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Paediatrics HST • 2027 Interview

The 2027 Paediatrics HST Interview Revision Platform: Question Bank, Live Practice and Mocks with Other Candidates

The Medibuddy Paediatrics HST Question Bank includes 60 scenarios and over 260 model-answered questions that closely mirror the real interview, each written and edited by high-scoring candidates who sat the Paediatrics HST interview in 2026.

However, knowing a strong answer isn't the same as delivering it well under pressure, which is why we provide:

  • Study Groups with candidates across the country
  • Unlimited Live Mocks with real people
  • Peer Feedback on your mocks from a wide range of candidates

10 years' experience preparing doctors for interviews

Users of the Medibuddy Paediatrics HST Revision Platform have secured some of the most competitive training posts in recent rounds. Ask around, there's a good chance the trainees in the year above you used us too.

Always up to date

Did you know the interviews change every year? That's why we review and update every Question Bank on the platform twice a year, so you know you're always practising with scenarios based on the latest interview structure.

Network and practise real interview scenarios with other candidates

Question Bank

See every scenario, and how to answer it well

60 scenarios across all five scored categories, which tell you exactly how to respond to each question.
Study Groups

Connect with candidates across the country

Most people only ever practise with one or two friends. Study Groups connect you with candidates right across the country sitting the same Paediatrics HST interview.
Live MocksBeta

Practise interview technique with different candidates

Arrange or get matched on demand with other candidates and run real scenarios out loud under interview conditions. Those who practise with the widest range of people tend to score the highest.
Peer FeedbackBeta

Reviewed by candidates across the platform

Submit your recorded mocks to candidates across the platform and get honest, varied feedback. Reviewing other people's mocks teaches you just as much.

The question bank, and other candidates to practise with, all in one platform.

Paediatrics HST Revision Platform • €170

Gain access to 60 scenarios across all five scored categories, and collaborate with other candidates through Study Groups, Live Mocks and Peer Feedback.
Get instant access
What candidates say

Scored well, secured their post

A few of the candidates who prepared with us for the Paediatrics HST interview.

Verified candidateInterviewed 2026
"Being ready for both clinical questions, the acute paediatrics and the neonatal one, meant nothing caught me off guard on the day."
Secured HST post
Verified candidateInterviewed 2026
"Practising the suitability and research questions out loud with other candidates was the single most useful thing I did before the day."
Ranked highly
Part 1 • See the questions

The Medibuddy 2027 Paediatrics HST Question Bank

The interview is scored across five categories, including two separately scored clinical questions, and each part is tightly timed, so you have a limited window to deliver the high-scoring answers you need to do well. That means every point has to land, and knowing how to structure each answer is essential. That's why each of our 60 scenarios comes with a model answer, written by candidates who scored highly in the 2026 Paediatrics HST interview, so you know exactly how to approach every question the panel puts to you.
What's inside

What's included in the Paediatrics HST Question Bank

There's nothing worse than reaching the interview and being handed a question you've never prepared for. The panel scores five categories, including two separate clinical questions, so the safest approach is to revise across all of them. We provide scenarios for every category, including the common themes and the trickier cases that have come up before, so you don't get caught out.

CV

Questions on your training, achievements and career narrative, with model answers that show how to present your CV clearly.

Research, Audit & Teaching

Research, audit and teaching questions, with worked answers that evidence your contribution and its impact.

Clinical Question 1

Acute general paediatrics, from the septic or deteriorating child to status epilepticus and anaphylaxis, each with a worked answer.

Clinical Question 2

Neonatal and newborn care, from the newborn examination and jaundice to respiratory distress and bloodspot screening, each with a worked answer.

