Paediatric sub-specialty training - application guidance

Changes to the 2024-25 round

As noted in our recent online careers event (recording in Events section below), the College team has been working on some further development of the sub-specialty recruitment process. Here is an outline of the updates that will be introduced this year.

Eligibility

• Trainees will need to provide examples of having explored their chosen sub-specialty on the Confirmation of Eligibility form.
• These examples should be discussed with Educational Supervisors who will need to sign these off before forms are submitted to Heads of School.

Shortlisting

• White-space questions will be removed from the application form. The format of the entry will be simpler and clearer, using examples instead of lengthy free-text.
• The ‘Statement to Support’ has been removed entirely.
• The shortlisting will be scored on the following sections:
  • Exploration of sub-specialty – this replaces ‘Clinical Experience’, with applicants asked to list three examples, with a demonstration of relevant skills/attributes that have prepared the applicant for the sub-specialty
  • Leadership – section now focussed on non-clinical roles
  • Quality Improvement/Audit
  • Involvement in teaching
  • Research achievements
  • Publications/Presentations/Posters

Interviews

The interviews will continue to take place online, with the duration being extended to 30 minutes per candidate. It will still consist of four questions across the following assessment areas:

1. ‘Motivation’ question will focus on preparation for and understanding of the sub-specialty
2. 'Clinical' question will assess clinical ability and reasoning 
3. ‘Academic’ question will become a portfolio-style question, which will explore an applicant's academic experience, including research, publications and teaching
4. ‘Team working’ question will be replaced by a second clinical scenario, focussing on clinical leadership

The new Applicant Guide and updated Shortlisting Guidance are all now available in the Downloads box below.

Timeline

These are the key applicant dates for the 2024-25 sub-specialty recruitment round.

Interview dates

What sub-specialty posts can I apply for?

The programme summaries and individual job descriptions for the 2025-26 round will be available to view via a SharePoint link, which will be published here at the start of October 2025.

Who can apply for sub-specialty training?

All applicants should ensure that they meet the criteria listed below in order for their application to be considered. Paediatric sub-specialty training is available for all trainees in the UK Paediatric Training pathway, along with some specific exceptions for trainees from related specialties, as detailed below.

There are no personal specifications for individual sub-specialties.

Applications that do not meet these criteria will be longlisted out of the process

Eligibility criteria: RCPCH trainees, RCPCH academic trainees, ROI paediatric trainees

Eligibility criteria: Other allied medical specialties

There is no requirement for trainees in other allied medical specialties to have MRCPCH examinations or the paediatric capabilities listed in the RCPCH trainee eligibility criteria, but they should be aware of their own essential requirements.

All Anaesthetic, Intensive care medicine (ICM) and Emergency medicine (EM) trainees need to demonstrate the following by submitting a completed Confirmation of eligibility form for Anaesthetic, ICM & EM trainees (available in the Downloads box below)

Trainees outside of a UK/ROI training programme

Applications from those outside of a UK/Republic of Ireland training programme are not eligible to apply. Please look at available options on our page for international doctors looking for opportunities in the UK.

If someone has training, qualifications and experience in paediatrics but has gained these partly or completely outside of an approved CCT training programme (for example, they have trained outside the UK or Republic of Ireland, moved abroad or taken a career break) and they are looking to join the GMC Specialist Register, they may be eligible to apply for the Portfolio Pathway.

Trainees from outside of a UK/Republic of Ireland training programme may be eligible to apply to core paediatric training and then apply to sub-specialty training once in the UK training programme.

Sub-specialty recognition

It is not possible to gain 'dual accreditation' in more than one specialty. CCTs will be in Paediatrics. If you complete sub-specialty training, your sub-specialty will appear in brackets after the primary specialty Paediatrics on the Specialist Register. Only trainees who have been approved for sub-specialty training within the sub-specialty recruitment process may have a sub-specialty listed on the Specialist Register.

You can see more information about sub-specialty recognition.

Indicative training time

Sub-specialty training is capability-based and programmes are typically two to three years indicatively. Applicants must ensure they have enough time to complete the required capabilities before their agreed CCT date, as it cannot be changed to accommodate sub-specialty training.

A maximum of one year WTE (whole time equivalent) specialty level training UK experience or equivalent (Out of Programme Pause or OOP Training) can be counted towards sub-specialty training, as long as it has been approved by the relevant CSAC Chair prior to the application process.

Applicants are required to email the relevant CSAC Chair for approval and upload the approval email as evidence to their Confirmation of Eligibility form on ePortfolio. Please see the Evidencing prior experience for sub-specialty training document in the Downloads box below for the type of relevant experience that is accepted. 

How many times can I apply to do sub-specialty training?

Trainees are not limited in the number of attempts that they can apply to sub-specialty training, subject to having enough time left before their CCT date and can count up to one year WTE towards training.

How many sub-specialties can I apply for?

