Ireland · RCPI HST Dermatology · 2027 intake criteria

RCPI HST Dermatology: points estimator and scoring guide

RCPI 2027 intake shortlisting and interview criteria Last checked

Rate yourself on each of the five rows RCPI scores to estimate your score out of 100, and see what you can still add before the next window.

Next applications expected October 2027

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RCPI Dermatology HST points estimator

Answer one question for each scored domain. We add up your points with the published rules shown on each step, then show what you could still add before the deadline, with dates. It takes about two minutes.

We'll show your result and email you a copy.

When are you applying?

We use this to date your plan. Applying this round, it works back from the deadline. Applying next year, you get the long-run version instead.

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

Maximum 25 pointsProfessional Qualifications/Education/ Achievements

Professional Qualifications/Education/ Achievements | Undergraduate performance, teaching awards, higher degrees. Professional and Extracurricular achievements. | 25

Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 25 points. Pick the highest option you can evidence.

Undergraduate performance, teaching awards, higher degrees. Professional and Extracurricular achievements.

Watch out. Extracurricular achievements count here, and teaching awards sit here rather than under Teaching.

Caps. The panel scores this row out of 25 against the description. RCPI publishes only the row maximum, not what each item is worth.

Maximum 25 pointsClinical Experience

Clinical Experience | Adequate exposure and experience in speciality. Commitment to specialty such as attendance at national/ international meetings and specialty courses, membership of learned societies and specialty journal subscription | 25

Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 25 points. Pick the highest option you can evidence.

Time in dermatology plus commitment: national or international meetings, specialty courses, learned societies, journal subscriptions.

Caps. The panel scores this row out of 25 against the description. RCPI publishes only the row maximum, not what each item is worth.

Maximum 25 pointsPublication & Audit Experience

Publication & Audit Experience | Publications, specialty publications, presentations, posters, audit, quality improvement programmes | 25

Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 25 points. Pick the highest option you can evidence.

Publications, specialty publications, presentations, posters, audit, quality improvement programmes

Watch out. Quality improvement counts here as well as audit. Whether abstracts count 'depends on the specialty'.

Caps. The panel scores this row out of 25 against the description. RCPI publishes only the row maximum, not what each item is worth.

Maximum 13 pointsLeadership & Management Experience

Leadership & Management Experience | Candidate demonstrates that they have held a leadership or management role eg. Lead NCHD, hospital committee membership, organising membership examinations, audit or quality improvement programmes | 13

Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 13 points. Pick the highest option you can evidence.

Candidate demonstrates that they have held a leadership or management role eg. Lead NCHD, hospital committee membership, organising membership examinations, audit or quality improvement programmes

Watch out. Organising, not just taking part: the examples include 'organising membership examinations, audit or quality improvement programmes'.

Caps. The panel scores this row out of 13 against the description. RCPI publishes only the row maximum, not what each item is worth.

Maximum 12 pointsTeaching Experience

Teaching Experience | Candidate demonstrates experience with teaching or higher qualification in teaching | 12

Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 12 points. Pick the highest option you can evidence.

Teaching you have done, or a higher qualification in teaching such as a PG Cert in medical education.

Watch out. A certificate on its own is thin: the row asks for 'experience with teaching'. Keep a log of your sessions (who, what, how often) with verifiable proof.

Caps. The panel scores this row out of 12 against the description. RCPI publishes only the row maximum, not what each item is worth.

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Where these numbers come from

  • 5 domains, worded as in the official guide
  • 2 official sources, each dated
Method and sources

Your score adds up the option you pick in each domain, using the published rules shown on each step. "Could still add" uses only steps the guide allows before the deadline. No competition figures are shown for Irish HST. Last checked 30 October 2026.

  1. RCPI HST Entry Guidance and Advice: HST Shortlisting and Interview Criteria & Specialty Entry Requirements, Key dates and In-Person Interview Dates. 2027 intake (applications 1 to 29 Oct 2026). The criteria are HTML tables on the page, not a PDF, and the page prints no revision date. Fetched 30 Oct 2026 (HTTP 200).
  2. RCPI HST Application Guidance and Frequently Asked Questions. 2027 intake ('Applications for our Higher Specialist Training (HST) programme will open 01 October 2026'). Fetched 30 Oct 2026.

