RCPI HST Rheumatology & GIM: points estimator and scoring guide

RCPI shortlists HST Rheumatology and GIM applicants out of 20 marks: Academic Achievements 5, Research, Publication & Audit Experience 5, Clinical Practice 5, Leadership & 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 and includes a GIM category that “may be based on a clinical acumen scenario”. Applications for the 2027 intake closed at 5pm on 29 October 2026. Rheumatology interviews are on 19 February 2027, and the MRCPI Clinical must be passed by 31 December 2026.

Where Teach the Teacher counts for Rheumatology

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 commensurate with their clinical role (SHO v Registrar)”, 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. Rheumatology judges teaching against your grade, so a registrar is expected to show more than an SHO. 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 Rheumatology interview has no teaching category, so teaching you mention there sits inside broader categories such as CV/Career to date. Read more about the Teach the Teacher course, or compare other specialties on our Ireland HST points hub.

Rules in the RCPI Rheumatology criteria that change a score

Rheumatology grades several rows against where you are. Leadership and Teaching are both judged “commensurate with their clinical role (SHO v Registrar)”, and Clinical Practice ends with “Speed of career progression”, after “attendance at Rheumatology clinics”. Academic Achievements lists “higher degrees following conferral of medical degree”, so a degree taken before you qualified isn’t named there. Research, Publication & Audit Experience counts “presentations/posters- local, regional international” together with papers and audit, all inside 5 marks.

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 Rheumatology 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 20.

Shortlisting total: 'Total | | 20'. RCPI publishes only the row maxima (5, 5, 5, 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/Career to date 20; Research/Publications 20; Future Plans/Career 10; Knowledge of the Specialty 20; Interview Performance and Professionalism 20; GIM : may be based on a clinical acumen scenario 10. '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 Rheumatology HST: every domain, what scores and the maximum

Domain	What scores (official wording)	Max
Academic Achievements	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
Research, Publication & 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 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
Leadership & 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		20

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
• 19 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.

• Academic Achievements. 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.
• Research, 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

• Leadership and teaching are judged against your grade, so a registrar is expected to show more than an SHO. Candidate demonstrates experience with teaching or higher qualification in teaching commensurate with their clinical role (SHO v Registrar) source
• Speed of career progression is scored under Clinical Practice. 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 Rheumatology clinics etc Speed of career progression 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

• 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.

Rheumatology HST questions, answered

How many points is teaching worth for RCPI HST Rheumatology?

Teaching Experience is worth 2.5 of the 20 shortlisting marks, judged against your grade: “Candidate demonstrates experience with teaching or higher qualification in teaching commensurate with their clinical role (SHO v Registrar)”. The Rheumatology interview has no teaching category.

How is the RCPI HST Rheumatology application scored?

Shortlisting is out of 20 across five rows: Academic Achievements 5, Research, Publication & Audit Experience 5, Clinical Practice 5, Leadership & 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 Rheumatology?

We claim it under Teaching Experience, and the panel decides. The row reads “Candidate demonstrates experience with teaching or higher qualification in teaching commensurate with their clinical role (SHO v Registrar)”. 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. The row is judged against your grade, so a registrar needs more teaching to show than an SHO. 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 Rheumatology interview for 2027?

Rheumatology interviews are in person on 19 February 2027. The interview is out of 100: CV/Career to date 20, Research/Publications 20, Future Plans/Career 10, Knowledge of the Specialty 20, Interview Performance and Professionalism 20, GIM (may be based on a clinical acumen scenario) 10. You must have passed the MRCPI Clinical by 31 December 2026.

Does speed of career progression matter for RCPI HST Rheumatology?

Yes. The Clinical Practice row (5) ends with “Speed of career progression”, and both Leadership and Teaching are judged “commensurate with their clinical role (SHO v Registrar)”.