Ireland · RCPI HST Obstetrics and Gynaecology · 2027 intake criteria

RCPI HST Obstetrics and Gynaecology: points estimator and scoring guide

RCPI 2027 intake shortlisting and interview criteria Last checked

Rate yourself on each of the six rows RCPI scores to estimate your score out of 20, and see what you can still add before the next window.

Next applications expected October 2027

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RCPI O&G 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.

Which are you applying for?
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.

Shortlisting (2027 intake). Your score is the total of the domain scores, out of a maximum of 20.

Maximum 6 pointsProgression in Clinical Practice and Suitability

Progression in Clinical Practice and Suitability | Candidate shows evidence that present achievement and performance is commensurate with the totality of the period of training, e.g. experience in specialty, attendance at specialty clinics etc. Candidates must show their suitability for a career in OBGYN and their career trajectory.

Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 6 points. Pick the highest option you can evidence.

Experience in O&G, specialty clinics, and evidence that your progress matches your time in training and that O&G suits you.

Watch out. The largest row (6 of 20), judged against "the totality of the period of training".

Caps. RCPI publishes only the row maximum (6). The panel decides the mark; no bands or examples of scores are published.

Maximum 5 pointsProfessional Qualifications/Education

Professional Qualifications/Education | Undergraduate performance, teaching awards, higher degrees.

Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 5 points. Pick the highest option you can evidence.

Undergraduate performance, teaching awards and higher degrees.

Watch out. Teaching awards are scored here, not under Teaching Experience.

Caps. RCPI publishes only the row maximum (5). The panel decides the mark; no bands or examples of scores are published.

Maximum 3 pointsPeer Reviewed Publications

Peer Reviewed Publications | Publications, specialty publications, presentations, posters – proof of same will be required.

Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 3 points. Pick the highest option you can evidence.

Publications, specialty publications, presentations and posters, with proof.

Watch out. Despite the row's name, the description also lists presentations and posters; each needs proof.

Caps. RCPI publishes only the row maximum (3). The panel decides the mark; no bands or examples of scores are published.

Maximum 2 pointsAudit Experience

Audit Experience | Audit experience – proof of same will be required

Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 2 points. Pick the highest option you can evidence.

Audit, scored in its own row.

Watch out. Audit has its own 2 marks here, unlike most RCPI forms, so evidence it separately.

Caps. RCPI publishes only the row maximum (2). The panel decides the mark; no bands or examples of scores are published.

Maximum 2 pointsLeadership & Management Experience

Leadership & Management Experience | Candidate demonstrates experience in a leadership or management role e.g. rostering duties, hospital committee membership, etc.

Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 2 points. Pick the highest option you can evidence.

A leadership or management role such as rostering or a hospital committee.

Watch out. Formal roles are what the examples describe.

Caps. RCPI publishes only the row maximum (2). The panel decides the mark; no bands or examples of scores are published.

Maximum 2 pointsTeaching Experience

Teaching Experience | Candidate demonstrates experience with teaching, outside of day-to-day teaching of medical students or higher qualification in teaching.

Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 2 points. Pick the highest option you can evidence.

Teaching outside routine teaching of medical students, or a higher qualification in teaching.

Watch out. Routine teaching of medical students is excluded by the wording.

Caps. RCPI publishes only the row maximum (2). The panel decides the mark; no bands or examples of scores are published.

Interview (2027 intake). Your score is the total of the domain scores, out of a maximum of 100.

Maximum 20 pointsCV – career to date

CV – career to date | 20

Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 20 points. Pick the highest option you can evidence.

Your career so far as the panel reads it from your application and your answers.

Watch out. The structured application form is the panel's starting point, so anything left off it is hard to bring in on the day.

Caps. Interview domain worth 20. RCPI publishes the category and its marks only; the interview panel scores it.

Maximum 20 pointsResearch/Audit/Teaching

Research/Audit/Teaching | 20

Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 20 points. Pick the highest option you can evidence.

Your research, audit and teaching, discussed with the panel.

Watch out. Teaching is scored here alongside research and audit, so have one teaching example ready with what you did, for whom and what changed.

Caps. Interview domain worth 20. RCPI publishes the category and its marks only; the interview panel scores it.

Maximum 20 pointsClinical Question 1

Clinical Question 1 | 20

Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 20 points. Pick the highest option you can evidence.

A clinical question set by the panel.

Watch out. Clinical reasoning is two fifths of the interview, so prepare cases as much as your CV.

Caps. Interview domain worth 20. RCPI publishes the category and its marks only; the interview panel scores it.

