RCPI HST Neurology: points estimator and scoring guide

RCPI shortlists HST Neurology applicants out of 30 marks: Professional Qualifications/Education 10, Publication and Audit Experience 5, Clinical Practice 10, Leadership and Management Experience 2.5 and Teaching Experience 2.5. Only the row maxima are published, and the panel scores each row against its description. The in-person interview is out of 100: CV/Research/Audit 30, Management/Leadership 20, Knowledge about Specialty 30 and Neurology Service Delivery 20. Applications for the 2027 intake closed at 5pm on 29 October 2026. Neurology interviews are on 12 February 2027, and the MRCPI Clinical must be passed by 31 December 2026.

Where Teach the Teacher counts for Neurology

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 2.5. 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. RCPI publishes no value for a course inside the 2.5 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). The Neurology interview has no teaching category, so teaching you mention there sits inside broader categories such as CV/Research/Audit. Read more about the Teach the Teacher course, or compare other specialties on our Ireland HST points hub.

Rules in the RCPI Neurology criteria that change a score

Neurology’s shortlisting leans on what’s already behind you. Professional Qualifications/Education (“Undergraduate performance, teaching awards, higher degrees”) and Clinical Practice are worth 10 each, two-thirds of the 30. Clinical Practice asks whether “present achievement and performance is commensurate with the totality of the period of training”, with “experience in specialty, attendance at specialty clinics” as examples. Papers, presentations, posters and audit share just 5 marks, and leadership and teaching 2.5 each. At interview, Management/Leadership and Neurology Service Delivery are worth 20 each, so 40 of the 100 marks sit outside your CV and specialty knowledge.

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 Neurology HST shortlisting and interview 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 30.

Shortlisting total: 'Total | | 30'. RCPI publishes only the row maxima (10, 5, 10, 2.5 and 2.5); there are no point bands, so the panel scores each row against its description. Interview criteria (out of 100): CV/Research/Audit 30; Management/Leadership 20; Knowledge about Specialty 30; Neurology Service Delivery 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 Neurology HST: every domain, what scores and the maximum

Domain	What scores (official wording)	Max
Professional Qualifications/Education	0 points None yet 3.5 points Some (about a third of the marks) 6.5 points Good (about two thirds) 10 points Strong (full marks for this row) Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 10 points. The panel scores this row out of 10 against the description. RCPI publishes only the row maximum, not what each item is worth.	10
Publication and Audit Experience	0 points None yet 1.5 points Some (about a third of the marks) 3.5 points Good (about two thirds) 5 points Strong (full marks for this row) Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 5 points. The panel scores this row out of 5 against the description. RCPI publishes only the row maximum, not what each item is worth.	5
Clinical Practice	0 points None yet 3.5 points Some (about a third of the marks) 6.5 points Good (about two thirds) 10 points Strong (full marks for this row) Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 10 points. The panel scores this row out of 10 against the description. RCPI publishes only the row maximum, not what each item is worth.	10
Leadership and Management Experience	0 points None yet 1 point Some (about a third of the marks) 1.5 points Good (about two thirds) 2.5 points Strong (full marks for this row) Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 2.5 points. The panel scores this row out of 2.5 against the description. RCPI publishes only the row maximum, not what each item is worth.	2.5
Teaching Experience	0 points None yet 1 point Some (about a third of the marks) 1.5 points Good (about two thirds) 2.5 points Strong (full marks for this row) Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 2.5 points. The panel scores this row out of 2.5 against the description. RCPI publishes only the row maximum, not what each item is worth.	2.5
Total		30

Dates for this round

• 1 October 2026, 12pm Applications open (2027 intake) source
• 29 October 2026, 5pm This round closed 29 Oct 2026 (2027 intake); nothing can be added to those applications source 1 source 2
• 31 December 2026 MRCPI Clinical Examination passed by source 1 source 2
• 12 February 2027 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.

• Publication and 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 and 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

• Two rows carry two-thirds of the 30 marks: Professional Qualifications/Education (10) and Clinical Practice (10). Papers, presentations, posters and audit together are only 5. Professional Qualifications/Education | Undergraduate performance, teaching awards, higher degrees | 10 / Publication and Audit Experience | Publications, specialty publications, presentations, posters, audit | 5 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
• The MRCPI Clinical must be passed by 31 December 2026 for the 2027 intake. MRCP(UK) isn't treated as equivalent unless the specialty says so. All HST candidates must have successfully passed their MRCPI Clinical Examination relevant to their speciality by 31st December 2026. There are no exceptions to this requirement. Please note: MRCP UK and Membership from other Irish Training Bodies are not considered equivalent, unless otherwise specified. source

Sources

• 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).
• 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.

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

Neurology HST questions, answered

How many points is teaching worth for RCPI HST Neurology?

Teaching Experience is worth 2.5 of the 30 shortlisting marks: “Candidate demonstrates experience with teaching or higher qualification in teaching”. The Neurology interview has no teaching category.

How is the RCPI HST Neurology application scored?

Shortlisting is out of 30 across five rows: Professional Qualifications/Education 10, Publication and Audit Experience 5, Clinical Practice 10, Leadership and Management Experience 2.5, Teaching Experience 2.5. 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 Neurology?

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 Neurology interview for 2027?

Neurology interviews are in person on 12 February 2027. The interview is out of 100: CV/Research/Audit 30, Management/Leadership 20, Knowledge about Specialty 30, Neurology Service Delivery 20. You must have passed the MRCPI Clinical by 31 December 2026.

What is Neurology Service Delivery in the RCPI HST interview?

It’s one of four Neurology interview categories, worth 20 of 100. RCPI publishes only the category name and mark, not what’s asked. The others are CV/Research/Audit 30, Management/Leadership 20 and Knowledge about Specialty 30.