Emergency Medicine ST3 self-assessment 2027 (ACCS route and DRE-EM): points calculator and scoring guide

Emergency Medicine ST3 has two ways in: the ACCS route, for doctors completing two years of Acute Care Common Stem training, and the defined route of entry (DRE-EM), for core surgical trainees and other eligible doctors. Both are scored on one self-assessment, run nationally by NHS England in Yorkshire and the Humber. It has 12 questions, each scored 0 to 3, so the most you can claim is 36, though the form never prints a total. The score decides who is interviewed only when applications outnumber interview places. You enter it on your Oriel application, and the window is expected to be open between 10am on Thursday 19 November and 4pm on Thursday 10 December 2026, so anything you claim should be finished and evidenced by then.

The 2027 guidance hasn’t been published, and no 2025 or 2026 version can be read either (the 2026 recruitment page also said its guidance would be “available shortly”). The scoring here therefore comes from the 2024 form, headed “Self-assessment guidelines for Candidates – ST3 ACCS & DRE-EM”, the most recent one available. We’ll update the page when the 2027 form appears. This page covers ST3 only: EM ST4 has its own self-assessment, but we can’t verify its 2026 or 2027 scoring, so we’ve left it out.

EM self-assessment points at a glance

2024 ST3 ACCS & DRE-EM form (latest readable; 2025 form not archived); 2027 guidance not yet published · Last checked 12 October 2026

Your score is the total of the domain scores, out of a maximum of 36.

Shortlisting only. 2026 DRE-EM page (archived 17 Nov 2025): 'If application numbers exceed interview capacity the self-assessment scores will be used to shortlist.' 2024 handbook: 'Your ranking will be based upon your overall interview score and your individual station scores.' Maximum 36 = 12 questions scored 0 to 3; the form prints no total.

EM: every domain, what scores and the maximum

Domain	What scores (official wording)	Max
Additional degrees	3 points Masters level or higher degree involving research thesis (stand alone and not related to primary medical qualification) 2 points Additional degree with first class honours 1 point Any other undergraduate or postgraduate degree/diploma not fulfilling criteria above 0 points No additional degrees Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 3 points. Only one response per question can contribute to the score; highest applicable tier only.	3
Academic prizes / awards	3 points National award for academic achievement as a postgraduate or undergraduate 2 points Local postgraduate award for academic achievement 1 point Local undergraduate award for academic achievement, e.g. merit, distinction 0 points None of the above Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 3 points. Only one response per question can contribute to the score; highest applicable tier only.	3
Presentations / publications	3 points Oral presentation at national/international meeting / First author of article in peer reviewed journal 2 points Oral presentation at regional meeting / Co-author of article in peer-reviewed journal 1 point Poster presentation at regional or national/international meeting 0 points None of the above Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 3 points. Only one response per question can contribute to the score; highest applicable tier only.	3
Audit / quality improvement	3 points Designed and led a completed audit / Quality Improvement project with closure of loop (with confirmation of role by supervisor) 2 points Designed and led an audit / Quality Improvement project (with confirmation of role by supervisor) 1 point Involvement as team member in an audit / Quality Improvement project (with confirmation of role by supervisor) / Involved in RCEM audit 0 points None of the above Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 3 points. Only one response per question can contribute to the score; highest applicable tier only.	3
Teaching involvement	3 points Principal organiser of relevant course 2 points Participated as faculty member on relevant course 1 point Formal planned teaching at least monthly (MUST submit teaching plan) 0 points None of the above Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 3 points. Only one response per question can contribute to the score; highest applicable tier only.	3
Formal teaching qualification	3 points Masters degree in medical education 2 points Postgraduate diploma in medical education 1 point Postgraduate certificate in medical education / University accredited educational supervision course / ‘Train the Trainers’ education supervision course 0 points No formal teaching qualifications Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 3 points. Only one response per question can contribute to the score; highest applicable tier only.	3
Other ACCS specialty experience	3 points Post-Foundation training in three or more other ACCS specialty (at least 3 months' continuous placement in each) 2 points Post-Foundation training in two other ACCS specialty (at least 3 months' continuous placement in each) 1 point Post-Foundation training in one other ACCS specialty (at least 3 months' continuous placement) 0 points No substantive post in other ACCS Specialties Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 3 points. Only one response per question can contribute to the score; highest applicable tier only.	3
Exam status	3 points Passed full MRCEM OR FRCEM intermediate (all parts) 2 points Passed FRCEM primary AND one element of intermediate (could be MRCEM OSCE) 1 point Passed FRCEM primary or full MRCS 0 points No relevant postgraduate exams Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 3 points. Only one response per question can contribute to the score; highest applicable tier only.	3
Life support / resuscitation competence	3 points I have demonstrable competences in 3 or more life support courses or evidence of competence in dealing with and resuscitating sick adult, children and trauma patients 2 points I have demonstrable competences in 2 life support courses or dealing with and resuscitating adult and child, or adult sick and trauma patients 1 point I have demonstrable competences in adult life support only or evidence of demonstrable competences in dealing with and resuscitating only adult sick patients 0 points I do not have demonstrable competence in any of these skills Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 3 points. Only one response per question can contribute to the score; highest applicable tier only.	3
Additional EM-relevant courses	3 points Three or more additional courses 2 points Two additional courses 1 point One additional course 0 points No additional courses Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 3 points. Only one response per question can contribute to the score; highest applicable tier only.	3
WBAs, MSF and supervisor reports	3 points WBAs AND MSF / 360 feedback AND supervisor reports all excellent (must have all 3 types of evidence) 2 points WBAs AND MSF / 360 feedback AND supervisor reports generally good (must have all 3 types of evidence) 1 point WBAs AND MSF / 360 feedback AND supervisor reports satisfactory (must have all 3 types of evidence) 0 points None of the above Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 3 points. Only one response per question can contribute to the score; highest applicable tier only.	3
Management / leadership	3 points Leadership role at national level, e.g. BMA national committee member 2 points Leadership role at postgraduate level, e.g. BMA rep, trainee rep, chair of junior doctors forum. Rota coordinator does not count. 1 point Leadership role at undergraduate level, e.g. committee chairman, head of student union 0 points None of the above Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 3 points. Only one response per question can contribute to the score; highest applicable tier only.	3
Total	Not published as a single figure: this is the sum of the domain maxima.	36

