54959887 MRCP Regulations

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Regulations and Informationfor MRCP(UK) Candidates

2011 Edition

MRCP(UK) Central OfficeRoyal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom©2011 Federation of Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK



MRCP(UK) Regulations and

Information for CandidatesMRCP(UK) Central OfficeRoyal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom

© 2011 Federation of Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK

Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh9 Queen StreetEdinburgh EH2 1JQ

Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Glasgow

232-242 St Vincent StreetGlasgow G2 5RJ

Royal College of Physicians of London11 St Andrews PlaceLondon NW1 4LE

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, ortransmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise

without the prior permission of the copyright owners.Published 2011

ForewordThe MRCP(UK) Regulations 2011 have been revised since the 2009 Regulationswere published. These Regulations apply from 1 January 2011 to the MRCP(UK)Diploma and cover the MRCP(UK) Part 1 Examination, the MRCP(UK) Part 2Written Examination and the MRCP(UK) Part 2 Clinical Examination (PACES).

Notice of future amendments to the Regulations and revisions followingpublication of the 2011 Regulations

The MRCP(UK) Diploma will continue to change to reflect developments inmedicine. While every attempt has been made to ensure that the MRCP(UK)Regulations 2011 are accurate, further changes to the MRCP(UK) examinations,the Regulations, the examination calendar and closing dates may be implementedduring this time. Candidates should refer to the MRCP(UK) website(www.mrcpuk.org) for the most up-to-date information, and where any suchchanges will be detailed. In addition, wherever changes are made notices will beissued indicating the nature of these changes and will be available with therelevant Examination Application Forms. In order that candidates are fully briefedabout the status of any proposed changes, they are advised to read these noticesalong with this publication.

MRCP(UK) Central Office11 St Andrews PlaceLondon NW1 4LE



Contents

1. The Federation of Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK 4

2. Constitutional Framework: Powers and Responsibilities of the Royal

Colleges of Physicians 5

3. Qualification Route Map: MRCP(UK) Diploma 6

4. Academic Framework: The Aims and Objectives of the MRCP(UK) Diploma 9

5. Entry requirements for MRCP(UK) Examinations 11

6. How to enter the MRCP(UK) Examinations 14

7. Examination Centres 18

8. Withdrawal from the Examination and refund of Examination fees 21

9. Format of MRCP(UK) Written Examinations 22

10. Review and results of MRCP(UK) Part 1 and Part 2 Written Examinations 28

11. Attendance at, and conduct during, the MRCP(UK) Part 1 and Part 2

Written Examinations 29

12. MRCP(UK) Part 2 Clinical Examination (PACES) 35

13. Completion of the MRCP(UK) Diploma and Election to Membership 44

14. Other Regulations and Procedures 44

15. Training of a Physician in the UK 45

16. Registration with the UK General Medical Council 46

17. Language Requirements 47



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1. The Federation of Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom

The three Royal Colleges of Physicians in the United Kingdom constitute theFederation of Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK. They are:

Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh9 Queen StreetEdinburgh EH2 1JQTel: +44 (0)131 225 7324Fax: +44 (0)131 226 6124http://www.rcpe.ac.uk

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow232-242 St Vincent StreetGlasgow G2 5RJTel: +44 (0)141 221 6072Fax: +44 (0)141 241 6222http://www.rcpsg.ac.uk

Royal College of Physicians of London11 St Andrews PlaceRegent’s Park London NW1 4LETel: +44 (0)20 7935 1174Fax: +44 (0)20 7486 8401http://www.rcplondon.ac.uk

The three Colleges of the Federation share a common examination, the MRCP(UK)Diploma. The Federation has devolved responsibility for the organisation of theexaminations to the MRCP(UK) Management Board and the MRCP(UK) Central Office:

MRCP(UK) Central Office11 St Andrews PlaceRegent’s Park London NW1 4LETel: +44 (0)20 7935 1174Fax: +44 (0)20 7487 2628http://www.mrcpuk.org

The following Regulations apply to all candidates entering any MRCP(UK)examination. Any decision on the interpretation of these Regulations made by anyone Royal College of Physicians is binding on all three Royal Colleges of Physicians.



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2. Constitutional Framework: Powers andResponsibilities of the Royal Colleges of Physicians

The Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK have the power to:

• determine the terms and conditions of entry to the examinations of the MRCP(UK)Diploma. The Royal Colleges of Physicians reserve the right to refuse admission to

any part of the MRCP(UK) Diploma;

• recognise appropriate periods of training, in fulfilment of the entry requirements of the MRCP(UK) Diploma, and determine when this training has been completedsuccessfully by candidates;

• confer the MRCP(UK) Diploma on persons who have passed all parts of theMRCP(UK) qualification.

To maintain the academic quality of the MRCP(UK) Diploma, the Royal Colleges of Physicians have the responsibilities of:

• appointing examiners with appropriate qualifications and experience;• ensuring examinations are in accordance with the curriculum;• monitoring candidate performance; • arranging suitable examination facilities.

In the exercise of these powers and responsibilities, the Royal Colleges of Physicianswill comply and ensure compliance with the requirements of relevant legislation, suchas the:

• Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000; • Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Act 2001;• Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006;• Data Protection Acts 1984 and 1998.

• Equality Act 2010

The MRCP(UK) Management Board believes that equality of opportunity isfundamental to the many and varied ways in which individuals become involved withthe Colleges, either as members of staff and Officers, as advisers from the medicalprofession, as members of the Colleges’ professional bodies or as doctors in trainingand examination candidates.

