For IMT 2027, an oral presentation at a national medical meeting scores up to 8 points, and a national poster up to 6. That is the largest single score in the self-assessment, and it only counts if the presentation has already happened when you submit.
This page sets out what counts, what each tier scores, and the dates that decide whether a presentation makes it onto this year’s application. ST3 values differ; they are covered below.
Up to 9 IMT points from one enrolment
A Teach the Teacher course and a presentation are scored in two separate domains, so they add together. Erudical enrolment is £199 and covers both: the course scores 1 point for training in teaching, and the NMERC 2026 place it includes lets you present at a national meeting, worth up to 8 points for IMT 2027. That is up to 9 of the IMT 2027 self-assessment points for £199 — 1 for the course, up to 8 for the presentation. On the published 2026 tiers the same two domains total up to 7.
Presentations are one of six IMT domains. Calculate My Score → Add up all six and see where you stand against the cut-off of 15:
| Where the points come from | IMT 2026 (published) | IMT 2027 (published) |
|---|---|---|
| Training in teaching — a course below PGCert level with at least six hours of live teaching | 1 | 1 |
| Oral presentation, national meeting, first or second author | 6 | 8 |
| Poster, national meeting, first or second author | 4 | 6 |
| Total, course plus a national oral presentation | 7 | 9 |
| Total, course plus a national poster | 5 | 7 |
The 2027 column is taken from the IMT Recruitment 2027 application scoring page, published on 30 September 2026. The two domains are scored independently: the course point does not depend on presenting, and the presentation points do not depend on the course.
- The course point is the reliable half. Erudical’s live day carries the six hours of synchronous teaching IMT asks for, and the certificate is covered by the points guarantee: if the point is not accepted, you get the £199 back.
- The presentation is the larger half, and it is not automatic. You need work worth submitting, you must be first or second author, and the abstract has to be accepted.
- NMERC 2026 counts as national because it is open to anyone in the UK. The tier depends on who could take part, not on how many attended.
- Timing decides everything. NMERC 2026 is on 14 November and the presentation must already have happened when you submit your application. See the timeline below.
- Submission is free and included with enrolment, oral or poster, and the marking rubric is published.
One enrolment, both domains
£199 for the Teach the Teacher course and a place at NMERC 2026. Points accepted or your money back.
IMT oral and poster presentation points: 2026 and 2027
IMT Recruitment published its full 2027 scoring page on 30 September 2026, confirming the conversion it announced in July (“6 becomes 8, 4 = 6, 3 = 4, 2 is unchanged”).
| Achievement (first or second author) | IMT 2026 (published) | IMT 2027 (published) |
|---|---|---|
| Oral presentation, national or international meeting | 6 | 8 |
| Poster, national or international meeting | 4 | 6 |
| Oral presentation, regional meeting | 3 | 4 |
| Oral presentation, local meeting | 2 | 2 |
| Poster, regional or local meeting | 2 | 2 |
| Presentations domain maximum | 6 | 8 |
| Training in teaching below PGCert level, at least 6 hours live (separate domain) | 1 | 1 |
Sources: IMT Recruitment, Application scoring (2027 values) and IMT 2027 — summary of changes (published 16 July 2026). Checked 7 October 2026. You score your single highest presentation, not the sum of several.
National, regional or local: the definitions
The tier depends on who could take part, not on how many people came. IMT’s wording, verbatim:
- National or international: “International/national meetings should involve a document listing the abstracts of the presentations and posters included at that meeting. National meetings must be open to anyone in the country and international meetings must be open to anyone from a range of countries. For the purposes of scoring in this section, the home UK nations will be treated as separate nations.”
- Regional: “Regional means that participation is confined to, for example, a county, medical training region, health authority, or beyond a recognised cluster of hospitals; for example, in the UK a multi-site trust or health board would count as local rather than regional.”
- Local: “Local usually means participation is confined to a single local hospital, trust, health board or university.”
A deanery teaching day or a trust audit meeting is regional or local, whatever it calls itself. For posters, IMT adds that “there must have been a defined opportunity for discussion during the conference/meeting at which it is displayed.”
When the presentation must happen
This is the rule that catches people out. From IMT’s guidance, verbatim:
“When you come to submit your application, all information within it must be accurate at the time of submission – any qualifications not yet gained, courses not yet taken, presentations not yet given, etc. should not be included at this point. An achievement gained even on the day after the closing date for applications cannot be counted.”
An accepted abstract is not a presentation. A slot in a programme is not a presentation. What counts is a talk or poster that has been delivered, before the application window closes. You can amend your application while the window is open, so a presentation given during the window can be added before it shuts.
