RCPI HST Clinical Neuropathology: points estimator and scoring guide

RCPI publishes no shortlisting criteria for HST Clinical Neuropathology, only entry rules and an interview. To apply, “Training path 1: You must have passed FRCPath part I in Histopathology. CHAT completion is desirable.” or “Training path 2: You must have passed FRCPath part I & II in Histopathology.” The interview is out of 100: CV (professional qualifications, undergraduate performance, teaching awards, higher degrees and other achievements) 20, Research/Audit/ Teaching 20 and Suitability 60. RCPI publishes only the maximum for each row, so the panel decides each mark. The calculator at the top of this page is a self-estimate: you rate yourself against each row and it adds up your own estimate, not RCPI’s score. Interviews are in person on 11 February 2027. The 2027 window closed at 5pm on 29 October 2026.

Where Teach the Teacher counts for Clinical Neuropathology

We claim the course in the “Research/Audit/ Teaching” interview domain, and the panel decides. That’s the only place teaching appears on the Neuropathology criteria, and it’s one domain worth 20, shared with research and audit, with no published split. The Erudical course is a live online day with “6 hours of live teaching with an expert”, plus a self-paced course of over 12 hours in 20 modules. Bring the certificate and a teaching example to discuss, such as neuropathology teaching for neurology or neurosurgery SHOs or a brain-cutting demonstration you run. Teaching awards are scored separately, in the CV domain.

Rules in the Clinical Neuropathology criteria that change a score

FRCPath Part I in Histopathology is the entry bar on both paths; CHAT completion is “desirable”, not required. Suitability is worth 60 of the 100 marks, so the conversation about the specialty outweighs the CV and research domains combined. Research, audit and teaching share 20 marks with no published split. RCPI accepts no documents or updates after the close (“No, the Admissions Team is not in a position to accept any documents or updates to applications following the close of applications.”), and proof is needed for publications and presentations. Places follow your interview rank.

Worked example: a Histopathology trainee with FRCPath Part I

Take a trainee who has passed FRCPath Part I and completed CHAT, with two neuropathology case reports, an audit of brain-cutting turnaround and a monthly teaching slot for neurology and neurosurgery SHOs. The qualifications go in the CV domain; the case reports, audit and teaching slot go in Research/Audit/ Teaching. RCPI publishes no marks within domains, so there’s no total. A Teach the Teacher certificate gives you a teaching course to discuss beside the SHO slot in a domain worth 20, shared with research and audit; the panel decides what it adds.

RCPI Neuropathology HST shortlisting points at a glance

RCPI 2027 intake shortlisting and interview criteria · Last checked 30 October 2026

Your score is the total of the domain scores, out of a maximum of 100.

Interview criteria only: three domains, total 100 as published. No shortlisting criteria are published for Neuropathology. Entry: "Training path 1: You must have passed FRCPath part I in Histopathology. CHAT completion is desirable." / "Training path 2: You must have passed FRCPath part I & II in Histopathology. CHAT completion is desirable." Self-estimate (owner ruling 30 Oct 2026): RCPI publishes only the maximum for each row, so the calculator asks you to rate yourself on each row (none, some, good, strong) and adds up your own estimate. These steps are ours, not RCPI's; the panel scores the real marks.

RCPI Neuropathology HST: every domain, what scores and the maximum

Domain	What scores (official wording)	Max
CV (Professional Qualifications, Undergraduate performance, teaching awards, higher degrees. Professional and Extracurricular achievements)	0 points None yet 6.5 points Some (about a third of the marks) 13.5 points Good (about two thirds) 20 points Strong (full marks for this row) Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 20 points. Interview domain worth 20. RCPI publishes the category and its marks only; the interview panel scores it.	20
Research/Audit/ Teaching	0 points None yet 6.5 points Some (about a third of the marks) 13.5 points Good (about two thirds) 20 points Strong (full marks for this row) Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 20 points. Interview domain worth 20. RCPI publishes the category and its marks only; the interview panel scores it.	20
Suitability	0 points None yet 20 points Some (about a third of the marks) 40 points Good (about two thirds) 60 points Strong (full marks for this row) Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 60 points. Interview domain worth 60. RCPI publishes the category and its marks only; the interview panel scores it.	60
Total		100