Accordingly, it warmly welcomes, and actively seeks to recruit, contributors andapplicants from as diverse a population as possible, regardless of race, religion,ethnic origin, disability, age, gender or sexual orientation.



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3. Qualification Route Map: MRCP(UK) Diploma

Candidates may apply to sit the MRCP(UK) Part 1 Examination provided theygraduated at least 12 months in advance of the examination date (and have had atleast 12 months’ experience in medical employment, i.e. have completed FoundationYear 1 or equivalent). There is no restriction to the number of times a candidate canapply to sit the MRCP(UK) Part 1 Examination in order to pass. Once a candidate has

passed this examination they will be permitted a further seven years from the date of the Part 1 Examination at which they were successful to pass the remaining parts of the MRCP qualification (see flow diagram below).

Candidates who have passed the Part 1 Examination may apply to sit the MRCP(UK)Part 2 Written and Part 2 Clinical (PACES) Examinations in either order and, if theywish, simultaneously. However, it is recommended that candidates are most likely tobe successful if they attempt PACES after passing the Part 2 Written Examination.Candidates are permitted unlimited attempts at the MRCP(UK) Part 2 Written andPart 2 Clinical (PACES) Examinations within their seven-year period of eligibility.However, all applications for the MRCP(UK) Part 2 Written and Part 2 Clinical (PACES)Examinations must be supported by the candidate’s current or most recenteducational supervisor or current or most recent supervising consultant.

Once a candidate has successfully completed their final Part of the examination(irrespective of whether this was the Part 2 Written or Part 2 Clinical (PACES)Examination) they must then complete and submit the Form of Faith and atestimonial for election to membership. The testimonial must be completed by aFellow or Member of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom (whoshould have worked with the candidate within the previous 3 years and must be aholder of MRCP(UK) for at least 8 years).



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Candidates who enrolled for the MRCP(UK) Diploma (i.e. made their first applicationfor Part 1) before January 2009 may still be subject to previous (pre-2009) eligibilityrules. All such candidates should have received confirmation of this in writing, butthose in any doubt should refer to the table below for confirmation of their status:

Category Current examination status Eligibility regulations that apply

1

Candidates who passed theMRCP(UK) Part 1 Examinationmore than 7 years ago, buthave not passed both theMRCP(UK) Part 2 Written andPACES examination.

Candidates must recommence the Diploma inentirety, and return to Part 1. They will have afurther 7 years eligibility after successfullypassing the MRCP(UK) Part 1 Examination again.

2

Candidates who passed theMRCP(UK) Part 1 Examinationbefore 2009, but have notpassed MRCP(UK) Part 2Written or PACESexamination.

Candidates will be permitted a total of 7 years(from the date they passed the MRCP(UK) Part 1Examination) in order to succeed in bothremaining parts of the MRCP(UK) Examination.

3

Candidates who last passed

the MRCP(UK) Part 2 WrittenExamination prior to andincluding 2006/2.

The Part 2 pass has expired. Candidates have 7

years from the date they passed the MRCP(UK)Part 1 Examination in which to sit and pass both the MRCP(UK) Part 2 Written Examination andthe Part 2 Clinical Examination (PACES).Candidates will be permitted to attempt theexaminations as often as they wish within thatperiod.

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Candidates who passed thePart 2 Written Examinationfrom 2006/3 onwards andprior to 2008/3 but used allthree attempts then permittedat PACES.

The Part 2 pass has expired. Candidates have 7years from the date they passed the MRCP(UK)Part 1 Examination in which to sit and pass both the MRCP(UK) Part 2 Written Examination andthe Part 2 Clinical Examination (PACES).Candidates will be permitted to attempt theexaminations as often as they wish within that

period.



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4. Academic Framework: The Aims and Objectives of the MRCP(UK) Diploma

The MRCP(UK) Diploma plays an essential role in the overall educational experienceand continuing professional development of physicians in the United Kingdom. It is aprerequisite for physicians wishing to undergo training in a medically related specialtyin the United Kingdom.

The MRCP(UK) Diploma also plays an increasingly important role in the internationalarena of postgraduate medical education. It provides a professional standard againstwhich physicians working outside the United Kingdom can measure their level of attainment. It is also being used by medical educationalists in other countries inrespect of local postgraduate assessments.

Aim

The aim of the MRCP(UK) Diploma is to identify those physicians who, havingundertaken a period of general training, have acquired the necessary professionalknowledge, skills and attitudes, as defined in the published syllabus of the General

Internal Medicine Curriculum (available at:http://www.jrcptb.org.uk/specialties/Documents/2009%20GIM%20curriculum%20FINAL.PDF), to enable them to benefit from a programme of higher specialist trainingwith confidence and enthusiasm.

Objectives

The MRCP(UK) Diploma evaluates the professional competence of medical graduatesduring medical training with regard to:

• core clinical knowledge and problem-solving, including clinical science,epidemiology and statistics;

• clinical skills, including taking and interpreting a clinical history and undertaking aphysical examination;

• attitudes to patients, including communication skills and ethical obligations.

The standard of the various parts of the examination will reflect the development inthe knowledge, skills and attitudes which can be expected during medical training,and is in keeping with the principle of lifelong learning.

Assessment methodology

The MRCP(UK) Diploma includes questions and assessments that require anunderstanding not only of common medical emergencies in diagnosis andmanagement, but also of the social, psychological and cultural backgrounds of

diseases and evidence-based practice.