Suitability, Professionalism & Interview Performance

Professional, ethical and communication scenarios, with structured model answers for handling them well.
Built around the five scored categories
The interview includes two separately scored clinical questions, one in acute paediatrics and one in neonatal and newborn care. Every scenario is anchored to Irish practice, guidelines and law.
Try it

Try an example Paediatrics HST question

You are the first-year paediatric Specialist Registrar on call for a regional paediatric unit. The ward nurse calls you about Liam, aged 4, admitted 18 hours ago with two days of fever and vomiting. His PEWS score has risen to 5. You find him listless and difficult to rouse: temperature 39.6, heart rate 158, respiratory rate 34, central capillary refill 4 seconds and blood pressure 78/42. His parents are at the bedside.

How would you immediately assess and resuscitate him?

Question
How would you immediately assess and resuscitate Liam?
Example answer
Liam is in septic shock with a reduced conscious level, so I treat as I assess using ABCDE, call for help and phone my consultant early.
  • Airway and breathing: open the airway, high-flow oxygen, assess work of breathing with continuous saturations, and alert the anaesthetist early.
  • Circulation: two cannulae or intraosseous access without delay, blood cultures and bloods at cannulation with a bedside glucose and gas, and a 10 mL/kg crystalloid bolus reassessed after each per APLS.
  • Disability and exposure: AVPU or GCS, pupils and glucose, and a full skin check for petechiae or purpura.
  • Start the HSE paediatric sepsis form and record the times.
Question
What investigations and treatment should be completed within the first hour?
Example answer
Antibiotics and fluids are time-critical, and the sepsis form records each step within the first hour.
  • Investigations: blood cultures before antibiotics without delaying them, FBC, CRP, U and E, LFTs, coagulation and glucose, a venous gas with lactate, and a urine sample, deferring a lumbar puncture while he is shocked.
  • Treatment: an IV antibiotic within the hour, usually cefotaxime or ceftriaxone per the local guideline, further 10 mL/kg boluses checking for response and overload, correction of hypoglycaemia and electrolytes, and a catheter for strict fluid balance.
  • Escalation: an ISBAR update to my consultant and early discussion with PICU if he remains shocked after 40 mL/kg.
Question
Bloods show lactate 4.8, glucose 2.8, raised creatinine and prolonged clotting. After 30 mL/kg he remains shocked. What next?
Example answer
He has fluid-refractory septic shock with multi-organ dysfunction and needs critical care.
  • Treat the hypoglycaemia with 2 mL/kg of 10% dextrose then glucose-containing fluids.
  • Give one further careful 10 mL/kg bolus, stopping if overload appears, and start an adrenaline or noradrenaline infusion peripherally or intraosseously per APLS and Surviving Sepsis guidance.
  • Anaesthetist to the bedside anticipating a cardiovascularly stable intubation, and FFP for coagulopathy if bleeding or before procedures.
  • Ask my consultant to attend, refer to PICU by ISBAR, and agree the retrieval plan, noting IPATS runs 08:00 to 20:00 so out of hours the transfer is agreed with PICU and my consultant.
Question
An hour later a spreading non-blanching petechial rash appears. How does this change your management?
Example answer
A spreading non-blanching rash in a shocked child is meningococcal septicaemia until proven otherwise.
  • Confirm the third-generation cephalosporin has been given, as it covers meningococcus, and expect rapid deterioration, escalating to my consultant and PICU now and preparing for intubation and inotropes.
  • No lumbar puncture while shocked and coagulopathic; send blood for meningococcal PCR, repeat clotting, fibrinogen and platelets, and treat DIC with products guided by results.
  • Mark the edge of the rash and monitor limb perfusion for purpura fulminans.
  • Public health: notify the HSE Department of Public Health by phone, as invasive meningococcal disease is notifiable, and they arrange contact chemoprophylaxis.
Question
What complications will you anticipate over the next 24 to 48 hours?
Example answer
Meningococcal septicaemia can cause rapid multi-organ failure, so I anticipate complications system by system.
  • Cardiovascular: refractory shock and myocardial dysfunction.
  • Haematological: DIC and purpura fulminans with limb ischaemia needing early surgical input.
  • Renal and metabolic: acute kidney injury and electrolyte and glucose disturbance.
  • Neurological: coexisting meningitis, seizures and raised intracranial pressure.
  • Endocrine: adrenal haemorrhage, with hydrocortisone considered in catecholamine-resistant shock.
  • Longer term: sensorineural hearing loss needing audiology, and scarring, amputation and neurodevelopmental follow-up.
Question
PICU accepts Liam and the retrieval team is on its way. How do you hand him over?
Example answer
I give a concise ISBAR handover, as set out in the PEWS guideline.
  • Identify: myself, my role and hospital, and Liam, aged 4, with his weight.
  • Situation: meningococcal septic shock, fluid-refractory after 40 mL/kg, on an adrenaline infusion via intraosseous access.
  • Background: two days of fever and vomiting, admitted 18 hours ago, previously well, no allergies, with the time the cefotaxime was given and hypoglycaemia corrected.
  • Assessment: his current observations and conscious level, lactate 4.8, coagulopathy, spreading purpura and airway status.
  • Recommendation: immediate PICU retrieval with my consultant present, asking what they want done before arrival and confirming infusions, products and results to send.