Dates for this round

• 1 October 2026, 12pm Applications opened (2027 intake) source
• 29 October 2026, 5pm This round closed 29 Oct 2026 (2027 intake); nothing can be added to those applications source
• 11 February 2027 HST Neuropathology interviews (in person) source
• 1 October 2027 Next applications open (2028 intake), expected early October 2027 expected source
• 29 October 2027 Next applications close (2028 intake), expected late October 2027: what you claim must be done by then expected source

What you can still add before 29 October 2027

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.

• CV (Professional Qualifications, Undergraduate performance, teaching awards, higher degrees. Professional and Extracurricular achievements). For the next intake (window expected October 2027): complete the Erudical Teach the Teacher course (live day plus self-paced) and keep both certificates, and keep a dated log of teaching you deliver, with feedback where you can get it. Gets you to: Some (about a third of the marks).
• Research/Audit/ Teaching. For the next intake (window expected October 2027): complete the Erudical Teach the Teacher course (live day plus self-paced) and keep both certificates, and keep a dated log of teaching you deliver, with feedback where you can get it. Gets you to: Some (about a third of the marks).

Evidence traps

• You need FRCPath Part I in Histopathology to apply at all, whichever training path you take. Training path 1: You must have passed FRCPath part I in Histopathology. CHAT completion is desirable. Training path 2: You must have passed FRCPath part I & II in Histopathology. CHAT completion is desirable. source
• Suitability is worth 60 of the 100 interview marks, so the CV and teaching domains together are only 40. Suitability | 60 source
• Teaching shares one 20-mark domain with research and audit, and RCPI doesn't say how it's split. Research/Audit/ Teaching | 20 source
• Nothing can be added after the close. A paper accepted or a talk given after 5pm on 29 October 2026 waits for the next window. No, the Admissions Team is not in a position to accept any documents or updates to applications following the close of applications. source
• Every publication, presentation and research item needs proof uploaded with the application, and RCPI reviews only the documents it asks for. Verifiable proof will be required. Please follow the instructions on the application form. ... Please only upload the requested documents. Additional documents will not be reviewed. source

Sources

• RCPI Entry Guidance and Advice: HST Shortlisting and Interview Criteria & Specialty Entry Requirements, 2027 intake. The page says "Applications for our 2027 Higher Specialist Training (HST) programmes are now closed." Criteria are published as tables on the page, not as PDFs.
• RCPI HST Application Guidance and Frequently Asked Questions, 2027 intake ("Applications for our Higher Specialist Training (HST) programme will open 01 October 2026.")

For every row, the interview marks and the official dates on one printable page, add your email and we’ll send you the PDF.

Clinical Neuropathology HST questions, answered

How many points is teaching worth for RCPI HST Neuropathology?

There’s no separate figure. Teaching is part of the “Research/Audit/ Teaching” interview domain, worth 20 of 100 and shared with research and audit. No shortlisting criteria are published.

What do I need to apply for HST Clinical Neuropathology in Ireland?

“Training path 1: You must have passed FRCPath part I in Histopathology. CHAT completion is desirable.” Or “Training path 2: You must have passed FRCPath part I & II in Histopathology. CHAT completion is desirable.”

How is the HST Neuropathology interview scored?

CV (professional qualifications, undergraduate performance, teaching awards, higher degrees and other achievements) 20, Research/Audit/ Teaching 20 and Suitability 60, total 100.

When is the RCPI HST Neuropathology interview for 2027?

In person on 11 February 2027. Applications closed at 5pm on 29 October 2026.

Does a teach the teacher course count for HST Neuropathology?

We claim it in the Research/Audit/ Teaching interview domain, and the panel decides. That domain is worth 20 and shared with research and audit, with no published split.