4.1 MRCP(UK) Part 1 Examination

Purpose

The purpose of the MRCP(UK) Part 1 Examination is to identify those physicians intraining who, having satisfied the entry criteria, possess a broad knowledge andunderstanding of common and important disorders as well as clinical science.



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Aims

To test the acquisition of a representative sample of medical knowledge as specifiedin the published syllabus of the General Internal Medicine Curriculum (available at:http://www.jrcptb.org.uk/specialties/Documents/2009%20GIM%20curriculum%20FINAL.PDF). To measure the candidate’s ability to apply their medical knowledge inregard to common and important disorders and clinical science, as outlined in thesyllabus and make appropriate clinical judgements.

For further information candidates should consult the MRCP(UK) and JRCPTBwebsites.

4.2 MRCP(UK) Part 2 Written Examination

Purpose

The MRCP(UK) Part 2 Written Examination can be taken by physicians in training whohave passed the MRCP(UK) Part 1 Examination. Success in this Examinationdemonstrates the attainment of the minimum level of knowledge expected of aphysician in training and the ability to apply this knowledge to clinical problem-

solving and clinical practice.

Aims

The MRCP(UK) Part 2 Written Examination will test the ability to apply clinicalunderstanding, make clinical judgements and take responsibility for:

• prioritising diagnostic or problem lists; • planning investigation; • selecting a plan for immediate management; • selecting a plan for long-term management;• assessing prognosis.

4.3 MRCP(UK) Part 2 Clinical Examination (PACES)

Purpose

The MRCP(UK) Part 2 Clinical Examination (PACES) can be taken by physicians intraining who have passed the MRCP(UK) Part 1 Examination, in accordance with therecommendations for necessary clinical experience detailed in Section 5.2. Success inthis Examination demonstrates in a clinical setting the knowledge, skills and attitudesappropriate for a physician in training.

Aims

The MRCP(UK) Part 2 Clinical Examination (PACES) will test the following skills:

• physical examination;• identifying physical signs;• clinical communication;• differential diagnosis;• clinical judgement;• managing patients’ concerns; • maintaining patient welfare.

The above are set out in more detail in the guidelines for the Examination, publishedon the MRCP(UK) website: www.mrcpuk.org/PACES.



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5. Entry requirements for MRCP(UK) Examinations

Every candidate for the MRCP(UK) Diploma must hold a qualification recognised bythe Royal Colleges of Physicians as from an institution awarding primary medicaldegrees. Where the MRCP(UK) is unable to verify an institution it will consult theWorld Health Organisation Directory of Medical Schools. If the qualification does notappear in this list the application cannot be accepted, unless it is recognised by the

UK General Medical Council or the applicant is registered with the GMC. (Please notethat a small number of institutions included in the WHO Directory are not accepted bythe GMC, in which instances the application also cannot be accepted.)

Candidates with constraints on their practice

1. Candidates who have been erased from the GMC (or equivalent body) registerfor reasons related to fitness to practise are not permitted entry to anyMRCP(UK) examination.

2. Candidates who are suspended from practice are not permitted entry to anyMRCP(UK) examination until the suspension has been lifted.

3. Candidates who are subject to any warnings, interim orders, undertakings orconditions on their practice from the GMC (or equivalent body) must declarethis information to MRCP(UK) Central Office upon applying to any MRCP(UK)examination, and may be permitted to enter the examination at the discretionof the MRCP(UK) Medical Director.

4. Upon submitting the Form of Faith for election to Membership, candidates mustdeclare to the Royal Colleges of Physicians if they have been suspended orerased from the GMC (or equivalent) register for reasons related to fitness topractise, or if they are subject to any warnings, interim orders, undertakings orconditions on their practice from the GMC (or equivalent body).

Additionally if candidates are or have been registered with the GMC, they must

include their GMC number.

Candidates should note that failure to declare conditions, warnings or suspension asrequired:

• at the time of application,• prior to the examination date for which they have entered, or• when applying for election to membership,

will result in penalties being applied as defined in the MRCP(UK) Academic andProfessional Misconduct Policy (see Section 14).

Where candidates are making a declaration, the ‘MRCP(UK) and Specialty CertificateCandidate Declaration Form’ must be submitted. Candidates are also required todisclose information as to why the condition or undertaking has been imposed.

Candidates submitting applications via the online system are required to send thecompleted Declaration Form and any accompanying information to the ‘[email protected]’ mailbox on the same day that they apply online.

Candidates submitting applications by post must send the completed DeclarationForm and accompanying information with their application.



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Decisions will normally be communicated to candidates within two weeks from thedate the information was received.

Support for Applications

All applications will need to be supported by the candidate’s current or most recenteducational supervisor or most recent supervising consultant. Candidates will berequired to provide details of their educational supervisor or supervising consultant in

their application and confirm that their application has been discussed and issupported by them.


Candidates will not be admitted to the MRCP(UK) Part 1 Examination until 12 monthsafter the date of graduation given on their diploma of medical qualification. If thedate of graduation is significantly later than the date of completion of training, thedate on which candidates received notice of passing their final examination may beconsidered. In such cases, candidates should submit documentary proof.

Candidates for the MRCP(UK) Part 1 Examination must have had at least 12 months’

experience in medical employment by the date of the examination, i.e. must havecompleted Foundation Year 1 or equivalent.

