UK ST4 Anaesthetics: 2026 dates, format and scoring
ST4 applications open in late January and close in late February on Oriel. Interviews run in April and May, with invitations about three weeks before.
Updated 27 October 2026
- When to apply
- ST4 applications open in late January and close in late February on Oriel.
- A second round is sometimes run in the autumn.
- When interviews run
- Interviews run in April and May, with invitations about three weeks before.
- Offers follow in May and June.
- The format
- Structured stations with two assessors each: a clinical scenario with staged probes, a professional scenario, and commitment and portfolio questions.
- Who is on the panel
- Two assessors per station, consultant anaesthetists.
- How it is scored
- Scored against judgement, professionalism, communication and commitment, combined with the application and portfolio score.
- Competition for ST4 posts has risen sharply in recent rounds.
- What to prepare
- The eight clinical scenarios at senior trainee level with the worsening prepared.
- The professional scenarios with their next steps.
- One minute answers to the commitment and portfolio questions with the logbook numbers ready.
- Three current issues in anaesthetics with your own view.