Core Psychiatry Training — 2026 Application Guide
Complete guide to applying for Core Psychiatry Training in the 2026 recruitment cycle. This page covers eligibility requirements, self-assessment scoring criteria, portfolio sections, key dates, required forms, and evidence guidance — building on Core Psychiatry Training.
Oriel route name: Core Psychiatry Training · Route family: msra
Interview preparation guide for Core Psychiatry Training →Medically reviewed by MedNext Clinical Team. Last reviewed 27 April 2026. See our editorial policy and correction policy.
About Core Psychiatry Training
Core Psychiatry Training is a psychiatry programme entering at core training at CT1 level. Selection uses MSRA and interview-based selection. The full training pathway typically takes 6-8 years total.
Entry Level
CT1
Training Duration
6-8 years total (2yr foundation + 2yr core + 2-4yr higher specialty)
Selection Method
MSRA + Interview
Training Pathway
Official Source Documents
The scoring criteria, eligibility requirements, and self-assessment guidance on this page are derived from the following official documents. Always refer to the latest published version before your application.
Published by: NHS England Medical Hub
View original documentPublished by: NHS England Medical Hub
View original documentKey Dates & Deadlines
Important dates for the Core Psychiatry Training 2026 recruitment cycle. Check the official recruitment timeline for the most up-to-date information, as dates may change.
Eligibility Requirements
You must meet all essential eligibility criteria to be considered for Core Psychiatry Training. These are assessed at the application stage. Failure to meet any essential requirement will result in your application being rejected.
You must hold a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (BMBS, MBBS) degree or other equivalent medical qualification.
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.
Evidence hint: GMC registration details or licence evidence.
You must be able to provide complete details of your employment history, including any gaps.
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.
You must have evidence of achievement of foundation competences in the three and a half years preceding the advertised post start date for the vacancy, via one of the following four methods: Current employment in a UK Foundation Programme Office (UKFPO) affiliated foundation programme; **or** Current employment in a GMC approved Specialty Training Programme holding either a National Training Number (NTN) or Deanery Reference Number (DRN); **or**
Evidence hint: GMC registration details or licence evidence.
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.
Entry Criteria — Person Specification
The following entry criteria are extracted from the official 2026 person specification for Core Psychiatry Training. You must meet all essential criteria at the point specified. Failure to meet any essential criterion will result in your application being rejected.
Qualifications
- You must hold a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (BMBS, MBBS) degree or other equivalent medical qualification.
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.
- Meet the standards set out in Good Medical Practice, and not be subject to fitness to practise conditions which would prevent you taking up the post or performing fully within it.
- You must not
- Hold, nor be eligible to hold, a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) or Certificate of Eligibility for Specialist Registration (CESR) for this specialty, nor
- Already be eligible for the specialist register for this specialty.
Career history
- You must be able to provide complete details of your employment history, including any gaps.
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.
- If you are currently in core training and applying to continue training in the same core programme in another region, you must obtain a Support for Application to another region form signed by the Training Programme Director/Head of School of your current Specialty Training Programme. This must confirm satisfactory progress and be submitted with your application.
- If you have previously resigned, or been removed from, a training programme in any specialty, you must obtain a Support for Reapplication to Specialty Training form signed by the Training Programme Director/Head of School and Postgraduate Dean from the region you previously undertook training in. This must be submitted with your application.
- If you have previously resigned, been removed from, or relinquished a Foundation post or training programme and failed to gain the award of a Foundation Programme Certificate of Completion (FPCC), or Foundation Achievement of Competence Document 5.2 (FACD 5.2) ou must obtain a Dean's Supporting Declaration proforma signed by the Postgraduate Dean from the region you previously undertook Foundation training in. This must be submitted with your application.
CAPABILITY/Competences FOR ST1/CT1 ENTRY
- You must have evidence of achievement of foundation competences in the three and a half years preceding the advertised post start date for the vacancy, via one of the following four methods:
- Current employment in a UK Foundation Programme Office (UKFPO) affiliated foundation programme; or
- Current employment in a GMC approved Specialty Training Programme holding either a National Training Number (NTN) or Deanery Reference Number (DRN); or
- A Foundation Programme Certificate of Completion (FPCC) from a UK affiliated foundation programme; or
- 12 months medical experience after full GMC registration (or equivalent post licensing experience), and a Certificate of Readiness to Enter Specialty Training (CREST).
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.
Selection Criteria — Person Specification
Shortlisted candidates are assessed against these selection criteria. Essential criteria are requirements; desirable criteria can strengthen your application. Understanding both columns helps you target your evidence and interview preparation.
Eligibility
- You meet all criteria specified in the Eligibility to Apply section above.
Clinical knowledge
- Interest in, and understanding of, the training programme.
Workplace skills
- Ability to work in multi-professional teams and supervise colleagues.
- Ability to lead, make decisions, organise and motivate other team members.
- Ability to manage/prioritise own and others’ time effectively.
