Competition ratios for 2026
Competition ratios for the 2026 recruitment round
Round 1 competition ratios
In 2026 Round 1, each applicant could only apply once per specialty, however they could apply to a maximum of 5 specialties each. The overall competition ratio for the round is as follows:
| Applicants | Posts | Round 1 Competition ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants 39387 | Posts 10682 | Round 1 Competition ratio 3.69 |
The number of applications and posts available for each specialty are listed below.
| Specialty | Applications | Posts | Competition ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Specialty ACCS Emergency Medicine ST1 | Applications 4410 | Posts 357 | Competition ratio 12.35 |
| Specialty Anaesthetics CT1 | Applications 5766 | Posts 547 | Competition ratio 10.54 |
| Specialty Broad Based Training (Scotland) CT1 | Applications 926 | Posts 15 | Competition ratio 61.73 |
| Specialty Cardiothoracic Surgery ST1 | Applications 202 | Posts 14 | Competition ratio 14.43 |
| Specialty Clinical Radiology ST1 | Applications 2849 | Posts 327 | Competition ratio 8.71 |
| Specialty Community Sexual and Reproductive Health ST1 | Applications 583 | Posts 9 | Competition ratio 64.78 |
| Specialty Core Psychiatry Training CT1 | Applications 11940 | Posts 552 | Competition ratio 21.63 |
| Specialty Core Surgical Training CT1 | Applications 4975 | Posts 720 | Competition ratio 6.91 |
| Specialty Core Surgical Training (Northern Ireland) CT1 | Applications 1013 | Posts 42 | Competition ratio 24.12 |
| Specialty Emergency Medicine (Northern Ireland) ST1 | Applications 768 | Posts 10 | Competition ratio 76.80 |
| Specialty General Practice ST1 | Applications 24014 | Posts 5064 | Competition ratio 4.74 |
| Specialty General Practice and Public Health Medicine (Dual CCT Programme) ST1 | Applications 800 | Posts 13 | Competition ratio 61.54 |
| Specialty Histopathology ST1 | Applications 681 | Posts 79 | Competition ratio 8.62 |
| Specialty Internal Medicine Training CT1 | Applications 8468 | Posts 1683 | Competition ratio 5.03 |
| Specialty Internal Medicine Training (Scotland) CT1 | Applications 885 | Posts 124 | Competition ratio 7.14 |
| Specialty Neurosurgery ST1 | Applications 378 | Posts 16 | Competition ratio 23.63 |
| Specialty Obstetrics and Gynaecology ST1 | Applications 3532 | Posts 354 | Competition ratio 9.98 |
| Specialty Ophthalmology ST1 | Applications 1141 | Posts 115 | Competition ratio 9.92 |
| Specialty Oral and Maxillo Facial Surgery ST1 | Applications 64 | Posts 19 | Competition ratio 3.37 |
| Specialty Paediatrics ST1 | Applications 2605 | Posts 508 | Competition ratio 5.13 |
| Specialty Public Health Medicine ST1 | Applications 2241 | Posts 100 | Competition ratio 22.41 |
| Specialty Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery (Scotland) ST1 | Applications 494 | Posts 14 | Competition ratio 35.29 |
Round 1 unique applications
The number of unique applicants that only applied to one specialty are detailed below:
| Specialty | Applications | Unique applications for this vacancy only | % unique applications | Unique applications appointed | % Unique applications appointed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Specialty ACCS Emergency Medicine ST1 | Applications 4410 | Unique applications for this vacancy only 481 | % unique applications 10.91 | Unique applications appointed 111 | % Unique applications appointed 23.08 |
| Specialty Anaesthetics CT1 | Applications 5766 | Unique applications for this vacancy only 1012 | % unique applications 17.55 | Unique applications appointed 220 | % Unique applications appointed 21.74 |
| Specialty Broad Based Training (Scotland) CT1 | Applications 926 | Unique applications for this vacancy only 13 | % unique applications 1.40 | Unique applications appointed 2 | % Unique applications appointed 15.38 |
| Specialty Cardiothoracic Surgery ST1 | Applications 202 | Unique applications for this vacancy only 24 | % unique applications 11.88 | Unique applications appointed 7 | % Unique applications appointed 29.17 |
