SmartST
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Ophthalmology

Run-through OST · ~7 yrs

Recruited by NHSE South West / Severn (for RCOphth)

How Ophthalmology selection works
Ophthalmology (ST1) ranks you more than once. An initial MSRA + self-assessed Portfolio (50/50) decides whose Portfolio (officially the Evidence Folder) is reviewed; the verified Portfolio decides who is invited to interview; and the final offer rank is Portfolio 50% + interview 50% — the MSRA is discarded after the initial rank.

Provisional — 2026/27 dates are based on last cycle's pattern. NHS England publishes confirmed dates around October 2026.

1
Apply2,197(100%)
22 Oct – 19 Nov 2026
2
Sit MSRA
5–18 Jan 2027
3
Portfolio & Self Score Submission
One portal, two submissions: you upload evidence against each scoring domain to build your Evidence Folder — there’s no single combined PDF and no cover page — and complete the online self-score; fail to submit both and you don’t progress.
15 Jan – 1 Feb 2027
4
Ranking

MSRA and your self-assessed Portfolio set an initial 50/50 rank — it decides whose Portfolio is reviewed. The MSRA counts only here, then is discarded.

MSRA50%
Portfolio Self Score50%
5
Portfolio Review350(16%)top ranked applicants have their portfolio reviewed, verified and scored
12 February 2027
6
Ranking

Candidates are re-ranked based on their new portfolio score. This score alone decides who is invited to interview.

Portfolio Verified100%
7
Interview260(12%)top ranked applicants invited to interview
15–16 Mar 2027
8
Ranking

Final offer rank: your verified portfolio and interview, weighted equally — the MSRA is not included.

Portfolio Verified50%
Interview50%
9
Offer Released102(4.6%)top ranked applicants offered posts
by 23 Mar 2027
10
Post starts
Aug 2027
Sources