RCPI shortlists HST Dermatology applicants out of 100 marks: Professional Qualifications/Education/Achievements 25, Clinical Experience 25, Publication & Audit Experience 25, Leadership & Management Experience 13 and Teaching Experience 12. Only the row maxima are published, and the panel scores each row against its description. The in-person interview is out of 100: CV 30, Research/Audit/Teaching 25, Clinical Scenario 25 and Professionalism 20. Applications for the 2027 intake closed at 5pm on 29 October 2026. Dermatology interviews are on 29 January 2027, the first RCPI interview date this round, and the MRCPI Clinical must be passed by 31 December 2026.

Where Teach the Teacher counts for Dermatology

Teaching Experience is the row where we claim the Erudical Teach the Teacher course, and the panel decides what it’s worth. The row reads “Candidate demonstrates experience with teaching or higher qualification in teaching”, out of 12. The 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, each with its own certificate. Be clear about what it is: formal training in teaching. It isn’t a higher qualification such as a PG Cert in medical education, and it doesn’t replace teaching you’ve actually done, so list it next to your teaching log rather than instead of it. In Dermatology, teaching is a 12-mark row of its own, next to Leadership’s 13. Clinical Experience also scores “specialty courses”; Teach the Teacher isn’t a dermatology course, so we don’t claim it there. RCPI publishes no value for a course inside the 12 marks, so we can’t tell you how much it adds.

Timing matters this year. RCPI says “the Admissions Team is not in a position to accept any documents or updates to applications following the close of applications”, so nothing can be added to a 2027 application now. A course finished from here counts towards the next window, which RCPI hasn’t published yet (the last one ran through October). If you’re shortlisted for 2027, teaching shares the interview’s Research/Audit/Teaching category, worth 25 of 100. The panel scores what you say there. We claim the course there as formal training in teaching; it carries no fixed marks, and the panel decides what it adds. Read more about the Teach the Teacher course, or compare other specialties on our Ireland HST points hub.

Rules in the RCPI Dermatology criteria that change a score

Dermatology spreads its marks more evenly than most RCPI tables, and commitment counts. Clinical Experience (25) is not just time in the specialty: it names “attendance at national/ international meetings and specialty courses, membership of learned societies and specialty journal subscription”. Publication & Audit Experience (25) includes “quality improvement programmes”. Leadership (13) lists “organising membership examinations, audit or quality improvement programmes” alongside Lead NCHD and committee roles. The first row counts “Professional and Extracurricular achievements” as well as degrees and teaching awards.

The evidence rules are strict. “Verifiable proof will be required” for presentations, publications and research, and whether abstracts score at all “depends on the specialty”, so follow the application form. “Error or inaccurate information cannot be corrected once you have submitted your application.” After interview, “Posts are allocated by the NSD(s) taking into account rank at interview and available places.” RCPI doesn’t say whether the shortlisting marks are added to the interview score.

RCPI Dermatology HST shortlisting and interview points at a glance

RCPI 2027 intake shortlisting and interview criteria Last checked

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

Shortlisting total: 'Total | | 100'. RCPI publishes only the row maxima (25, 25, 25, 13 and 12); there are no point bands, so the panel scores each row against its description. Interview criteria (out of 100): CV (Professional Qualifications Undergraduate performance, teaching awards, higher degrees. Professional and Extracurricular achievements) / 30; Research/Audit/Teaching 25; Clinical Scenario 25; Professionalism 20. 'Posts are allocated by the NSD(s) taking into account rank at interview and available places.' RCPI doesn't say whether shortlisting marks are added to the interview score. 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 Dermatology HST: every domain, what scores and the maximum
DomainWhat scores (official wording)Max
Professional Qualifications/Education/ Achievements
  • 0 points None yet
  • 8.5 points Some (about a third of the marks)
  • 16.5 points Good (about two thirds)
  • 25 points Strong (full marks for this row)

Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 25 points.

The panel scores this row out of 25 against the description. RCPI publishes only the row maximum, not what each item is worth.

25
Clinical Experience
  • 0 points None yet
  • 8.5 points Some (about a third of the marks)
  • 16.5 points Good (about two thirds)
  • 25 points Strong (full marks for this row)

Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 25 points.

The panel scores this row out of 25 against the description. RCPI publishes only the row maximum, not what each item is worth.

25
Publication & Audit Experience
  • 0 points None yet
  • 8.5 points Some (about a third of the marks)
  • 16.5 points Good (about two thirds)
  • 25 points Strong (full marks for this row)

Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 25 points.