Dates for this round

• 19 November 2026, 10am Applications open expected source 1 source 2
• 10 December 2026, 4pm Applications close (self-scores submitted) expected source 1 source 2 source 3
• Date not published yet Self-assessment evidence upload window expected source
• 9 March 2027 Interviews (online) expected source 1 source 2
• 13 April 2027, 5pm Initial offers released by expected source
• 21 April 2027, 1pm Hold deadline expected source
• 22 April 2027, 4pm Upgrade deadline expected source

What you can still add before 10 December 2026

What each of these adds is the difference between the option you would reach and the one you already hold, so it can be nothing if you hold that option already. The calculator works out the gain from your own answers.

• Presentations / publications. Deliver an oral presentation at a national meeting (for example NMERC 2026, online, Saturday 14 Nov 2026) and keep the slides plus the meeting programme showing your name and role. Gets you to: National/international oral, or first-author paper. NMERC talks are delivered on Sat 14 Nov 2026, before applications open (19 Nov) and close (10 Dec 2026). The form asks for 'a copy of the presentation with meeting programme', so the talk must have been given.
• Teaching involvement. Teach as faculty on (or organise) a relevant course and get a letter confirming your role. Erudical is always looking for teachers for its Teach the Teacher course, so contact us if you'd like to teach on it. Helping organise NMERC could count from next year's round; get in touch if you're keen to help organise it. Gets you to: Faculty on a course. Start by 1 November 2026. The role and its confirming letter need to exist when you submit (applications close 4pm, 10 Dec 2026).
• Formal teaching qualification. Complete a Train the Trainers type course and keep the attendance certificate for upload. Gets you to: PGCert, university-accredited supervision course, or Train the Trainers supervision course. The certificate must exist when you submit (applications close 4pm, 10 Dec 2026), and certificates are emailed after the course has run, so leave time for yours to arrive before you submit; 'No additional evidence will be accepted following the self-assessment submission date.'
• Life support / resuscitation competence. Complete an additional in-date life support course (e.g. paediatric or trauma) or obtain a supervisor statement of local training and assessment. Start by 1 November 2026. Certificate or statement must be in hand when you submit (applications close 4pm, 10 Dec 2026).
• Additional EM-relevant courses. Complete an EM-relevant course (e.g. airway or ultrasound) and keep the certificate. Start by 1 November 2026. Certificate or statement must be in hand when you submit (applications close 4pm, 10 Dec 2026).

