as a scoring scheme. Nothing in it tells you what grade your evidence will receive now.

• Consolidation reports and logbook summaries signed by a consultant, with their full name and GMC number
• Letters of acceptance and programmes for presentations; copies of published work with the PubMed ID
• Supervisor letters for QIP and audit stating your level of involvement, on letterhead
• Teaching feedback, senior observation records and certificates for training in teaching

However, check every item against the 2027 portfolio guidance when NHS England publishes it. The guidance says it is likely that from 2027 the domains realign to Good Medical Practice: knowledge and skills, safety and culture, and communication.

When is the CST evidence upload window for 2027?

The 2027 CST evidence upload window is not yet published. In 2026 it ran from 16 to 26 February, after the MSRA window of 6 to 19 January and before interviews on 2 to 11 March.

Where should you go next?

Go to the Portfolio Station page in this guide for the four domains, the A to E grades and the index sheet, and to the Interview Overview for the two stations and the 10/45/45 score.

coresurgeryinterview's question bank includes portfolio-station questions with model answers and AI-marked spoken practice, alongside the management and clinical scenarios, for £97 to the end of the 2027 interview window.