Core Surgical 17th October 2025

How to Prepare for the 2026 Core Surgical Training (CST) Interview Portfolio Station

The 2026 Core Surgical Training (CST) interview will include a 15-minute Portfolio Station, which has remained largely consistent with the 2025 format. 

We’ve updated our question bank to include preparation guidance and example answers to help you perform confidently in this station. Here’s a summary of what to expect and how to prepare effectively.

Portfolio Station: Key updates for 2026

For 2026, the CST Portfolio Station is largely the same as in 2025. If you’re invited to interview, you’ll need to upload an index page on the portal, showing which category (A to E) your evidence fits for each domain. This helps assessors quickly navigate your submission.

During the interview, your portfolio will first be reviewed for 10 minutes without you present, followed by a 15-minute virtual interview. You’ll be asked two questions (5 minutes each) based on two domains chosen by the assessors. Your overall portfolio score combines the strength of your evidence with how clearly and concisely you answer these questions.

Key portfolio updates for 2026:

• ITU placements no longer count as surgical experience.
• Foundation placements no longer earn points for surgical experience — only electives or taster weeks do.
• QI/Audit projects need to show actual impact, for example presenting the first cycle locally if auditing departmental compliance.
  

Make sure everything you upload is accurate and clearly demonstrates your achievements across the portfolio domains. Good preparation here can make a real difference on the day.

Portfolio domains you may be asked questions about your achievements on

1. Surgical Experience/ Commitment to Surgery
2. QI/ Audit
3. Publications/ Presentations
4. Teaching Experience

You’ll find example questions and model answers for each of these in the Medibuddy CST interview question bank.

Preparing for the CST Portfolio Station

Evidence preparation

• Take time to prepare accurate and concise evidence relating to your highest category of evidence for each domain.
• There is limited time for interviewers to review this evidence, so you want to make it as straightforward for them to review as possible to ensure you are scored accurately.

Prepare answers to questions

• Be able to summarise your experience in each domain concisely with awareness of the scoring when creating ‘model answers’.
• As a bare minimum, this is summarising your achievements in each of the portfolio points sections.
• The structure and delivery of your answers to questions should be prepared, practised and refined.
• When considering structuring your answers well:
  • Start with a strong opening line summarising your top achievements (with reference to portfolio points criteria). This gives the interviewers the key information they need straight away.
  • Signposting and structure of answer, for example, explaining your experience using the ‘CAMP’ mnemonic, e.g. “I have shown surgical commitments: clinically, academically, through management and on a personal basis.. clinically this includes…”
  • Finish your answer with an action, outcome or how this achievement will make you a better surgical trainee.
• The content of any follow-up questions is not fully understood as this is the first time portfolio answers have been directly scored.
• HEE suggested they will refer to your ‘achievements’; however follow-up questions could be more general in which you should include some personal experience.
• Our question bank now includes potential questions and example answers based on previous CST portfolio questions and surgical ST3 portfolio questions.
• We will update the question bank further following experiences within the 2026 interview.

General technique

Please consider interview technique as per the Medibuddy interview tips page (3).

It is important to remain calm and composed even when discussing areas of contention in scoring.

Try to make sure your enthusiasm and passion for surgery comes across.

References/ links

1. https://medical.hee.nhs.uk/medical-training-recruitment/medical-specialty-training/surgery/core-surgery/core-surgical-training-self-assessment-scoring-guidance-for-candidates
2. https://medical.hee.nhs.uk/medical-training-recruitment/medical-specialty-training/surgery/core-surgery/overview-of-core-surgery-training/interviews
3. https://medibuddy.co.uk/core-surgical/core-surgical-interview-tips