That's one scenario. There are 59 more.

Paediatrics HST Revision Platform • €170

Includes every scenario in the Question Bank, and access to Study Groups, Live Mocks with other candidates and Peer Feedback.
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Actively maintained

How we keep our Question Banks up to date

The Paediatrics HST interview changes from year to year, and the biggest fear for any candidate is getting to interview day and realising you've revised with a question bank that's totally outdated.

That's why we review and update every Question Bank twice a year, so you know you're revising with scenarios that are likely to come up. We do this in April after the previous year's interviews, and again in the autumn when the new recruitment guidance is published.

For 2027, this process kept the Question Bank aligned with the current five-category format, across CV, research and teaching, the two clinical questions, and suitability and professionalism, so you always practise with the format the panel is using now.
Updated for 2027 Interviews
Part 2 • Practise them live

The only interview resource where you can practise live with other candidates from across the country

Our Paediatrics HST Question Bank tells you exactly how to answer real interview scenarios. But how you practise with them will determine how many marks you score. Simply reading answers off a screen won't prepare you for the intense scrutiny you'll face in the interview, and only practising with the same few colleagues limits the feedback you'll get. Medibuddy gives you unique access to Paediatrics HST candidates across the country, so you can learn from a variety of perspectives and hear a far wider range of feedback than your own circle could ever give you.

Study Groups
When you prepare in isolation, you're relying on your own interpretation of the interview process, which is one of the quickest ways to get found out on the day. Study Groups connect you with other doctors across the country who are also applying to Paediatrics HST, so you can engage and network with people preparing for the same interview as you. Everyone brings different experience from different units, meaning you won't miss out on the key bits of information that could swing the interview in your favour.
Live MocksBeta
Candidates who don't take part in mocks often struggle to adapt to the pressure of the interview. Your knowledge might be correct, but without convincing delivery the interviewers will score you poorly. The best way to improve your delivery is to take part in as many live mocks as possible, which is why we haven't put a cap on how many you can do. All you have to do is join the waiting room and we'll match you with a different Paediatrics HST candidate each time. Take turns as both the interviewer and candidate on real Question Bank scenarios, so you can see exactly how other candidates perform in real time while refining your own technique.
Peer FeedbackBeta
Preparing alone means you won't know how you're coming across during the interview, and preparing with the same few candidates means you'll miss opportunities to improve, which is why it's so important to get as many opinions as possible on your performance. With Medibuddy, you can record a mock and submit it for feedback from other candidates on the platform, so you receive a wider range of feedback and refine your answers with each person you practise with. Reviewing other people's mocks is just as valuable, as it shows you how strong candidates handle the same scenarios.
The interview

What to expect from the Paediatrics HST interview

Higher Specialist Training in General Paediatrics with the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland is highly competitive, and strong applicants are often separated by narrow margins at interview.