Evidence traps

• Abstracts, case reports and letters never count as publications, and a presentation scores only with the slides plus the meeting programme showing your role. (excluding Letters to editor, abstracts and case reports) ... Please provide a copy of the presentation with meeting programme / publication which clearly shows your role source
• You can upload only one document per question, so merge the evidence for each question into a single file. Candidates are instructed to only provide evidence regarding the self-assessment questions and will only be able to upload one document per question. source
• Nothing can be added after you submit, so anything you score must already be evidenced. No additional evidence will be accepted following the self-assessment submission date. source
• Evidence uploaded to the wrong system, or that the assessor cannot verify in time, scores zero for that question. If a candidate’s evidence is not provided on the specified system and evidence cannot be verified by the assessor during the allocated time, a score of zero will be awarded for that element of the portfolio. source
• Monthly teaching scores only with a teaching plan and timetable evidence of how often you teach. Formal planned teaching at least monthly (MUST submit teaching plan) source

Sources

• Self-assessment guidelines for Candidates: ST3 ACCS & DRE-EM (2024), NHS England - Yorkshire, 2024 recruitment, latest readable form for both ST3 routes (archived copy of 4 Aug 2024 re-read 12 Oct 2026)
• 2024 ST3 DRE-EM Applicant Handbook, NHS England - Yorkshire, updated 7 Nov 2023 (archived copy of 4 Aug 2024 re-read 12 Oct 2026)
• National ST3 DRE-EM Recruitment, NHS England - Yorkshire (2027 cycle page), 2027 cycle; self-assessment guidance listed as 'available shortly' when read on 10 Oct 2026
• National ST3 DRE-EM Recruitment, NHS England - Yorkshire (2026 cycle page, archived), 2026 cycle, archived 17 Nov 2025
• Emergency Medicine (Defined route of entry and ACCS route) ST3 2026 person specification, Medical Hub, 2026 recruitment; entry criteria only, no scoring
• Emergency Medicine ST3 (Defined route of entry and ACCS route) 2027 person specification, Medical Hub, 2027 recruitment; entry criteria only, no scoring
• Recruitment timelines, Medical Hub, Recruitment timelines for 2027, Round 2 (page last reviewed 24 Feb 2026)

Who applies through the ACCS route

The 2027 person specification for Emergency Medicine ST3 (Defined route of entry and ACCS route) sets two entry rules for ACCS trainees: “You must have achieved CT1/ST1 competences in ACCS specialties at the time of application and CT2/ST2 competences in ACCS specialties by the advertised post start date for the vacancy. This must be evidenced by satisfactory ARCP outcomes.” and “You must have completed 24 months (whole time equivalent) of ACCS training in an approved UK training programme by the advertised post start date for the vacancy.” Neither earns points. ACCS training shows up in the score at question 7, which rewards post-Foundation time in other ACCS specialties (Acute Medicine, Anaesthetics, Intensive Care Medicine and Paediatric Emergency Medicine), with “at least 3 months’ continuous placement in each”. Emergency Medicine itself doesn’t count there. An ACCS trainee’s rotations through acute medicine, anaesthetics and intensive care can score, provided each placement ran for at least three months without a break. The specification also says: “In addition to the following selection criteria, the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act 2026 will apply to all recruitment using this person specification.”