5.2 MRCP(UK) Part 2 Written Examination and Clinical Examination

(PACES)

Candidates for the MRCP(UK) Part 2 Written Examination and Clinical Examination(PACES) must have passed the MRCP(UK) Part 1 Examination within the precedingseven years.

It is advised that trainees are unlikely to be able to apply their clinical knowledge ordemonstrate their clinical skills across the broad range of clinical cases, and thus besuccessful in the MRCP(UK) PACES examination, before a total of two years’

experience, including at least four months in medical specialties or medical sub-specialties, following the award of their primary medical degree. We thereforerecommend that candidates will normally have completed a two-year Foundationprogramme and started Core Medical Training (or an equivalent period of training)before attempting the MRCP(UK) PACES examination. Within these two years, notless than four months should be spent in posts involving the continuing care of emergency medical patients. This experience in the UK should as a minimum be atFoundation Year 1 and 2 level (or equivalent) and in Core Medical Training (orequivalent), but may be gained in any hospital throughout the world.

Candidates or supervisors in doubt about likely readiness to sit the examinationshould review the relevant curricula and the PACES information section on the MRCP(UK) website.

Candidates in UK medical training are also advised to consider the place of theMRCP(UK) in their training (see section 15 for further information).

The MRCP(UK) Part 2 Clinical Examination (PACES) will normally take place duringthree main assessment periods within any given year. These are known as the MainAssessment Points. However, PACES may be offered at various points throughout theyear and candidates are advised to view the MRCP(UK) website for up-to-dateinformation on these developments.



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5.3 MRCP(UK) Part 2 Written Examination and PACES Examination

Eligibility Period

Candidates will be permitted unlimited attempts at the MRCP(UK) Part 2 WrittenExamination and MRCP(UK) Clinical (PACES) Examination within a period of sevenyears of the date of their successful MRCP(UK) Part 1 Examination.

Any candidate who is unsuccessful in passing the MRCP(UK) Part 2 Written and Part 2Clinical (PACES) Examinations within this seven-year period will be required to takeand pass the MRCP(UK) Part 1 Examination again. Candidates who re-enter theMRCP(UK) Part 1 Examination and pass will have a further seven years in which topass the MRCP(UK) Part 2 Written and PACES Examinations.



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6. How to enter the MRCP(UK) Examinations

6.1 Registering for an online account / My MRCP(UK)

All MRCP(UK) candidates can register for a personal account through the MRCP(UK)website. To register for an online account candidates will need a unique email addresswhich will remain as their username. First-time applicants will be issued with a

unique RCP code number upon applying for an online account; applicants should keepa record of this code number as it will be used in all future correspondence with theMRCP(UK) Central Office. Candidates with an online account will have access to theirpersonal area of the website entitled ‘My MRCP(UK)’. Registration permits candidatesto view and amend certain personal/contact details, view and apply for the writtenexaminations within the respective application periods in all UK centres and mostoverseas centres (as detailed on the MRCP(UK) website), view the details of anycurrent examination attempt and view their personal examination history.

To avoid creating a duplicate online account, candidates are required to answer thequestion at the start of the online application: ‘Do you have an RCP Code Number,e.g. have you previously applied for an MRCP(UK) examination?’ Please note thatcandidates must have only one RCP code number.

A candidate will have been given a six-digit RCP code number if they have:applied for an MRCP(UK) examination before, even if they did not actually sitthe examination;enrolled with JRCPTB.

This will be stated on previous correspondence from the MRCP(UK) Central Office /JRCPTB.

If candidates have difficulty creating an online account they must not create aduplicate account as this may result in a delay to their entry to the examination.

6.2 Applying for the MRCP(UK) Written Examinations

Candidates sitting in UK centres can apply for the MRCP(UK) Part 1 and MRCP(UK)Part 2 Written Examinations via the online or paper (manual) method. Candidatessitting in overseas centres may also apply via the online method where that facility iscurrently available (for the most up-to-date details see the MRCP(UK) website).Instructions for applications made via each of these methods are provided below.

Once an application is made, either upon receipt of the form(s) for paper applications,or upon pressing the Finish button on the final step of the online application system,candidates are considered as having made their application. They are then liable forthe full examination fee, irrespective of whether the application is complete (e.g.whether the payment has been made or not). It is the responsibility of the candidate

to ensure that their application is completed by the required deadline, which will becommunicated to candidates after receipt of the application.

In the case of paper applications, the application form(s), complete in every detailand accompanied by the appropriate fee and any other documents required, mustreach the appropriate Administration Office (or Centre in the case of certain overseasapplications) by 5 pm on the published closing date. In the case of onlineapplications, applications will need to be submitted via the MRCP(UK) website by11.55 pm on the published closing date.



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Details of fees (which are subject to annual revision), method of payment,Examination dates and opening and closing dates for applications, are publishedannually and can be checked on the MRCP(UK) website. Cheques should be madepayable to ‘The Royal College of Physicians’ .

Candidates arranging payments from outside the UK should bear in mind that theymay incur bank charges. The Royal Colleges of Physicians must receive the fullExamination fee in pounds Sterling, so candidates must themselves pay any bank

charges. Enquiries relating to examination fee payments for applications to overseascentres should be submitted directly to the Centre concerned.