The interview is scored across five categories: your CV and career to date, research, audit and teaching, two separately scored clinical questions, and suitability, professionalism and interview performance.

Category

CV

Your training, achievements and career narrative, and how you present them clearly and link them to what the panel is looking for.
Category

Research, Audit and Teaching

Your research, audit and teaching experience, and how you evidence your contribution and its impact.
Category

Clinical Question 1

Acute general paediatrics, where you assess, resuscitate and manage safely as the registrar.
Category

Clinical Question 2

Neonatal and newborn care, assessing your clinical judgement and safe, structured management.
Category

Suitability, Professionalism and Interview Performance

Professional, ethical and communication situations, handled with judgement, composure and integrity.

How the interview is scored

The interview is scored across five categories, with two separately scored clinical questions. Our model answers are structured against those categories, so you know what a strong, well-organised answer looks like in each.
Get ready

How to prepare for the Paediatrics HST interview

Start with the Question Bank

Work through 60 scenarios across all five categories, each with a worked answer from a candidate who scored well in the 2026 interview. Start by reading how a strong answer is formed, then think about how you'd deliver it.

Talk the hard ones through in Study Groups

Study Groups are your biggest opportunity to network and connect with other candidates sitting the same interview as you. Everyone on the platform is in the same boat, so don't be scared to get involved and ask questions. Someone in your study group might just help you work through a scenario you've been struggling with.

Rehearse out loud in Live Mocks

Live mocks are where you begin to put everything you've learned into practice, and we know from experience that those who practise with a wide range of candidates usually do the best. Organise mocks with people from one of your study groups, or get matched with a random Paediatrics HST candidate, then take turns as interviewer and candidate using real scenarios until answering out loud under pressure feels normal.

Get reviewed with Peer Feedback before the day

Once you've recorded a mock, you can have other community members review it. This lets you see how you come across to other people, and gives you time to refine your delivery as you revise, rather than being caught out on the day. Reviewing other people's mocks is just as crucial, as you see how other candidates navigate the same scenarios.
Questions

Frequently asked questions

What does the Paediatrics HST interview involve?
It is Higher Specialist Training in General Paediatrics with the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, scored across five categories: CV and career to date, research, audit and teaching, two separately scored clinical questions, and suitability, professionalism and interview performance.
How competitive is the Paediatrics HST interview?
Paediatrics is a competitive HST specialty, and strong candidates are frequently separated by small margins at interview, which is why a structured, well-rehearsed approach matters.
Who writes the model answers?
High-scoring candidates who sat the Paediatrics HST interview in 2026, so the answers reflect what came up and what scored this year.
Can I practise with other candidates?
Yes. Every Revision Platform purchase gives you the opportunity to connect with other candidates through Study Groups, Live Mocks and Peer Feedback.
How do the Live Mocks work?
All you have to do is join the waiting room, and we match you with another Paediatrics HST candidate. You then take turns as interviewer and candidate on real Question Bank scenarios, so you gain experience answering out loud to a real person before you ever sit in front of the panel.
What are Study Groups and how do they help?
Study Groups are community forums for doctors across the country preparing for the same Paediatrics HST interview. You can ask questions, share what you're struggling with, and compare how you'd approach a scenario.
Can I get feedback on my interview performance?
Yes. After you've recorded a mock, you can ask other members to review it, so you can see which part of your answer needs fine-tuning.
How do you keep the Paediatrics HST Question Bank up to date?
We review and update it twice a year: in April after that year's interviews, and again in the autumn when the new recruitment guidance is published, so you always practise with the current five-category format.
How long do I get access for?
Access runs for 12 months from the purchase date.

Start preparing for the Paediatrics HST interview

The Revision Platform gives you 60 scenarios to practise and refine with other candidates through Study Groups, Live Mocks and Peer Feedback. Ten years preparing doctors for interviews, with the questions, this year's model answers and live practice, all in one place.

Paediatrics HST Revision Platform • €170

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