How the twelve ST3 questions score

You score yourself on Oriel by picking one answer per question, and only the highest answer that applies to you counts. Under the 2024 process you then had a seven-day window to upload one document per question. Assessors checked each score against that document, and an appeal had to be made within 72 hours using only the evidence you’d already sent. Last cycle the upload window ran from 12 to 19 December 2025, after applications had closed. The 2027 window hasn’t been announced. Here is what reaches the top of each question:

• Additional degrees: 3 for a “Masters level or higher degree involving research thesis (stand alone and not related to primary medical qualification)”. Teaching degrees are scored under question 6 instead.
• Academic prizes: 3 for a “National award for academic achievement as a postgraduate or undergraduate”, 2 for a local postgraduate award and 1 for a local undergraduate one such as a merit or distinction.
• Presentations and publications: 3 for an “Oral presentation at national/international meeting / First author of article in peer reviewed journal”, 2 for a regional talk or a co-authored paper. A poster earns 1 whether the meeting was regional or national.
• Audit and QI: 3 if you “Designed and led a completed audit / Quality Improvement project with closure of loop (with confirmation of role by supervisor)”. Taking part in an RCEM audit earns 1.
• Teaching involvement: 3 as “Principal organiser of relevant course”, 2 as faculty on one, and 1 for “Formal planned teaching at least monthly (MUST submit teaching plan)”.
• Formal teaching qualification: 3 for a Masters in medical education, 2 for a postgraduate diploma, and 1 for a PGCert, a university-accredited educational supervision course or a ‘Train the Trainers’ education supervision course.
• Other ACCS specialties: 1, 2 or 3 for one, two, or three or more of them, as described above.
• Exams: 3 for “Passed full MRCEM OR FRCEM intermediate (all parts)”, 2 for the FRCEM primary plus one intermediate element, and 1 for the primary or full MRCS.
• Life support: 3 for “3 or more life support courses or evidence of competence in dealing with and resuscitating sick adult, children and trauma patients”, down to 1 for adult life support only.
• Additional courses relevant to Emergency Medicine: one point per completed course, up to three.
• WBAs, MSF and supervisor reports: 3 if all excellent, 2 if generally good and 1 if satisfactory, and in every band you “must have all 3 types of evidence”.
• Management and leadership: 3 for a national role, 2 for a postgraduate one such as trainee rep, and 1 for an undergraduate one. The form adds “Rota coordinator does not count.”

The 2026 recruitment page said “If application numbers exceed interview capacity the self-assessment scores will be used to shortlist.” After that the score plays no further part: the 2024 handbook says “Your ranking will be based upon your overall interview score and your individual station scores.” Interviews are online, with three 10-minute stations covering prioritisation, a clinical or ethical scenario and communication. When we read the Yorkshire and Humber page on 10 October it gave 9 or 10 March 2027 for interviews, and the national Round 2 timetable has initial offers out by 5pm on 13 April 2027. For scale, the 2025 DRE-EM round had 283 applications for 25 posts and interviewed 58 people.

Points you could still gain before 4pm on 10 December

The largest single gain is in presentations. An oral at a national meeting, delivered before you submit, turns a poster’s 1 into 3 (plus 2), or adds 3 to an empty row. An extra in-date life support course (paediatric or trauma, for example) or an EM course such as airway or ultrasound adds 1 to its row if you’re below the top, so book by early November. Faculty work on a relevant course, confirmed in a letter, takes a monthly teacher from 1 to 2. If you’d like to teach on Erudical’s Teach the Teacher course, we’re always recruiting teachers for it. From next year’s round, a hand in organising NMERC could count too, so tell us if that appeals. NMERC and Erudical roles may qualify. See the NMERC and Erudical websites and contact us for details. Whatever you add, the paperwork must exist when you press submit, because “No additional evidence will be accepted following the self-assessment submission date.”

Evidence that costs EM applicants points

The sheet lists every trap; three matter most for EM. You get one upload per question, so merge the certificate, letter and programme for each row into a single file. A presentation scores only with “a copy of the presentation with meeting programme / publication which clearly shows your role”, while abstracts, letters and case reports never count as publications. And evidence on the wrong system, or that the assessor can’t verify in the time allowed, scores zero for that question.

Worked example: a CT2 surgical trainee applying through DRE-EM

This doctor is a CT2 in surgery with a 2:1 BSc, no prizes, a regional poster, a place on an audit team, monthly teaching with a plan, no teaching qualification, 4 months in intensive care, full MRCS, ALS only, one EM course, generally good WBAs, MSF and supervisor reports, and a student society they chaired. On the 2024 form, question by question:

• Additional degrees: 1 (a degree outside the higher tiers).
• Academic prizes: 0.
• Presentations and publications: 1 (regional poster).
• Audit and QI: 1 (team member, with supervisor confirmation).
• Teaching involvement: 1 (monthly formal teaching with a plan).
• Formal teaching qualification: 0.
• Other ACCS specialties: 1 (one placement of at least 3 months).
• Exams: 1 (full MRCS).
• Life support: 1 (adult only).
• Additional EM courses: 1 (one course).
• WBAs, MSF and supervisor reports: 2 (generally good, all three types).
• Management and leadership: 1 (undergraduate role).

