NHS INTERVIEW GUIDE

Core Psychiatry Training (CT1) Interview Questions: What to Expect and How to Prepare

How CT1 psychiatry selection works now, what psychiatry interview panels ask about, a worked risk example and a step by step preparation plan.

Last updated 24 October 2026 · Created by a practising NHS doctor · Independent of the NHS

Quick answer

What questions are asked at the core psychiatry training (CT1) interview?

In recent rounds core psychiatry CT1 has had no interview; offers have been based on MSRA scores, though selection methods are under review. Where psychiatry interviews happen, such as trust and specialty doctor posts, expect questions on why psychiatry, risk assessment, capacity versus mental health law, angry relatives, patients wanting to leave, stigma and teamwork.

Key takeaways

Check the current applicant guide: recent CT1 rounds were MSRA only.
Know why you want psychiatry, with real examples.
Answer risk scenarios with safety, assessment, escalation and documentation.
Separate capacity law from mental health law and note UK nation differences.
Practise STAR answers aloud with peers or supervisors.

In recent recruitment rounds, core psychiatry training (CT1) in the UK has not used an interview at all: applicants have been ranked and offered posts on their Multi-Specialty Recruitment Assessment (MSRA) score after an eligibility check. Selection methods are under review, so check the current applicant guide. When psychiatry interviews do happen, for example for trust doctor, clinical fellow and specialty doctor posts, panels usually ask about your motivation for psychiatry, risk assessment, capacity and mental health law, communication with distressed people, teamwork and stigma.

This guide explains the current selection format in general terms, lists typical practice questions, walks through a risk scenario at principle level, and finishes with common mistakes and a preparation plan. The questions are original practice themes, not real or leaked interview questions.

In this guide

Is there an interview for core psychiatry training?
What questions are asked at a psychiatry job interview?
How do I answer "Why psychiatry?"
How do you explain capacity and the Mental Health Act at interview?
How do you answer a risk assessment scenario in a psychiatry interview?
How should I handle an angry relative or a patient who wants to leave?
What do psychiatry interview panels look for?
What about psychiatry specialty doctor and non-training posts?
What are the common mistakes in psychiatry interviews?
How should I prepare for a psychiatry interview?

Is there an interview for core psychiatry training?

Not in recent rounds. The national recruitment pages for core psychiatry have stated that offers are based on the MSRA, with no face to face or online interview, after your application passes longlisting and any document checks.

The process can change, and the Royal College of Psychiatrists has been reviewing selection methods for core training. Always read the current applicant guide from the national psychiatry recruitment office.

Application and longlisting: an online application checked against the national person specification, with documents uploaded if requested.
MSRA: a computer based test with a Professional Dilemmas paper and a Clinical Problem Solving paper. Your score decides ranking and offers, and minimum scores apply, so check the guide for current rules.
Why interview skills still matter: the Professional Dilemmas paper tests similar judgement, many doctors take non-training psychiatry posts first, and interviews could return.

What questions are asked at a psychiatry job interview?

Psychiatry interviews usually mix motivation, clinical judgement and values: why psychiatry, then scenarios on risk, capacity, mental health law, difficult conversations and teamwork.

Practise these aloud, aiming for structured answers of about two minutes.

Why do you want to work in psychiatry rather than another specialty?
How would you carry out a risk assessment for a patient who has self-harmed?
What is the difference between assessing capacity and using mental health legislation?
A patient admitted informally says they want to leave the ward now. What would you do?
An angry relative demands information about their adult son's care. How would you handle it?
How would you challenge stigma around mental illness, including among colleagues?
Tell us about a time you worked well in a multidisciplinary team.
Describe a time you disagreed with a senior colleague about a patient's care.
How do you look after your own wellbeing in an emotionally demanding job?
A patient on the ward becomes agitated and threatening. What are your priorities?
What do you understand about the role of a psychiatrist in a community mental health team?
Tell us about a mistake you made and what you learned.

How do I answer "Why psychiatry?"

Give a personal, specific reason backed by real experience, then show you understand the job. Concrete detail stands out from generic answers.

Cover a clinical experience that drew you in, what you enjoy (longer relationships with patients, formulation, biopsychosocial thinking), how you tested your interest (taster days, audits, liaison work) and a realistic view of challenges such as risk and stigma.

How do you explain capacity and the Mental Health Act at interview?

Explain that capacity law is about whether a person can make a specific decision at a specific time, while mental health legislation allows assessment and treatment of a mental disorder without consent when strict criteria and safeguards are met. They answer different questions and you should not use one to get round the other.

Keep it at principle level and show you know the law differs across the UK. In England and Wales, capacity falls under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and detention under the Mental Health Act 1983, which has been going through reform. Scotland has separate legislation for adults with incapacity and for mental health care and treatment, and Northern Ireland has its own framework. Say you would follow local policy and seek senior advice.

Capacity: presume capacity, support the person to decide, assess decision specific understanding, retention, weighing and communication, and act in their best interests only if they lack capacity.
Mental health legislation: for a mental disorder needing assessment or treatment, with formal roles, criteria, time limits, rights of appeal and safeguards.
Least restrictive option: always consider whether care can be given informally or in a less restrictive way.
Rights: mention advocacy and information about rights and appeals.

How do you answer a risk assessment scenario in a psychiatry interview?

Show a safe, structured approach: immediate safety first, then a thorough assessment, a collaborative plan, clear documentation and escalation to seniors. Avoid giving numbers or trying to predict risk with certainty.