Visas If a candidate requires a visa to sit an examination, it is the responsibility of thecandidate to ensure that the visa application is made in sufficient time before theexamination date for which it has been sought. A refund will not be given if acandidate is unable to attend the Examination as a result of visa-related problems.For more information on this, please visit the following section of the MRCP(UK)website: www.mrcpuk.org/Candidate/Pages/VisaStatement.aspx

Concessionary fees for MRCP(UK) Part 1 only

The MRCP(UK) Management Board offers a financial concession to doctors in the UKwith refugee status who wish to pursue the MRCP(UK) Diploma. The concession isoffered in respect of the MRCP(UK) Part 1 Examination only and permits a reducedfee of £50 for entry to the examination for those eligible.

The concession applies only to examinations sat in the UK, and to doctors with thefollowing status:

1. Those who have been given refugee status and who are recognised as a refugeeunder the 1951 UN Convention.2. Those who have been given indefinite leave to remain in the UK with refugeestatus.

3. Those who have been given exceptional leave to remain in the UK.4. Those with exceptional leave to remain (granted prior to 1 April 2003).5. Those with humanitarian protection (granted on or after 1 April 2003)

(NB: Since April 2003 a category of ‘exceptional leave’ no longer exists. The HomeOffice has replaced this category with Humanitarian Protection and Discretionaryleave to remain).

In order for a concession to be granted, at each application doctors must provide anoriginal letter from the Home Office confirming that they fall into one of the groupslisted. Nothing other than the original documentation will be accepted. Requestsshould be made to the Administration Office of entry for the examination.

6.3 Applying via paper (manual) method

Candidates applying via paper (manual) method, whether first-time entry or re-entry,must complete the appropriate form(s) which, together with the ExaminationCalendar, are available to download from the MRCP(UK) website. If for any reasonyou are unable to download a form, please contact the Administration Office to whichyou intend to submit your application, and a form will be downloaded from thewebsite and sent to you.

Faxed applications will not be accepted.



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Applications will not be accepted earlier than the published opening date.

Applicants are advised to submit their applications at least two weeks before theclosing date: allowances cannot be made for postal or other delays, and lateapplications cannot be accepted.

Candidates should check carefully that they have enclosed all relevantdocumentation (see checklists below), before sending their applications.

Applications that are not complete in every detail and/or arrive after theclosing date may be returned. Allowances cannot be made for postal or otherdelays.

Paper application checklist for MRCP(UK) Part 1:

Diploma of Primary Medical Qualification (original or authenticated copy only)or UK General Medical Council (GMC) Registration Number (meaning that yourdetails appear on the GMC website)completed Form A

NB. the above two items are required for first-time entry only completed Form Bfee in pounds Sterling – please check current amount as detailed on theMRCP(UK) website

Paper application checklist for MRCP(UK) Part 2 Written:

completed Form Cfee in pounds Sterling – please check current amount as detailed on theMRCP(UK) website

6.4 Applying via online method

Part 1 First-time entry candidates

First-time entry candidates may apply in part for the MRCP(UK) Part 1 Examinationonline after setting up an online account (see Section 6.1).

All first-time entry candidates who apply online must also print off and submit viahardcopy a completed form (e-Form), which can be generated after the onlineapplication has been completed; if necessary the e-Form can be submitted after theapplication closing date but should be received as soon as possible. The e-Formincludes a checklist indicating any additional documents or information the candidateneeds to submit to their Administration Office along with the signed form. First-timeentry candidates who are not registered with the UK General Medical Council mustsubmit an original or appropriately authenticated copy of their primary medicalqualification along with the e-Form.

Online application checklist:• signed e-Form

Diploma of Primary Medical Qualification (original or authenticated copy only)or UK General Medical Council (GMC) Registration Number (meaning that yourdetails appear on the GMC website)

• fee in pounds Sterling (if not paying online using the credit/debit cardmethod)



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Part 1 Re-entry candidates and Part 2 Written Examination candidates

Re-entry candidates for the MRCP(UK) Part 1 Examination and candidates for theMRCP(UK) Part 2 Written Examination may also apply online as long as they have setup an online account. Candidates must register for an online account using theirexisting RCP Code Number, which will be stated in past correspondence from theMRCP(UK) Central Office. Any candidates unsure of their code number should contactCentral Office or their Administration Office for clarification.

Candidates who opt to make payment online using the credit/debit card method cancomplete the application process entirely online. Candidates who choose to pay bycheque or bank draft, however, should submit their e-Form along with their paymentby post. If necessary, the e-Form and payment can be submitted after the applicationclosing date but should be received as soon as possible afterwards.

Payments

Cash or cheque payment methods may increase the application processing time.

Candidates applying online who select to pay by either cash or cheque, and thosewho do not successfully complete the credit or debit card payment, will have theirapplication marked as incomplete. It is the responsibility of the candidate to ensurethat the payment is made and their application is completed promptly (see Section6.8). In the case of cash payments, candidates are advised not to send cash by post.

6.5 Submission of documentary evidence of primary medical

qualification

Photocopies of certificates and/or official translations (in English)* will be acceptedonly if they have been prepared and/or authenticated by one of the following:

• the issuing University or Medical School;• a British Consulate or British Council outside the UK;• the British Embassy;• the British High Commission;• the candidate’s own Embassy or High Commission in the United Kingdom;• a member of the Gardai in the Irish Republic;• Government Ministries of Health;• a Fellow or Member of the College or a Chair of the Examining Board of the

awarding body (verification of the Fellow or Member will be sought to ensure thatthey are affiliated with the issuing University/Medical School and the authenticatedcopy should be submitted with an accompanying official stamp/letter from theFellow, Member or Chair).

* Candidates must submit an authenticated translation if their primary medical

degree certificate is not in English.