That’s 11 out of 36. An oral at NMERC on 14 November, with the slides and programme uploaded, raises presentations by 2, from 1 to 3, for 13. If they also finish our teach the teacher course before 10 December and the assessors accept it as a ‘Train the Trainers’ education supervision course, the teaching qualification row goes from 0 to 1 and the total reaches 14, a gain of 3 overall.

The calculator below scores your own answers question by question and works out what each addition would add. We’ll show your result and email you a copy.

Go to the EM calculator at the top of this page

To get the EM ST3 table and key dates as a printable PDF, leave your email here.

Does a teach the teacher course count for EM?

We claim 1 point for it under question 6, “Do you have a formal teaching qualification?”. The 1-point tier reads “Postgraduate certificate in medical education / University accredited educational supervision course / ‘Train the Trainers’ education supervision course”, and our course, a 6-hour live day plus a self-paced course with a certificate for each, is claimed under the ‘Train the Trainers’ wording. The assessors who validate your upload decide whether it fits. The course adds 0 if you already hold that tier or higher, so it won’t change anything for a doctor with a PGCert, diploma or Masters in medical education, or another supervision course. We don’t count it under additional courses relevant to Emergency Medicine, because it isn’t EM-specific. It has to be finished, certificate in hand, before you submit, which means by 4pm on 10 December 2026. For background, the 2026 person specification listed “Evidence of completion of a teaching course.” as desirable, but the 2027 version dropped the line, so question 6 is where the point comes from. More detail is on the Teach the Teacher course for EM page, and our teaching points by specialty table sets EM beside the other specialties.

A national oral at NMERC on 14 November

NMERC 2026 is an online meeting on Saturday 14 November. Presenting is free, submissions are open to any doctor or medical student wherever they’re based, and abstracts can be submitted at nmerc.org/submit. An oral there meets “Oral presentation at national/international meeting”, the top presentations tier at 3, level with a first-author paper, while a poster scores 1. The meeting falls five days before applications are expected to open, so your talk is already delivered when you self-score, and the form wants proof that it happened: the presentation with the meeting programme. The NMERC programme names every presenting author, and your evidence letter and the abstract book list all co-authors in author order. From a poster the gain is 2, and from nothing it’s 3. The abstract itself won’t count as a publication, because that question is scored “(excluding Letters to editor, abstracts and case reports)”, and giving a talk adds nothing to the teaching questions. We can’t promise an abstract will be accepted.

Emergency Medicine ST3 self-assessment questions

Will the teach the teacher course add a point for EM ST3?

We claim 1, under the ‘Train the Trainers’ education supervision course wording in question 6, which sits in the same 1-point band as a PGCert in medical education. The validating assessors decide whether a course fits, and it adds nothing if you already hold a PGCert or higher. The 2027 form may change the wording.

How many points does a national talk earn for EM ST3?

On the 2024 ST3 ACCS and DRE-EM form a national or international oral is worth 3, the same as a first-author paper. A regional talk or a co-authored paper is 2, and a poster is 1 at any level.

When do 2027 EM ST3 applications open and close?

They’re expected to open at 10am on 19 November 2026 and shut at 4pm on 10 December 2026. Those are NHS England’s national Round 2 dates for ST3 and ST4 posts, and the Yorkshire and Humber EM page showed the same dates when we read it on 10 October. The evidence upload window hasn’t been set; last cycle it ran from 12 to 19 December 2025, after the close.

Do the ACCS route and DRE-EM share one self-assessment?

Yes, on the latest form we can read (2024). The 2024 guidance covers “ST3 ACCS & DRE-EM” together, and Medical Hub publishes a single person specification for both routes. It has 12 questions scored 0 to 3, a maximum of 36, with no published cut-off, and offers are ranked on the interview.