ENT & Otolaryngology ST3 Interview Masterclass
Airway first, every time — then the ear, the nose and the conversation.
- 11–12 March 2027 (online)
- ≈ 45 minutes (3 × 10-minute stations, online)
- Online
- 2 interviewers per station
- Competition
- 5.93:1
- Scenarios
- 13
- Stations
- 3
Competition: 243 applications for 41 posts (2025). Source: NHS England specialty recruitment competition ratios.
Recruited by NHS England — North East and Yorkshire (national ENT ST3 selection, not PHST).
Official recruitment information
ENT & Otolaryngology ST3 recruitment
NHS England — North East and Yorkshire (posts across England and Scotland). Round described: 2027 round (dates confirmed); interview format from the 2026 handbook.
2027 application and interview dates are published. The 2027 applicant handbook is under review, so the station format shown is the latest available (2026 handbook). Last checked against the sources below on 6 October 2026. Always confirm details with the recruiting office before your interview.
2027 round — confirmed
- Applications open at 10:00 on 19 November 2026 and close at 16:00 on 10 December 2026, through Oriel.
- Interviews will be held online on 11–12 March 2027; a second round is not expected.
- Self-assessment criteria have changed for 2027 (guidance to be published).
- Full GMC registration is required at the time of application.
Interview — latest published format (2026 handbook)
- Three 10-minute stations, each with 2 minutes' reading time; about 45 minutes including scoring time.
- Professional: you may be asked to read a paper or prepare a presentation in advance — if so, you are told after the interview invitation and within 7 days of the interview.
- Communication: a role-play with a trained actor.
- Clinical: a clinical scenario.
- Two interviewers assess each station independently. Paper notes you prepared yourself are allowed.
- Appointability: a total score at or above the modified Angoff score, and no 'red flag'.
- Shortlisting is by validated self-assessment score.
Eligibility (2026 round)
- MRCS (ENT) has not been essential since 2025; all parts of MRCS must be passed by the 'initial offers released by' date. MRCS (ENT) is still accepted.
Not yet published
- 2027 applicant handbook
- 2027 self-assessment scoring
Sources
Everything else in the ENT & Otolaryngology library — model answers, frameworks, scenarios and the mock interview prompts — is StepUp preparation guidance, not an official mark scheme.
ENT & Otolaryngology resource library
43 written topics and 4 scored practice questions, organised the way the interview is.
Interview Format & Strategy
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Clinical Scenario
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Suitability & Commitment
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Surgical Experience & Logbook
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Communication & Consent
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Ethics & Professionalism
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Management & Leadership
UnlockPortfolio & Evidence
UnlockScored questions
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Mock circuit
UnlockENT & Otolaryngology ST3 interview: common questions
When are the 2027 ENT ST3 interviews?
NHS England North East and Yorkshire has published online interviews on 11–12 March 2027, with applications open from 10:00 on 19 November to 16:00 on 10 December 2026. A second round is not expected.
What is the ENT ST3 interview format?
The 2026 applicant handbook (the latest published) describes three 10-minute stations — Professional, Communication (a role-play with a trained actor) and Clinical — each with 2 minutes' reading time. You may be asked to read a paper or prepare a presentation in advance. The 2027 handbook is under review.
Is MRCS (ENT) required?
Not since 2025. You must have passed all parts of the MRCS by the 'initial offers released by' date; MRCS (ENT) is still accepted.
How competitive is ENT ST3?
In the 2025 round NHS England reported 243 applications for 41 Otolaryngology ST3 posts, a competition ratio of 5.93.