Plastic Surgery ST3 uses the published 2026 self-assessment, but only part of it has published mark values. The 10 marks Docrr shows cover the published-score sections only: years in practice, publications by impact factor, collaborative research and a principal investigator mark. The hand trauma, burns, skin cancer, higher qualification, audit and presentation sections use lettered selections whose mark values are not published on the source, so they are recorded here but not added up — your real total will be higher than the figure shown.
What the sections are
- Years in practice since qualifying — 3 marks. Full marks looks like: "A, under 5 years."
- Publications, four best by impact factor — 5 marks. Full marks looks like: "Total impact score over 17.51."
- Collaborative research — 1 mark. Full marks looks like: "Named on two or more collaborative papers."
- Principal investigator — 1 mark. Full marks looks like: "Yes, principal investigator on an NIHR approved or equivalent trial."
Also assessed, but with no published mark values (recorded, not added up): Surgical competence, hand trauma, Surgical competence, burns, Surgical competence, skin cancer, Higher qualifications related to medicine, Audit, Presentations and posters.
What costs people marks
- Six sections (hand trauma, burns, skin cancer, higher qualifications, audit and presentations) have no published mark values — they are real parts of the assessment, just not summable, so do not read the 10-mark figure as your whole score.
- Years in practice is scored in reverse: the earlier you apply the more you score, measured from graduation to the day of interview.
- Publications are scored by totalling the impact factors of your four best papers — principal authorship counts the full impact factor, any other authorship counts half, and letters or case reports may count at a quarter.
- Audits must relate to plastic surgery: general audits such as VTE or handwashing do not count even on a plastics ward.
- Intercalated degrees do not count towards higher qualifications, nor do MRCS, FRCS or FRCS(Plast).
Check the official document
This page is a plain-English summary of the framework as Docrr models it — it is not the framework itself. Before you rely on any number here, check the official source: Specialty applications plastic surgery ST3 self assessment.
Scoring frameworks change annually, sometimes substantially, and the version that matters is the one attached to the round you are applying in. Last checked against the source on 2026-08-17.