The College reserves the right to request to see the original documents if there is anydoubt as to the authenticity of the submitted copies of documents.

6.6 Names

Candidates with registration (be it full, limited, or provisional) with the UK GeneralMedical Council (GMC) do NOT need to submit documentary evidence of theirprimary medical qualification, only their GMC number. This regulation is dependent



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on the primary medical qualification appearing on the GMC website(www.gmc-uk.org).

Candidates must ensure that the relevant section of Form A (or e-Form in the case of an online application) is completed to include their GMC number, the year and monththey obtained their degree and the category of registration they have obtained.

Candidates who are not registered with the UK General Medical Council must submit

documentary evidence of their primary medical qualification (original or authenticatedcopy).

If the name under which candidates are applying is different from the name thatappears on the original diploma of their primary medical qualification or the GMCregister, they will need to submit a certificate from the issuing university or anaffidavit stating that the candidate (in his or her full name) is the same person asthat named on the diploma. A similar certificate or an authenticated copy of apassport may be used to verify initials and abbreviations, but not changes of name.

Applications will not be accepted if there is any discrepancy in the spelling, order ornumber of names given, and candidates must retain the same surname or familyname in any further applications.

It is the candidate’s responsibility to resolve any discrepancies, including theexpansion of initials, by obtaining a statement from the issuing authority certifyingthat the candidate, in his or her full and correct name, is the same person as thatnamed on the diploma.

Candidates who change their names by marriage or deed poll must submit theoriginal or authenticated documentary proof of this if they wish to be admitted to theExamination in their new names.

Names are phonetically translated into English from some languages and this canlead to spelling variations. Thus ‘Mohammed’ may appear as ‘Mohamed’,

‘Mahammed’, ‘Mahamed’, ‘Muhammed’ and so on. Some candidates are inconsistentin the spelling of such translations and must realise that this does not allow accurateidentification and is not acceptable to the Royal Colleges of Physicians.

The records of the Royal Colleges of Physicians and the MRCP(UK) Diploma will showforenames followed by the family name, for example, Alan John Smith.Correspondence will be addressed using the candidate’s medical t itle followed byinitials in place of each forename, then the family name as it appears on thecandidate’s diploma of medical qualification, for example, Dr A J Smith.

Candidates, particularly those based outside the UK, are recommended to provideauthenticated copies of any original documentation. Original documents will bereturned as soon as possible after receipt but MRCP(UK) Central Office cannot take

responsibility for any items lost in transit.

6.7 Applying for the MRCP(UK) Part 2 Clinical Examination (PACES)

All applications for entry to the Clinical (PACES) Examination must be made by post.The appropriate forms, together with the Examination Calendar, are available todownload from the MRCP(UK) website. If for any reason you are unable to downloada form, please contact the Administration Office to which you intend to submit yourapplication, and a form will be downloaded from the website and dispatched to you.

Faxed applications will not be accepted.



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Applications will not be accepted if submitted before the opening date or receivedafter the closing date of the Part 2 Clinical Examination (PACES) as advertised on theMRCP(UK) website. Applicants are advised to submit their applications as soon aspossible within the application period: allowances cannot be made for postal or otherdelays, and late or incomplete applications cannot be accepted.

Candidates are only permitted to apply to one examination centre per diet.

Candidates who make simultaneous applications to more than one centre risk losingpart of their surplus examination fee.

The application form (Form P), complete in every detail and accompanied by theappropriate fee and any other documents required, must reach the appropriate centreby 5 pm on the published closing date. Late or incomplete applications cannot beaccepted.

Only a limited number of candidates can be accommodated by each UK Royal Collegeof Physicians and overseas centre. When one College or centre is full, candidates whocannot be accommodated may have their applications transferred to another Collegeor centre, provided that places are available. When there are more applicants to takethe PACES examination than places available, candidates in a UK training programmeapplying in the UK will be prioritised for a place. Applicants who cannot beaccommodated in the diet to which they apply in the UK will be given priority for thefollowing diet.

Acceptance of applications from all other candidates will be on a first-come, first-served basis (except in overseas examinations centres, as defined on the website:http://www.mrcpuk.org/PACES/Pages/PacesOverseasCentres.aspx), and is dependentupon the number of places available. Consequently, applicants submitting forms nearto but not after the closing date may have their applications returned if places are notavailable.

Details of fees (which are subject to annual revision), method of payment,

Examination dates and closing dates for applications are published annually and canbe checked on the MRCP(UK) website. Cheques should be made payable to ‘The RoyalCollege of Physicians’ .

Candidates arranging payments from outside the UK should bear in mind that theymay incur bank charges. The Royal Colleges of Physicians must receive the fullExamination fee in pounds Sterling, so candidates must themselves pay any bankcharges. Enquiries relating to examination fee payments for applications to overseascentres should be submitted directly to the Centre concerned.

6.8 Responsibilities of all candidates

No candidate will be permitted to take any part of the Examination unless all

outstanding fees have been paid in full.

It is each candidate’s responsibility to ensure that applications are completed as soonas possible. The MRCP(UK) Central Office or Administration Office will contactcandidates to advise them of any outstanding information and will provide a deadlinefor receipt. Candidates will be allocated a provisional examination place in themeantime, but complete applications will take precedence and incompleteapplications will be rejected if the outstanding information is not received by thedeadline. Candidates whose applications are incomplete because the full examinationfee has not been received must pay this in order to sit any future MRCP(UK)examinations, even if they subsequently withdraw or are absent from the



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examination, as a provisional place will have been allocated to them for thatexamination.

