DATA · PAEDS ST1
Paediatrics (ST1) competition ratios
In 2025 there were 2,680 applications for 476 posts — 5.63 applications per post. The trend below shows how that has moved.
Read the trend, not the old numbers. UK law changed in March 2026 and again in June 2026 (the Medical Training Prioritisation Act): UK-trained doctors are now prioritised and application counts are capped, which roughly halved effective competition for them and added thousands of posts. Figures from before 2026 are not comparable and overstate today's competition. NHS England announcement
Published ratios count applications, not people. The average applicant applies to about 2.4 specialties, so ratios overstate how hard each one really is.
| Year | Applications | Posts | Ratio | Trend | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1,075 | 458 | 2.35 | NHS England checked 17/08/2026 | |
| 2023 | 1,231 | 506 | 2.43 | NHS England checked 17/08/2026 | |
| 2024 | 1,583 | 479 | 3.30 | NHS England checked 17/08/2026 | |
| 2025 | 2,680 | 476 | 5.63 | NHS England checked 17/08/2026 |
Competition figures contain public sector information from NHS England, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
The ratio is the field. Your score is your position in it.
Paediatrics (ST1) shortlists on the published self-assessment. Docrr scores your portfolio against it live, shows the gaps, and tracks what closes them.