Maximum 20 pointsManagement and Strategy

Management and Strategy | 20

Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 20 points. Pick the highest option you can evidence.

A management and strategy question.

Watch out. Worth as much as your whole CV domain.

Caps. Interview domain worth 20. RCPI publishes the category and its marks only; the interview panel scores it.

Maximum 20 pointsPersonal Specification, Professionalism, Interview Performance

Personal Specification, Professionalism, Interview Performance | 20

Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 20 points. Pick the highest option you can evidence.

Suitability for O&G, professionalism and how you perform at interview.

Watch out. This is scored on the day, not from paperwork.

Caps. Interview domain worth 20. RCPI publishes the category and its marks only; the interview panel scores it.

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Where these numbers come from

  • 11 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 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.
  2. RCPI HST Application Guidance and Frequently Asked Questions. 2027 intake ("Applications for our Higher Specialist Training (HST) programme will open 01 October 2026.")

RCPI’s Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists shortlists HST O&G on six rows with a published total of 20: Progression in Clinical Practice and Suitability 6, Professional Qualifications/Education 5, Peer Reviewed Publications 3, Audit Experience 2, Leadership & Management Experience 2 and Teaching Experience 2. 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. “Please note interview is also subject to a satisfactory Year 3 Assessment.” The interview is out of 100, in person, on 22 February 2027. The 2027 window closed at 5pm on 29 October 2026, and MRCPI Clinical must be passed by 31 December 2026.

Where Teach the Teacher counts for Obstetrics and Gynaecology

We claim the course on the Teaching Experience row (2 of 20), and the panel decides. The row reads “Candidate demonstrates experience with teaching, outside of day-to-day teaching of medical students or higher qualification in teaching.” The Erudical course, a live online day with “6 hours of live teaching with an expert” and a self-paced course of over 12 hours in 20 modules, is training in how to teach rather than a postgraduate qualification, so put it beside teaching you run outside routine student teaching: CTG or obstetric emergency sessions for midwives, skills drills, or a teaching programme for SHOs. The 2027 window has closed, so the certificate counts from the next window. At interview, teaching is part of Research/Audit/Teaching (20 of 100); we claim the course there as formal training in teaching; it carries no fixed marks, and the panel decides what it adds.

Rules in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology criteria that change a score

O&G is the one form here that gives audit its own row: “Audit experience – proof of same will be required”, worth 2. Peer Reviewed Publications (3) covers “Publications, specialty publications, presentations, posters – proof of same will be required.” Teaching awards count under Professional Qualifications/Education. Nothing can be added 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.” A satisfactory Year 3 Assessment is a condition of interview. The interview has five domains of 20: CV – career to date, Research/Audit/Teaching, Clinical Question 1, Management and Strategy, and Personal Specification, Professionalism, Interview Performance. Places follow your interview rank.

Worked example: a BST Year 3 O&G trainee

Picture a Year 3 trainee with MRCPI O&G, a PubMed case report, a national oral, a closed-loop audit of postpartum haemorrhage management, the registrar rota and a monthly CTG session she runs for midwives. The case report and oral go in Peer Reviewed Publications, the audit in its own row, the rota under leadership (“rostering duties”), and the CTG sessions under Teaching Experience because they’re outside day-to-day teaching of medical students. RCPI gives no marks within rows, so there’s no total. A Teach the Teacher certificate adds a course beside the CTG sessions on a row worth 2 at most; the panel decides, from the next window.

RCPI O&G HST shortlisting points at a glance

RCPI 2027 intake shortlisting and interview criteria Last checked

Shortlisting (2027 intake)

Your score is the total of the domain scores, out of a maximum of 20.

Six rows, total 20 as published. "Please note interview is also subject to a satisfactory Year 3 Assessment." Ranking: "Posts are allocated by the NSD(s) taking into account rank at interview and available places." 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 O&G HST Shortlisting (2027 intake): every domain, what scores and the maximum
DomainWhat scores (official wording)Max
Progression in Clinical Practice and Suitability
  • 0 points None yet
  • 2 points Some (about a third of the marks)
  • 4 points Good (about two thirds)
  • 6 points Strong (full marks for this row)

Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 6 points.

RCPI publishes only the row maximum (6). The panel decides the mark; no bands or examples of scores are published.

6
Professional Qualifications/Education
  • 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.

RCPI publishes only the row maximum (5). The panel decides the mark; no bands or examples of scores are published.

