Core Psychiatry
Core training · ~3 yrs (uncoupled; higher ST4+ applied for separately)
Recruited by National Psychiatry Recruitment Office (NHS England — North West)
How Core Psychiatry selection works
Core Psychiatry (CT1) is selected on the MSRA alone — no portfolio and no interview. Your two paper scores set a single national rank, and offers and training locations follow that rank. Specific to Core Psychiatry and GP, a successful MSRA score is transferable between recruitment rounds within a 12-month cycle — so a score from an earlier application can be carried over instead of re-sitting. (For Core Psychiatry, the August Round 1 intake is an exception — there you must sit the MSRA fresh; this does not apply to GP. See the MSRA tab.)
Provisional — 2026/27 dates are based on last cycle's pattern. NHS England publishes confirmed dates around October 2026.
1
Apply10,677(100%)
You make a single application for Core Psychiatry — this one application also covers ST1 Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and ST1 Psychiatry of Learning Disability (there is no separate process). All UK psychiatry training posts are recruited through a national process managed by the National Psychiatry Recruitment Office (NHS England — North West).
22 Oct – 19 Nov 2026
2
Sit MSRA
If you apply only to Core Psychiatry and/or General Practice, you sit the MSRA in the reserved February window; only if applications exceed the capacity of that sitting are some applicants required to sit in January instead (the January window is otherwise open to all specialties). Your allocated window is confirmed after applications close and cannot be changed, even if you withdraw other applications.
11–24 Feb 2027 (or 5–18 Jan 2027)
3
Ranking
The MSRA sets one national rank from your two paper scores — offers and training locations follow it directly. It is the only ranking gate; there is no portfolio or interview.
MSRA100%
4
Offer Released489(4.6%)top ranked applicants offered posts
23 Mar 2027
5
Post starts
Aug 2027
Sources
- https://medical.hee.nhs.uk/medical-training-recruitment/medical-specialty-training/psychiatry/core-psychiatry-training/overview-of-core-psychiatry-training
- https://medical.hee.nhs.uk/medical-training-recruitment/medical-specialty-training/multi-specialty-recruitment-assessment-msra/taking-the-msra
- https://medical.hee.nhs.uk/medical-training-recruitment/medical-specialty-training/person-specifications/person-specifications-2026/core-psychiatry-training-ct1-2026
- https://medical.hee.nhs.uk/medical-training-recruitment/medical-specialty-training/competition-ratios