Radiology 30th October 2025

Radiology ST1 Interview Overview 2026

The Radiology ST1 interview is a key hurdle in an increasingly competitive application process. In the 2025 Radiology application cycle, there were a total of 4011 applicants for 356 training posts across England, Scotland and Wales. With an 11.27 competition ratio, this means nearly twelve people are applying for each post!

Evidently, making a good impression and standing out in the interview is vital in securing a radiology training number – don’t let your hard work revising for the MSRA go to waste! In addition to helping you prepare for the interview, as we’ve done in this blog, we’ve written guides to support you through the Radiology ST1 application process and self-assessment criteria.

What is the Radiology ST1 interview format?

The format of the radiology interview has changed again for 2026, and we are in the process of updating our question bank to reflect this. 

Previously, the interview consisted of two stations lasting 10 minutes, aimed at assessing a candidate’s “commitment to radiology and communication skills”. This could involve asking candidates about a range of topics within radiology, from their understanding of the training pathway to what they thought about teleradiology. Candidates would also be scrutinised on their portfolio. Having a detailed understanding of what is present was crucial to answering the relevant portfolio based questions.

However, for 2026, the interview includes Stations A & B, each lasting up to 15 minutes, covering different criteria from the person specification. It will assess your commitment to radiology and your communication skills.

We have split our question bank into two sections to cover Stations A & B, reflecting the renewed interview format. For 2026, your interview is worth 70% of your overall score, marking an increase again this year and placing further emphasis on your interview performance.

Station A

Station A will assess your portfolio, understanding of the radiology specialty, and your skills relevant to the role. This station is your chance to showcase your experiences and knowledge gained from taster weeks, audits, clinical placements, conferences, and any other radiology-related activities.

What to expect:

• Portfolio questions: Two questions will specifically focus on elements of your portfolio. Use these opportunities to highlight achievements, projects, audits, or experiences that are relevant to radiology. Always link your examples back to the question asked.
• Specialty knowledge questions: These may range from factual questions (e.g., radiology training pathway, FRCR exams, or curriculum requirements) to opinion-based questions (e.g., why you chose radiology or your views on skills mix in the specialty). Interviewers are looking for evidence that your understanding comes from direct experience in radiology.
• Skills questions: You may be asked to reflect on your own skills or discuss the skills required to be a successful radiologist. Examples could include:
  • Communication skills in MDT meetings or teaching settings
  • Manual dexterity and spatial awareness during procedures like ultrasound-guided interventions
  • Analytical thinking and decision-making in imaging interpretation
    

Tips for success:

• Use concrete examples from your personal experiences to illustrate your points.
• Don’t just describe; explain why a skill or experience is important for radiology.
• Remember that communication skills are assessed throughout the interview, but Station A may include a direct discussion of your broader abilities.
• Focus on relevance: highlight portfolio elements or experiences that best answer the question posed.

Station B

Station B assesses a range of skills relevant to radiology, including clinical scenario prioritisation, coping with pressure, managing uncertainty, and working effectively in a team. While clinical information is often central, interviewers will likely explore all of these areas, so be prepared to discuss your reasoning, decision-making, and teamwork when answering questions.

What to expect:

• Clinical prioritisation: You may be given a scenario requiring you to decide which tasks or patients need attention first. Interviewers are looking for structured thinking, safe decision-making, and clear reasoning.
• Coping with pressure and managing uncertainty: You might be asked how you handle challenging situations. Showing that you can stay composed and think critically is key.
• Team involvement: Questions may focus on how you work with colleagues in a multidisciplinary setting. Examples from taster weeks, audits, or placements can help demonstrate your ability to collaborate and communicate effectively.
  

Tips for success:

• Structure your answers clearly, showing how you make decisions and set priorities.
• Give examples of times you successfully handled pressure or uncertainty, explaining your thought process.
• Highlight teamwork experiences and your understanding of a radiologist’s role within the broader clinical team.

Practise a variety of scenarios using the Medibuddy Radiology ST1 Question Bank, which will include the types of scenarios you’ll encounter in the interview.

How can I prepare for the Radiology ST1 interview?

The 2026 will be conducted remotely via a software called Qpercom Recruit. You will likely be unfamiliar with this, so make sure you have practised using it beforehand. Ensure you have good screen hygiene with a clean background and central framing with your camera near eye level. This may sound pedantic, but it makes a big difference! Practice answering questions whilst looking into your camera, rather than the screen (it can be harder than it sounds!). The more you can make second nature, the easier it will be on the day.

Spending time practising possible questions will provide you with confidence and the knowledge to tackle any questions that may arise in the real interview. Practice with a range of people to receive the most variety of feedback for you to work on. This may be fellow applicants to radiology or other specialities, previous successful applicants or even friends and family. It’s all about getting the miles in and getting used to structuring your answers to maximise your marks. The Medibuddy Radiology Interview Question Bank has been updated to bring it in line with the current interview structure and features a wide range of practice questions covering frequently assessed topics, covering the key points that examiners are looking for. Our Radiology ST1 Interview Question bank is written by high-scoring Radiology trainees who have gone through the process you are about to embark on!

If you are reading this blog to get an idea about the interview, but you haven’t yet taken your MSRA, check out our adaptive, AI-powered MSRA question bank to help you prepare.

Good luck!

Useful Resources

• Radiology ST1 Person Specification 2026
• Mind The Bleep – Applying to Radiology
• MSRA Complete Guide
• Medibuddy Radiology Interview Question Bank