Applicants can apply for a maximum of two sub-specialties in each round. Separate application forms must be submitted for each sub-specialty.

Can I defer my place?

A deferral request will be accepted for statutory reasons only (for example, parental leave or ill health). Applicants applying for deferred entry must put their intention to defer and their intended start date (if known) on their application form. We are no longer accepting deferral requests for any other reasons. This does not affect trainees applying while they are out of programme (OOP) if they meet the eligibility criteria, but trainees will no longer be able to defer for studying for a higher education qualification.

How do I apply?

Applications are made via the Oriel recruitment system.

• Access the Oriel system and register for an account with Oriel using the same email registered on ePortfolio
• Read the shortlisting scoring criteria thoroughly when completing the application. It contains all the details of the marking scheme and the maximum score for each assessment domain. It also contains the white space questions for each section, so applicants can start planning their answers in advance of the application window.
• It is recommended that applications be submitted at least 48 hours before the closing date to allow for any technical problems or unforeseen circumstances.
• Late applications will not be accepted under any circumstances.
• Reasonable adjustments and special circumstances requests need to be noted on the application and the relevant form (available in the Downloads box below) completed and returned to the sub-specialty team. Please see the applicant guide below for more information.

Shortlisting scores do not contribute to the final score. They will determine if an applicant goes through to the interview stage. Applicants will be appointed based on their interview score and their preferences.

Confirmation of eligibility forms and equivalent

All applicants need to submit a confirmation of eligibility form or equivalent to demonstrate their eligibility to apply to sub-specialty training.

New for 2024-25 all applicants are required to include 3 examples of activities/experience from their career to date, to demonstrate that they have prepared themselves for an application to their chosen sub-specialty. These examples should have been discussed with and signed off by their Educational Supervisor as part of this form. This form will not be viewed by the shortlisters or interviewers and it will not be scored.

The next sections have more information per type of trainee. 

RCPCH trainees

Trainees need to ask their local deanery (see the Downloads box below for the deanery contact list) and their Educational Supervisor to complete the Confirmation of eligibility form on ePortfolio before submitting an application.

To open a form once logged into ePortfolio, click on ‘create’ under ‘create a new event’ and scroll down to ‘uncategorised’ where ‘Confirmation of eligibility form for sub-specialty training’ is listed, click on the link to open a new form. Trainees need to fill out section 1 of the form and then submit it to their deanery contact.

Forms need to be submitted to the local deanery before the application window closes. Late forms may not be accepted and in this situation will be at the discretion of the deanery. The form asks the deanery contact to confirm that the trainee is eligible to apply to sub-specialty training and that they have no concerns regarding their training progress. One form is needed for each applicant, not for each application, unless sub-specialty training experience is being counted towards different applications. The form does not need to be uploaded to the Oriel application.

Any application submitted without a confirmation of eligibility form on ePortfolio will be longlisted out of the process.

Republic of Ireland (ROI) paediatric trainees

Trainees from ROI will need to complete the Certificate of Core Training Capabilities for ROI Trainees form. It needs to be completed by a consultant who has worked with the trainee for a minimum of three months WTE within 3.5 years prior to August 2025 and their Educational Supervisor or equivalent. The completed form needs to be emailed back to the recruitment team before an application is submitted. The form is available in the Downloads box below.

Anaesthetic, Intensive care medicine and Emergency medicine trainees

Trainees from these specialties need to ask their local deanery and their Educational Supervisor to complete a Confirmation of eligibility for Anaesthetic, ICM and EM trainees form and email it back to the Medical Recruitment team before an application is submitted. The form is available in the Downloads box below.

Events

On 26 September 2024, the RCPCH Medical Recruitment Team held this webinar to explain the application process and the changes for the 2024/25 round in more detail, followed by a Q&A.

Paediatric sub-specialty careers event

On 24 July 2024, the RCPCH Medical Recruitment Team held this event online across two sessions in the morning and afternoon. In the first hour of each session, the team delivered a presentation on the recruitment process then representatives from each of the sub-specialties gave a one-minute presentation on what it is like to work in their field. Both sessions ended with a Q&A. This recording has been edited to merge both sessions together, so there may be some repetition in the Q&A. Please open on YouTube to view the timestamps.

There will be an invite only webinar on the interview process in January. Check back here for more information on future events.

Contact us

If you have any questions, please contact the RCPCH Sub-specialty Recruitment team:

• Email: subspecialty@rcpch.ac.uk
• Phone: 020 7092 6139

• *This deadline is for confirmation of eligibility forms to be sent to the deanery. The deadline for the forms to be submitted to the RCPCH Medical Recruitment team is the same deadline for submitting the Oriel application by.
• **These academic posts are supernumerary to the clinical posts that we advertise in the recruitment programmes, and they are therefore not included in the preferences and offers process. Trainees that are found appointable following the interview process can take up an academic post up till October of that recruitment year, otherwise they will need to reapply in a future round.