5
Peer Reviewed Publications
  • 0 points None yet
  • 1 point Some (about a third of the marks)
  • 2 points Good (about two thirds)
  • 3 points Strong (full marks for this row)

Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 3 points.

RCPI publishes only the row maximum (3). The panel decides the mark; no bands or examples of scores are published.

3
Audit Experience
  • 0 points None yet
  • 0.5 points Some (about a third of the marks)
  • 1.5 points Good (about two thirds)
  • 2 points Strong (full marks for this row)

Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 2 points.

RCPI publishes only the row maximum (2). The panel decides the mark; no bands or examples of scores are published.

2
Leadership & Management Experience
  • 0 points None yet
  • 0.5 points Some (about a third of the marks)
  • 1.5 points Good (about two thirds)
  • 2 points Strong (full marks for this row)

Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 2 points.

RCPI publishes only the row maximum (2). The panel decides the mark; no bands or examples of scores are published.

2
Teaching Experience
  • 0 points None yet
  • 0.5 points Some (about a third of the marks)
  • 1.5 points Good (about two thirds)
  • 2 points Strong (full marks for this row)

Scores the single best option you can evidence, up to 2 points.

RCPI publishes only the row maximum (2). The panel decides the mark; no bands or examples of scores are published.

2
Total20

Shortlisting (2027 intake): Dates for this round

  • Applications opened (2027 intake) source
  • This round closed 29 Oct 2026 (2027 intake); nothing can be added to those applications source
  • MRCPI Clinical must be passed (FAQ wording) 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

Shortlisting (2027 intake): 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.

  • Peer Reviewed Publications. 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.
  • 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).

Interview (2027 intake)

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

Five domains of 20, total 100 as published. One clinical question plus a Management and Strategy domain. 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 O&G HST Interview (2027 intake): every domain, what scores and the maximum
DomainWhat scores (official wording)Max
CV – career to date
  • 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
Clinical Question 1
  • 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
Management and Strategy
  • 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
Personal Specification, Professionalism, Interview Performance
  • 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
Total100

Interview (2027 intake): Dates for this round

  • This round closed 29 Oct 2026 (2027 intake); nothing can be added to those applications source
  • HST Obstetrics and Gynaecology 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

Interview (2027 intake): 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.

  • 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).
  • Management and Strategy. For the next intake: take on a formal role (rota, committee, QI or teaching lead) and get a dated letter confirming it.

Evidence traps

  • 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
  • Getting to interview also depends on a satisfactory Year 3 Assessment, whatever your shortlisting marks. Please note interview is also subject to a satisfactory Year 3 Assessment. source
  • Routine teaching of medical students on the labour ward doesn't fit the Teaching Experience row. Candidate demonstrates experience with teaching, outside of day-to-day teaching of medical students or higher qualification in teaching. source
  • Audit has its own row worth 2, separate from publications, and both need proof. Audit experience – proof of same will be required source
  • MRCPI Clinical is a hard entry rule with no exceptions, and MRCP(UK) isn't accepted 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. ... MRCP UK and Membership from other Irish Training Bodies are not considered equivalent, unless otherwise specified. source

Sources

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

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Obstetrics and Gynaecology HST questions, answered

How many points is teaching worth for RCPI HST Obstetrics and Gynaecology?

2 of the 20 shortlisting marks, for “Candidate demonstrates experience with teaching, outside of day-to-day teaching of medical students or higher qualification in teaching.” At interview, teaching is part of Research/Audit/Teaching, worth 20 of 100.

How is HST O&G shortlisting scored in Ireland?

Six rows totalling 20: Progression in Clinical Practice and Suitability 6, Professional Qualifications/Education 5, Peer Reviewed Publications 3, Audit Experience 2, Leadership & Management Experience 2 and Teaching Experience 2. Only the maxima are published. “Please note interview is also subject to a satisfactory Year 3 Assessment.”

When is the HST O&G interview for 2027?

In person on 22 February 2027. Applications closed at 5pm on 29 October 2026, and no updates are accepted after the close.

What is in the RCPI HST O&G interview?

Five domains of 20: CV – career to date; Research/Audit/Teaching; Clinical Question 1; Management and Strategy; and Personal Specification, Professionalism, Interview Performance.

Does a teach the teacher course count for HST O&G in Ireland?

We claim it on the Teaching Experience row, and the panel decides. The row wants teaching beyond routine medical student teaching or a higher qualification in teaching, so pair the course with teaching you run, such as sessions for midwives. It counts from the next window.

All Irish HST colleges and specialties