Show that risk is dynamic, includes risk to and from others, and that the patient's views and protective factors matter.

Worked scenario: a patient who wants to leave after self-harm

Situation: On a night shift in the emergency department, I was asked to see a young adult who had taken an overdose and now wanted to go home before medical treatment was finished.

Task: I needed to keep them safe, assess risk and capacity for the decision to leave, and agree a plan.

Action: I made sure the medical team was aware and asked staff to stay with the patient while I assessed. I spoke calmly in private, explored what had happened, their intent, current thoughts, supports and protective factors. I assessed their capacity to refuse treatment and leave, and they could not weigh the information at that time. I discussed this promptly with my senior and the liaison team, acted in their best interests under the capacity framework while treatment was given, and documented my reasoning clearly.

Result: The patient stayed, was medically treated and was later reviewed by the liaison team, who agreed a safety plan with them. I learned to separate the capacity question from the mental health law question and to escalate early.

How should I handle an angry relative or a patient who wants to leave?

Stay calm, listen and acknowledge feelings, then be clear about what you can and cannot share. Confidentiality still applies to adult patients, but you can always listen to a relative's concerns and pass them on.

For an informal patient who wants to leave, respect their right to leave while checking risk. Understand why they want to go, review risk and mental state, involve the nurse in charge and your senior, and know your local policy on emergency holding powers without quoting time limits you are unsure of. Document everything.

What do psychiatry interview panels look for?

Panels generally score against the person specification. Typical areas include:

Patient safety: recognising risk, escalating early and knowing your limits.
Communication: empathy and clear, non-judgemental language with distressed people and families.
Legal and ethical awareness: capacity, consent, confidentiality and mental health law at principle level.
Teamwork: valuing nurses, social workers, psychologists, occupational therapists and peer workers.
Commitment: genuine, evidenced interest in psychiatry and in reducing stigma.
Reflection: learning from mistakes and using supervision.

What about psychiatry specialty doctor and non-training posts?

Trust doctor, clinical fellow and specialty doctor posts in psychiatry are recruited locally, usually by panel interview. Expect the same themes plus independent working, on-call duties, supervising juniors and your development plans.

Read the person specification closely, as panels often build questions from it. Our separate specialty doctor guide covers that grade in more depth.

What are the common mistakes in psychiatry interviews?

Most weak answers are unsafe, vague or legally confused rather than lacking knowledge.

Mixing up capacity law and mental health legislation, or suggesting detention to get round a refusal.
Trying to manage high risk alone instead of escalating to a senior.
Quoting specific legal sections or time limits incorrectly. Principles are safer than shaky detail.
Forgetting that the law differs between England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
A generic "why psychiatry" answer with no real experience behind it.
Using stigmatising language such as describing people by their diagnosis.
Leaving out the wider team and the patient's views.

How should I prepare for a psychiatry interview?

Prepare in this order over two to three weeks if you can.

1. Check the format: read the current applicant guide or job advert so you know whether there is an interview, an MSRA or both.
2. Map the person specification: list each criterion and match one example to it.
3. Build five or six STAR stories: teamwork, a mistake, a disagreement, a difficult conversation, a risk situation and leadership.
4. Revise principles: risk assessment, capacity, consent, confidentiality and the mental health law that applies where you will work.
5. Practise aloud: with peers, a psychiatry supervisor, your trust's medical education team or careers service. Healthcare Interview Prep offers written practice questions and model answers for self-study, not live mock interviews.
6. Use official sources: the national recruitment pages, the Royal College of Psychiatrists and BMA guidance.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an interview for CT1 psychiatry?

In recent rounds, no. Core psychiatry training offers have been made on MSRA scores after eligibility checks, with no face to face or online interview. The Royal College of Psychiatrists has been reviewing selection methods, so the format could change. Always read the current applicant guide for your round rather than older forum posts.

Is the MSRA the only thing that counts for core psychiatry?

In recent rounds the MSRA score has decided ranking and offers once you pass longlisting and any document checks. There are minimum score requirements for each paper and rules about resits and transferring scores between rounds. These details can change each year, so check the official MSRA and core psychiatry pages for current rules rather than relying on numbers quoted elsewhere.

What clinical scenarios come up in psychiatry interviews?

Common themes include assessing risk after self-harm, a patient who wants to leave the ward, an agitated or threatening patient, an angry relative asking for information, and a patient refusing treatment. Panels want a safe structure: immediate safety, assessment, capacity and legal considerations at principle level, involving the team and seniors, and clear documentation. Avoid quoting legal detail you are unsure of.

How do I prepare for a psychiatry specialty doctor interview?

Start with the job description and person specification, since panels often build their questions from them. Prepare examples showing independent clinical judgement, on-call work, supervising juniors, teamwork and learning from mistakes. Revise risk, capacity and mental health law for the nation you will work in. Practise aloud with colleagues or a supervisor, and consider written question banks for extra self-study.

Do I need to know the Mental Health Act in detail for a psychiatry interview?

You need a clear grasp of the principles rather than every section. Know the difference between capacity and detention, the idea of the least restrictive option, patients' rights and safeguards, and when to seek senior advice. Mention that the law differs between England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and that reforms have been under way, so you would follow current law and local policy.

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Healthcare Interview Prep is an independent NHS interview preparation website. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the NHS. Example questions and answers are original practice material, not official or leaked interview questions.

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