Public Health ST1 — 2026 Application Guide
Complete guide to applying for Public Health ST1 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 Specialty Training.
Oriel route name: Public Health ST1 · Route family: msra
Interview preparation guide for Public Health ST1 →Medically reviewed by MedNext Clinical Team. Last reviewed 27 April 2026. See our editorial policy and correction policy.
About Public Health ST1
Public Health ST1 is a public health programme entering at specialty training at ST1 level, following foundation training. Selection uses MSRA and interview-based selection. The full training pathway typically takes 5-10 years total.
Entry Level
ST1
Training Duration
5-10 years total (2yr foundation + 3-8yr run-through specialty training)
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 Public Health ST1 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 Public Health ST1. These are assessed at the application stage. Failure to meet any essential requirement will result in your application being rejected.
You must hold either: a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (BMBS, MBBS) degree or other equivalent medical qualification; **or** a first degree including undergraduate or integrated Masters degree (1st or 2:1 or equivalent grade) which must be certificated by the date of application submission. If your qualifying degree was not an honours degree it may be considered equivalent if you are currently registered to practice with a healthcare regulator overseen by the Professional Standards Authority; **or**
Evidence hint: Upload the named certificate or supporting form.
You must: Be eligible to work in the UK. Meet the standards set out in *Good Medical Practice* and *Good Public Health 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: 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 at least 48 months (whole time equivalent) work experience by application closing date, of which at least 24 months (whole time equivalent) must be in an area relevant to population health practice (relevance to public health practice will be evidenced by explanation of relevance on the application form). The 24 months should be at Band 6 or above of Agenda for Change or equivalent and a minimum of 3 months (whole time equivalent) at Band 6 level or equivalent in the three and a half years preceding the intended start date.
Entry Criteria — Person Specification
The following entry criteria are extracted from the official 2026 person specification for Public Health ST1. 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 either:
- a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (BMBS, MBBS) degree or other equivalent medical qualification; or
- a first degree including undergraduate or integrated Masters degree (1st or 2:1 or equivalent grade) which must be certificated by the date of application submission. If your qualifying degree was not an honours degree it may be considered equivalent if you are currently registered to practice with a healthcare regulator overseen by the Professional Standards Authority; or
- a higher certificated degree (Masters or PhD).
Registration & right to work
- You must:
- Be eligible to work in the UK.
- Meet the standards set out in Good Medical Practice and Good Public Health 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.
- You must:
- 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.
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 specialty training and applying to continue training in the same specialty 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) you 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 five 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
- Awarded a CCT in another specialty, and in current or recent practice as a Consultant, Associate Specialist or Specialty Doctor within that specialty (minimum 3 months whole time equivalent within the 3 and a half years preceding the advertised post start date and by application closing date); or
- 12 months medical experience after full GMC registration (or equivalent post licensing experience), and a Certificate of Readiness to Enter Specialty Training (CREST).
Experience
- You must have a minimum of 2 years of postgraduate medical experience by the advertised post start date for the vacancy (equivalent to that obtained in a UK Foundation Training Programme).
- You must have at least 48 months (whole time equivalent) work experience by application closing date, of which at least 24 months (whole time equivalent) must be in an area relevant to population health practice (relevance to public health practice will be evidenced by explanation of relevance on the application form). The 24 months should be at Band 6 or above of Agenda for Change or equivalent and a minimum of 3 months (whole time equivalent) at Band 6 level or equivalent in the three and a half years preceding the intended start date.
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: Technical skills – technical knowledge and clinical expertise
- Demonstrates an understanding of the concepts of health, disease, and illness and of structural, environmental, and behavioural determinants of health at a population level.
- Demonstrates understanding of public health concepts and inequalities and an appreciation of the importance of health protection.
- Demonstrates awareness of situations in which work is undertaken, including political awareness, understanding of the impact of national policy on health, and awareness of the importance of clinical and corporate governance.
Specialty: Academic and research skills
- Demonstrates understanding of the importance and basic principles of scientific research and evidence-based practice.
- Demonstrates basic understanding of research methodology including research ethics, statistics and epidemiology, basic ability to appraise critically a scientific research paper.
Specialty: Conceptual thinking and problem solving
- Capability to use critical and strategic thinking to understand and solve complex problems.
- Capability for numerical, critical thinking and verbal reasoning.
- Capability to handle uncertainty.
Specialty: Managing others and team involvement
- Demonstrates capability and willingness to work in multi-disciplinary teams and respects multi- agency contribution to health.
- Ability to attend face to face meetings at least two days per week in the region of appointment
Specialty: Organisation and planning
- Capability to work with long time scales for delivery within agencies with differing priorities.
Specialty: Coping with pressure
- Demonstrates initiative and resilience to adapt and respond to changing circumstances, timescales, organisational structures, and systems.
Specialty: Commitment to specialty
- Demonstrates relevance of first and/or higher degree and previous experience to Public Health.
- Demonstrates evidence of interest and realistic insight into public health, with an understanding of, and commitment to, public health principles in relation to interventions around the needs of an individual and the population in general.
Self-Assessment & Scoring
Public Health ST1 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 Public Health ST1. 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 Public Health ST1 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 Public Health ST1?
How competitive is Public Health ST1?
What is the training pathway for Public Health ST1?
When does Public Health ST1 2026 recruitment open?
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