The panel scores this row out of 25 against the description. RCPI publishes only the row maximum, not what each item is worth.

25
Leadership & Management Experience
  • 0 points None yet
  • 4.5 points Some (about a third of the marks)
  • 8.5 points Good (about two thirds)
  • 13 points Strong (full marks for this row)

Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 13 points.

The panel scores this row out of 13 against the description. RCPI publishes only the row maximum, not what each item is worth.

13
Teaching Experience
  • 0 points None yet
  • 4 points Some (about a third of the marks)
  • 8 points Good (about two thirds)
  • 12 points Strong (full marks for this row)

Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 12 points.

The panel scores this row out of 12 against the description. RCPI publishes only the row maximum, not what each item is worth.

12
Total100

Dates for this round

  • Applications open (2027 intake) source
  • This round closed 29 Oct 2026 (2027 intake); nothing can be added to those applications source 1 source 2
  • MRCPI Clinical Examination passed by source 1 source 2
  • Interviews (in person) source
  • Next applications open (2028 intake), expected early October 2027 expected source
  • 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.

  • Publication & Audit Experience. For the next intake: finish an audit cycle or QI project and present it, and submit papers early enough to be published or accepted before the window opens. Keep verifiable proof of each one.
  • Leadership & Management Experience. For the next intake: take on a formal role (rota, committee, QI or teaching lead) and get a dated letter confirming it.
  • Teaching Experience. 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

  • Commitment to dermatology is scored inside Clinical Experience: meetings, specialty courses, learned societies and journal subscriptions. Adequate exposure and experience in speciality. Commitment to specialty such as attendance at national/ international meetings and specialty courses, membership of learned societies and specialty journal subscription source
  • Leadership (13) rewards organising: membership exams, audits or QI programmes. Candidate demonstrates that they have held a leadership or management role eg. Lead NCHD, hospital committee membership, organising membership examinations, audit or quality improvement programmes source
  • Your application is fixed when the window closes. RCPI won't accept new documents or updates afterwards, so a paper accepted or a presentation given after the close can't be added. 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 piece of research needs verifiable proof uploaded with the application, in the format the form asks for. What proof is required when submitting presentations, publications and research? Verifiable proof will be required. Please follow the instructions on the application form. source
  • Abstracts don't automatically score. RCPI leaves it to each specialty's application form. Will I receive points for abstracts? This depends on the specialty. Please follow the instructions on the application form. source

Sources

For the shortlisting and interview tables and the 2027 dates on one printable page, add your email and we’ll send you the PDF.

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Dermatology HST questions, answered

How many points is teaching worth for RCPI HST Dermatology?

Teaching Experience is worth 12 of the 100 shortlisting marks: “Candidate demonstrates experience with teaching or higher qualification in teaching”. At interview, teaching shares Research/Audit/Teaching, worth 25 of 100.

How is the RCPI HST Dermatology application scored?

Shortlisting is out of 100 across five rows: Professional Qualifications/Education/ Achievements 25, Clinical Experience 25, Publication & Audit Experience 25, Leadership & Management Experience 13, Teaching Experience 12. Only the row maxima are published, so you can’t add up an exact score in advance; the panel scores each row against its description. “Verifiable proof will be required.”

Does a teach the teacher course count for RCPI HST Dermatology?

We claim it under Teaching Experience, and the panel decides. The row reads “Candidate demonstrates experience with teaching or higher qualification in teaching”. The Erudical course is formal training in teaching, not a higher qualification like a PG Cert, so list it alongside the teaching you’ve done. RCPI publishes no value for it. The 2027 window closed on 29 October 2026, so it counts towards the next application.

When is the RCPI HST Dermatology interview for 2027?

Dermatology interviews are in person on 29 January 2027. The interview is out of 100: CV 30, Research/Audit/Teaching 25, Clinical Scenario 25, Professionalism 20. The CV category covers “Undergraduate performance, teaching awards, higher degrees. Professional and Extracurricular achievements”. You must have passed the MRCPI Clinical by 31 December 2026.

Do courses and meetings count for RCPI HST Dermatology?

Specialty ones do. Clinical Experience (25) rewards “Commitment to specialty such as attendance at national/ international meetings and specialty courses, membership of learned societies and specialty journal subscription”. A teaching course is claimed under Teaching Experience instead.

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