Physician higher specialty training (ST3)
PHST uses the same tiers and the same definitions, but it has not announced any change for 2027.
| Achievement (first or second author) | PHST 2026 (published) | PHST 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Oral presentation, national or international meeting | 6 | Not yet published |
| Poster, national or international meeting | 4 | |
| Oral presentation, regional meeting | 3 | |
| Oral presentation, local meeting | 2 | |
| Poster, regional or local meeting | 2 |
Source: PHST Recruitment, Self-assessment and application scoring. Checked 7 October 2026. PHST applies the same rule on timing: an achievement gained the day after the closing date cannot be claimed. Other specialties score presentations differently; check your own specialty’s self-assessment guidance.
What the evidence has to show
IMT asks for two things: confirmation that the presentation or poster “was accepted and included at a meeting”, in the form of “a confirmatory letter or certificate from the meeting organiser or evidence of inclusion in the abstracts book”, and the content itself — your abstract and a copy of the slides or poster. IMT says that claims for national or international meetings without a document listing the abstracts “cannot be claimed”.
At NMERC 2026 every presenter receives a confirmatory letter from the conference chair, and the conference publishes an abstract book listing every accepted oral presentation and poster. The oral letter reads:
“This letter confirms that Dr James Smith delivered an oral presentation entitled ‘The role of LRP5 in bone mineral density’ at the National Medical Education & Research Conference (NMERC 2026), held online on Saturday 14 November 2026. The abstract was scored against the conference’s published rubric and reviewed before a decision was issued. Oral slots are limited and selected on score. … Submission to the conference is free and open to anyone in the United Kingdom.”
It is signed by the conference chair and carries a reference number. The poster letter confirms that the abstract “met the standard required for acceptance”. See the specimen letters and certificates.
The 2026–27 timeline
- Submit your abstract by 31 October 2026. Submission is free.
- Decision within five days, rolling: accepted as an oral or a poster, or declined with feedback.
- Present on Saturday 14 November 2026, online.
- Letter, certificate and abstract book by 16 November 2026, 16:00.
- Add the presentation to your application before the window closes.
The IMT 2027 application window has not been officially published. A third-party report gives 22 October to 19 November 2026 at 16:00; in the 2026 round applications closed on 20 November at 16:00. Treat the last step as provisional and confirm the closing date when IMT publishes it.
Present at NMERC 2026
National, online, 14 November. Free to submit, oral or poster, rubric published.
The teaching point, separately
The training-in-teaching domain is separate from presentations. A course below PGCert level with at least six hours of live teaching scores 1 for IMT. Erudical’s Teach the Teacher course is built to meet that standard, and enrolment includes a place at NMERC 2026. See the teaching points for every specialty.
See the Teach the Teacher course
Frequently asked questions
How many points is a national oral presentation worth for IMT 2027?
Up to 8, in the presentations domain. In IMT 2026 an oral presentation at a national or international meeting scored 6. IMT Recruitment’s summary of changes for 2027 says “6 becomes 8”, so the same achievement scores 8 in 2027, as confirmed by the 2027 scoring page published on 30 September 2026. IMT adds one condition: if you are presenting only because you paid a fee, it scores 0. Presenting at NMERC is free. This applies to IMT; ST3 values differ.
How many points is a poster at a national conference worth for IMT?
A poster at a national or international meeting scored 4 in IMT 2026 and scores 6 in IMT 2027 (“4 = 6” in the published summary of changes). You must be first or second author, and there must have been a defined opportunity for discussion at the meeting.
What counts as a national conference for IMT?
IMT’s guidance says: “National meetings must be open to anyone in the country and international meetings must be open to anyone from a range of countries.” It also says national and international meetings should involve a document listing the abstracts of the presentations and posters included. The home UK nations are treated as separate nations, so a Scotland-wide meeting counts as national.
Can I claim a presentation I have not given yet?
No. The guidance says presentations not yet given should not be included, and “An achievement gained even on the day after the closing date for applications cannot be counted.” The presentation has to have happened before you submit, or before you amend your application within the window.
Are ST3 presentation points the same as IMT?
No. For physician higher specialty training (ST3) in 2026, a national oral presentation scored 6 and a national poster scored 4. The 2027 PHST values have not been published. The IMT 2027 changes do not automatically apply to ST3.
What evidence do I need for a conference presentation?
Two things: confirmation from the organiser that your presentation or poster was accepted and included (a confirmatory letter or certificate, or inclusion in the abstract book), and the content itself — your abstract and a copy of your slides or poster. IMT says national or international claims without a document listing the abstracts cannot be claimed.
Can I claim the teaching course and a presentation in the same application?
Yes. They sit in different domains. A teaching course below PGCert level with at least six hours of live teaching scores 1 in the training-in-teaching domain; a presentation scores in the presentations domain. For IMT 2027 that is 1 for the course and up to 8 for a national oral presentation.
Last updated 9 October 2026. Last checked against IMT and PHST guidance: 9 October 2026. IMT values are from the published 2027 scoring page; PHST 2027 values will be added when PHST publishes them.
Related: how to get a national presentation for IMT, an IMT portfolio plan for FY1 doctors, medical education courses for the IMT portfolio, teaching qualifications for UK doctors, teaching skills courses with a certificate and ST3 portfolio teaching points.