- Ability to work safely under pressure and deliver good clinical care in the face of uncertainty.
- Ability to monitor developing situations and anticipate issues.
- Good basic IT skills, including Microsoft Office, email, and ability to learn new systems.
Academic knowledge
- 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.
- Knowledge of evidence-informed practice.
Personal skills
- Commitment to personal and professional development.
- Ability to work on own initiative, demonstrating curiosity.
- Strong attention to detail, preparation and planning.
- Ability to communicate messages effectively to a range of audiences.
- Ability to negotiate and build positive professional relationships.
- Strong problem-solving skills, with a scientific approach to problem solving.
Values
- Understands, respects, and demonstrates the values of the NHS
Knowledge and experience
Essential
Desirable
- Understanding of NHS management and resources.
- Experience of management.
- Experience of research.
- Experience of audit and Quality Improvement.
- Experience of teaching.
Specialty: Clinical skills
- Appropriate knowledge of core medical care, psychotherapy, psychology, and neuroscience.
Specialty: Academic knowledge
- Capacity to critically appraise research in psychiatry.
Specialty: Communication skills
- Appropriate use of non-verbal communication.
Specialty: Leadership
- Capacity to take the lead in diagnosis and prognosis.
Specialty: Coping with pressure and managing uncertainty
- Patience to continue the long-term care plan of the patient whatever the severity or prognosis of the condition.
Specialty: Patient centred
- Ability to relate to the patient and take the perspective of the patient.
- Capacity to fully understand the patient's needs before forming a diagnosis.
- Appreciation of taking a holistic approach to patient care.
- Ability to build relationships with patients' families.
- Capacity to work in partnership with patients.
- Understanding of the value of spending time with patients.
- Awareness of patient safety.
- Capacity to act as an advocate on behalf of the patient when required.
- Consideration of the impact of clinical decisions on relationship with patient.
Specialty: Commitment to specialty
Essential
- Demonstrates interest and realistic insight into psychiatry and mental health.
Desirable
- Extracurricular activities / achievements / interests that provide increased insight into psychiatry.
Specialty: Qualifications
Essential
Desirable
- Additional related qualifications e.g. BSc, BA, BMedSci or equivalent (not including intercalated BSc or ‘Honorary’ MA).
Specialty: Career progression
Essential
Desirable
- Clinical exposure to a community-based specialty.
Specialty: Empathy and sensitivity
Essential
Desirable
- Capacity to collect patient history with sensitivity and care.
- Ability to be empathic but not become emotionally attached.
Specialty: Organisation and planning
Essential
Desirable
- Capacity to engender hope around recovery of patients.
Self-Assessment & Scoring
Core Psychiatry Training uses MSRA (Multi-Specialty Recruitment Assessment) combined with an interview. The MSRA score determines shortlisting, and the interview assesses clinical knowledge and professional attributes.
Scoring Sections
The self-assessment is structured across 4 sections with 0 scored questions. Each question has variable points — refer to the official self-assessment guidance for exact marking tiers.
Eligibility
You meet all criteria specified in the Eligibility to Apply section above.
Clinical knowledge
Interest in, and understanding of, the training programme.
Workplace skills
Ability to work in multi-professional teams and supervise colleagues. Ability to lead, make decisions, organise and motivate other team members.
Academic knowledge
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.
Interview Format
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview. Below is the expected interview structure for Core Psychiatry Training. Prepare for each station by reviewing the relevant areas of your portfolio and clinical experience.
MSRA
Format: Exam result
Primary ranking signal for the route.
Interview
Format: Route-specific selection
Track the stage that follows MSRA.
Evidence Packaging & Export
Understanding how to package and present your evidence is just as important as having the evidence itself. Poorly organised submissions can result in lost marks even when the underlying evidence is strong.
Export Mode
bundle
Each scored readiness bundle requires its own file
File Size Limit
MB per file
Compress images and merge PDFs to stay under the limit
Title Page
Not required
Index Page
Not required
Ordering guidance: Track shared readiness evidence and interview material in one bundle.
Evidence Validation Checklist
Before submitting your application, check your evidence against these validation rules. Items marked as errors will block your submission; warnings indicate areas that may cost marks.
Map evidence to a route target
Evidence should be assigned to a section or question before export so the pack builder can assemble the right output.
Check route-specific forms
The route requires supporting forms or certificates in addition to the core evidence uploads.
Evidence Guidelines
General guidance for evidence preparation and organisation for your Core Psychiatry Training application.
- Keep uploads mapped to the route targets shown on this dashboard rather than storing undifferentiated files.
- Selection appears MSRA-led or without public portfolio self-assessment guidance.
- MSRA + interview, no portfolio scoring
Frequently Asked Questions
What qualifications do I need for Core Psychiatry Training?
How competitive is Core Psychiatry Training?
What is the training pathway for Core Psychiatry Training?
When does Core Psychiatry Training 2026 recruitment open?
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