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Shared familyShared Family2026 Cycle4 Interview Stations

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry ST4 Interview Preparation — 2026

This guide covers everything you need to know to prepare for the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry ST4 (Child and Adolescent Psychiatry ST4) interview in the 2026 recruitment cycle. The Child and Adolescent Psychiatry ST4 interview consists of 4 stations covering Presentation, Clinical, Ethics / professionalism, Suitability / commitment. Uses shared-family scoring and interview readiness rather than a fully bespoke route grid.

Medically reviewed by MedNext Clinical Team. Last reviewed 27 April 2026. See our editorial policy.

4
Stations
4
Scoring Sections
8
Eligibility Criteria
1
Source Documents

Interview Stations

The Child and Adolescent Psychiatry ST4 interview consists of 4 stations. Each station is timed and assesses different competencies.

Presentation

Structured communication and route-specific presentation tasks.

Panel station

Clinical

Clinical judgement and scenario handling.

Panel station

Ethics / professionalism

Professional reasoning and judgement.

Panel station

Suitability / commitment

Commitment, trajectory, and specialty fit.

Panel station

Route Family — psychiatry-st4

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry ST4 is part of the psychiatry-st4 recruitment process, which shares a common interview format and scoring criteria across routes in the family. While the interview structure is shared, be prepared to discuss specialty-specific clinical scenarios and your motivation for choosing Child and Adolescent Psychiatry ST4.

Portfolio Scoring Breakdown

Your portfolio is scored against these domains. Map your evidence to each section before the interview to maximise your score.

Eligibility

1 pts

You meet all criteria specified in the Eligibility to Apply section above.

  • Eligibility1 pts

Clinical knowledge

1 pts

Interest in, and understanding of, the training programme.

  • Clinical knowledge1 pts

Workplace skills

1 pts

Ability to work in multi-professional teams and supervise colleagues. Ability to lead, make decisions, organise and motivate other team members.

  • Workplace skills1 pts

Academic knowledge

1 pts

Understanding of research, including awareness of ethical issues. Understanding of the basic principles of audit, clinical risk management, evidence-based practice, patient safety, and clinical quality improvement initiatives.

  • Academic knowledge1 pts

Key Dates & Deadlines

Important dates for the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry ST4 2026 recruitment cycle. Dates may change — check official sources for updates.

Application opened
20 Nov 2025passed
Application closed
11 Dec 2025passed
Interview window
Jan–Feb 2026active
Initial offers
14 Apr 2026upcoming

Eligibility Requirements

You must meet all essential eligibility criteria. These are assessed at the application stage.

Essential

Qualifications

You must hold a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (BMBS, MBBS) degree or other equivalent medical qualification.

Essential

Registration & right to work

You must: Be eligible to work in the UK. Hold full registration with the General Medical Council (GMC) at the time of application, **and** hold a current licence to practise on the date your post commences.

GMC registration details or licence evidence.

Essential

Career history

You must be able to provide complete details of your employment history, including any gaps.

Essential

Disclosure

You must complete all sections of the application form fully and truthfully, in accordance with written guidelines. You must disclose in your application if you are subject to any ongoing fitness to practise proceedings or are subject to any fitness to practise conditions.

Essential

Capability/Competences

You must have evidence of achievement of: CT/ST1 and CT/ST2 psychiatry curriculum requirements at the time of application; **and** CT/ST3 psychiatry curriculum requirements at the time of application or confirmation that these will be achieved by the advertised post start date for the vacancy.

Essential

Experience

If you **wish to be considered for Locum Appointment for Training posts (where available)** you must have no more than 24 months experience in LAT posts in this specialty by the advertised post start date for the vacancy.

Essential

PROFESSIONAL EXAMInATIONS

You must have successful completion of Membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (MRCPsych) examination by the ‘initial offers released by’ date for the round.

Membership exam pass evidence or certificate.

Essential

ADDITIONAL eligibility criteria

You must hold a current and in date valid driving licence or provide an undertaking to provide alternative means of transport when providing emergency and domiciliary care to fulfil the requirements of the whole training programme.

Official Source Documents

Verify all information against the latest published documents before your application.

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry ST4 person specification

Published by: NHS England Medical Hub

Confirmed 2026View document →

Related Specialties

Also in Psychiatry: compare interview formats and scoring criteria across nearby routes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry ST4 interview format?

The Child and Adolescent Psychiatry ST4 interview consists of 4 stations: Presentation, Clinical, Ethics / professionalism, Suitability / commitment. Each station assesses different competencies in a timed format.

How is Child and Adolescent Psychiatry ST4 selected in 2026?

Uses shared-family scoring and interview readiness rather than a fully bespoke route grid.

When are Child and Adolescent Psychiatry ST4 interviews in 2026?

Key dates for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry ST4 2026: Application opened — 20 Nov 2025; Application closed — 11 Dec 2025; Interview window — Jan–Feb 2026; Initial offers — 14 Apr 2026. Check official sources for any changes.

What documents do I need for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry ST4 selection?

You need to meet 8 eligibility criteria including: Qualifications, Registration & right to work, Career history, and more. See the eligibility section below for the complete list.

How many points is the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry ST4 portfolio worth?

The Child and Adolescent Psychiatry ST4 portfolio is assessed across 4 scoring sections: Eligibility, Clinical knowledge, Workplace skills, Academic knowledge. Each section has specific criteria and maximum point allocations.

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