6.9 Special arrangements

Any candidate who has a physical disability, learning disability or any other specialneed that they believe could affect their performance in an examination may beentitled to special arrangements. Full details are provided in the Special Examination

Arrangements procedure, available at: www.mrcpuk.org/regulations.

7. Examination Centres

Paper (manual) applicationsCandidates may apply to sit the MRCP(UK) Part 1 and Part 2 Written examinations atany one of the centres listed on the MRCP(UK) website. However, the number of examination places available at each centre may be limited. Candidates applying toUK centres must specify on their application form at which centre they wish to sit theExamination but are requested to give a second and third choice of centre, to whichthey will be allocated automatically if their first (or second) choice is full. Please notethat it may not always be possible to allocate candidates to a centre of their choice.

Candidates should note that there are three UK Administration Offices dealing withapplications. Candidates must send their application to the appropriate AdministrationOffice based on their first-choice centre. Applications sent to the wrongAdministration Office will be returned, and their processing is likely to be delayed.Addresses of the three UK Administration Offices are provided on page 1. Full detailsare also given on the application form and on the MRCP(UK) website.

For centres outside the UK, contact details are published on the MRCP(UK) website.Candidates should refer to the relevant information before submitting theirapplication.

Online applicationsCandidates applying via the online method are able to select only one city in whichthey wish to take the examination. All city choices initially available for a specificexamination are displayed; once the maximum quota for that city is reached itsstatus will be displayed as ‘No more spaces available’ and candidates will have toselect a different city in which to sit the examination (observing the eligibility rulesreferenced above).

Candidates applying online are still subject to the same eligibility rules that hold forpaper applications.



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8. Withdrawal from the Examination and refund of Examination fees

Notice of withdrawal from any part of the Examination must be given in writing(letter, fax or email) to the appropriate Administration Office (or MRCP(UK) CentralOffice if the Examination is to be taken outside the UK). Candidates are asked toquote their RCP Code Number, full name and date of birth in their withdrawal notice

to allow College staff to identify candidates easily.

Only written requests to withdraw will be accepted as official withdrawalrequests. For example, candidates who are informed that they havesubmitted incomplete applications, whether paper application or online, andare asked to complete them will not be considered as withdrawn from theExamination if they do not respond in writing to such requests forinformation, and will incur the full Examination fee.

Under no circumstances can Examination applications and/or fees be transferred fromone Examination to another.

Candidates whose withdrawal request is received on or before the closing date will berefunded 90% of the Examination fee paid. Where possible this refund will be paid inthe same way as the original payment was made. Refunds will not be made wherecandidates submit their withdrawal request after the closing date unless there arecircumstances deemed exceptional which can be substantiated. This will normally bein the following circumstances:

• illness; • involvement in an accident; • death of a close relative (parent, sibling, spouse, child; the candidate must prove

their relationship to the relative if they do not share the same surname).

Other cases may be considered on their own merit and at the discretion of the Head

of Operations, MRCP(UK) Central Office; documentary evidence is required in allcases.

Any request (accompanied by supporting evidence) must be submitted within fourweeks of the Examination date if it is to be considered. No consideration to refundingfees will be given, irrespective of the circumstances, thereafter. Decisions on thesecases will be made by the Head of Operations, whose decision is final.



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9. Format of MRCP(UK) Written Examinations

The MRCP(UK) Diploma tests a candidate’s professional knowledge, skills andattitudes to the level required for entry to specialty training as set out in the syllabusof the General Internal Medicine Curriculum (available at:http://www.jrcptb.org.uk/specialties/Documents/2009%20GIM%20curriculum%20FINAL.PDF).


The MRCP(UK) Part 1 Examination is designed to assess a candidate’s knowledge andunderstanding of the clinical sciences relevant to medical practice and of common orimportant disorders.

The MRCP(UK) Part 1 Examination has a two-paper format. Each paper contains 100multiple-choice questions in one from five ( ‘best of five’ ) format, where candidateschoose the best answer from five possible answers. Candidates are tested on a widerange of common and important disorders in General Medicine as set out in thesyllabus of the curriculum.

The composition of the papers is as follows:

Specialty Number of questions*Cardiology 15Clinical pharmacology, therapeutics and toxicology 20Clinical sciences** 25Dermatology 8Endocrinology 15Gastroenterology 15Haematology and oncology 15Neurology 15Ophthalmology 4

Psychiatry 8Renal medicine 15Respiratory medicine 15Rheumatology 15Tropical medicine, infectious and sexually transmitted diseases 15

200

* This should be taken as an indication of the likely number of questions – the actualnumber may vary slightly.

**Clinical sciences comprise:Cell, molecular and membrane biology 2Clinical anatomy 3Clinical biochemistry and metabolism 4Clinical physiology 4Genetics 3Immunology 4Statistics, epidemiology and evidence-based medicine 5

A proportion of the questions will be on adolescent medicine and medicine for theelderly.

The questions in each specialty are distributed across both papers.



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Drugs are almost invariably referred to by their recommended International Non-proprietory Names (rINN) rather than by their trade names.

Biochemical and other measurements are expressed in SI units and normal orreference ranges are provided.

The marking system for the MRCP(UK) Part 1 Examination is as follows:

One mark (+1) is awarded for each correct answer;No mark is deducted for an incorrect answer;No mark is awarded or deducted if a question is left unanswered;No mark is awarded if more than one answer is recorded or the answer is notsufficiently clear;

No mark is awarded for any answer that the scanner queries as:• insufficiently erased;• smudged; • a double response to a question.