| Specialty Clinical Radiology ST1 | Applications 2849 | Unique applications for this vacancy only 369 | % unique applications 12.95 | Unique applications appointed 76 | % Unique applications appointed 20.60 |
| Specialty Community Sexual and Reproductive Health ST1 | Applications 583 | Unique applications for this vacancy only 34 | % unique applications 5.83 | Unique applications appointed 3 | % Unique applications appointed 8.82 |
| Specialty Core Psychiatry Training CT1 | Applications 11940 | Unique applications for this vacancy only 770 | % unique applications 6.45 | Unique applications appointed 225 | % Unique applications appointed 29.22 |
| Specialty Core Surgical Training CT1 | Applications 4975 | Unique applications for this vacancy only 968 | % unique applications 19.46 | Unique applications appointed 288 | % Unique applications appointed 29.75 |
| Specialty Core Surgical Training (Northern Ireland) CT1 | Applications 1013 | Unique applications for this vacancy only 23 | % unique applications 2.27 | Unique applications appointed 7 | % Unique applications appointed 30.43 |
| Specialty Emergency Medicine (Northern Ireland) ST1 | Applications 768 | Unique applications for this vacancy only 13 | % unique applications 1.69 | Unique applications appointed 1 | % Unique applications appointed 7.69 |
| Specialty General Practice ST1 | Applications 24014 | Unique applications for this vacancy only 7115 | % unique applications 29.63 | Unique applications appointed 2158 | % Unique applications appointed 30.33 |
| Specialty General Practice and Public Health Medicine (Dual CCT Programme) ST1 | Applications 800 | Unique applications for this vacancy only 13 | % unique applications 1.63 | Unique applications appointed 2 | % Unique applications appointed 15.38 |
| Specialty Histopathology ST1 | Applications 681 | Unique applications for this vacancy only 203 | % unique applications 29.81 | Unique applications appointed 33 | % Unique applications appointed 16.26 |
| Specialty Internal Medicine Training CT1 | Applications 8468 | Unique applications for this vacancy only 5053 | % unique applications 59.67 | Unique applications appointed 1509 | % Unique applications appointed 29.86 |
| Specialty Internal Medicine Training (Scotland) CT1 | Applications 885 | Unique applications for this vacancy only 359 | % unique applications 40.56 | Unique applications appointed 118 | % Unique applications appointed 32.87 |
| Specialty Neurosurgery ST1 | Applications 378 | Unique applications for this vacancy only 49 | % unique applications 12.96 | Unique applications appointed 4 | % Unique applications appointed 8.16 |
| Specialty Obstetrics and Gynaecology ST1 | Applications 3532 | Unique applications for this vacancy only 346 | % unique applications 9.80 | Unique applications appointed 130 | % Unique applications appointed 37.57 |
| Specialty Ophthalmology ST1 | Applications 1141 | Unique applications for this vacancy only 170 | % unique applications 14.90 | Unique applications appointed 49 | % Unique applications appointed 28.82 |
| Specialty Oral and Maxillo Facial Surgery ST1 | Applications 64 | Unique applications for this vacancy only 25 | % unique applications 39.06 | Unique applications appointed 11 | % Unique applications appointed 44.00 |
| Specialty Paediatrics ST1 | Applications 2605 | Unique applications for this vacancy only 870 | % unique applications 33.40 | Unique applications appointed 285 | % Unique applications appointed 32.76 |
| Specialty Public Health Medicine ST1 | Applications 2241 | Unique applications for this vacancy only 1374 | % unique applications 61.31 | Unique applications appointed 76 | % Unique applications appointed 5.53 |
| Specialty Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery (Scotland) ST1 | Applications 494 | Unique applications for this vacancy only 27 | % unique applications 5.47 | Unique applications appointed 2 | % Unique applications appointed 7.41 |
Page last reviewed: 21 October 2026