In these circumstances the Royal Colleges of Physicians do not consider it isappropriate to interpret a candidate’s intentions.

Since the 2008/3 MRCP(UK) Part 1 Examination diet, candidates’ overall results arecalculated using a process called equating. This is a statistical process based on ItemResponse Theory, and it is used to ensure that candidates receive comparable resultsfor comparable performance in different diets of the examination.

Instead of an overall percentage score, all candidates are given an ‘overall scaledscore’. This score is a number between 0 and 999, which is calculated from thenumber of questions a candidate has answered correctly in the two examinationpapers and also takes into account the relative difficulty of the examination. Since notwo examinations can contain exactly the same set of questions, it is inevitable that

some papers may be slightly harder (or easier) than others, and equating is astatistical process that addresses this by calculating the exact difficulty of eachquestion.

The MRCP(UK) Part 1 Standard Setting Group has determined that an overall scaledscore of 521 or greater will be considered a pass. Please note that this score will besubject to review and candidates are advised to consult the website for the latestinformation. As a result of this process the pass rate (i.e. the percentage of candidates who pass) may vary slightly from one diet to another.

How to complete the MRCP(UK) Part 1 Examination answer sheets

Candidates should identify themselves by writing their family name and initials in the

boxes provided. The examination number should be entered by marking theappropriate rectangles.

The answer sheets for the MRCP(UK) Part 1 Examination contain a row of rectanglesfor each question. Candidates should indicate the single correct answer in accordancewith the instructions given on the Examination Paper. If more than one answer isgiven, the candidate will score no marks for the question.

All papers are marked by an Optical Mark Reader (OMR). The OMR output isprocessed by computer and marks are allocated according to the candidate’sresponses. Scores are then calculated and statistical data across candidates are



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derived relating to individual questions. This information is produced in printed formfor the MRCP(UK) Part 1 Examining Board.

As the completed answer sheets are computer marked, candidates must comply fullywith the instructions given on each answer sheet, otherwise answer sheets may berejected by the machine or the candidate’s intention misinterpreted.

Candidates should use only the pencil (Grade 2B) supplied in the Examination.

Answers in ink or a different grade of pencil cannot be read by the OMR and willtherefore result in a zero score.

Candidates may erase an answer by using the rubber provided. To avoid too manyerasures on the answer sheet, they may indicate their choices in the question book inthe first instance, before transferring them to the answer sheet. Candidates should remember to allow sufficient time to do this, as additional time will not be allowed.

The answer sheet must not be folded or creased.

It is important that candidates fully understand how to complete the answer sheet before sitting the Examination. A sample version of part of a completed MRCP(UK)Part 1 answer sheet is shown below for information.



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9.2 MRCP(UK) Part 2 Written Examination

In MRCP(UK) Part 2, questions are asked about the diagnosis, investigation,management and prognosis of patients, at a level of knowledge expected of aphysician in training with the ability to apply this knowledge to clinical problem-solving.

The MRCP (UK) Part 2 Written Examination has a three-paper format. Each papercontains 90 multiple-choice questions in one from five ( ‘best of five’ ) format, wherecandidates choose the best answer from five possible answers. The questions willusually have a clinical scenario, may include the results of investigations and may beillustrated.

The composition of the papers is as follows:

Specialty Number of questions per 100*

Cardiology 10Dermatology 5Endocrinology and metabolic medicine 10

Gastroenterology 10Haematology/Immunology 5Infectious diseases and GUM 10Neurology/Ophthalmology/Psychiatry 10Oncology and palliative medicine 5Renal medicine 10Respiratory medicine 10Rheumatology 5Therapeutics and toxicology 10

100

* This should be taken as an indication of the likely number of questions – the actualnumber may vary by up to 2.

A proportion of the questions will be on adolescent medicine and medicine for theelderly.

Drugs are almost invariably referred to by their recommended International Non-proprietary Names (rINN) rather than by their trade names.

Biochemical and other measurements are expressed in SI units and normal orreference ranges are provided.

From the 2010/1 MRCP(UK) Part 2 Written Examination diet, candidates’ overallresults have been calculated using a process called equating. This is a statistical

process based on Item Response Theory, and it is used to ensure that candidatesreceive comparable results for comparable performance in different diets of theexamination.

Instead of an overall percentage score, all candidates are given an ‘overall scaledscore’. This score is a number between 0 and 999, which is calculated from thenumber of questions a candidate has answered correctly in the three examinationpapers and also takes into account the relative difficulty of the examination. Since notwo examinations can contain exactly the same set of questions, it is inevitable thatsome papers may be slightly harder (or easier) than others, and equating is astatistical process that addresses this by calculating the exact difficulty of eachquestion.



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The MRCP(UK) Part 2 Standard Setting Group has determined that an overall scaledscore of 425 or greater will be considered a pass. Please note that this score will besubject to review and candidates are advised to consult the website for the latestinformation. As a result of this process the pass rate (i.e. the percentage of candidates who pass) may vary slightly from one diet to another.

How to complete the MRCP(UK) Part 2 Written Examination answer sheets

Candidates should follow the same procedure as for MRCP(UK) Part 1 (see Section 9.1above). The answer sheet for the Part 2 Written Examination will look different incertain respects from the Part 1 answer sheet but the method for completing it is thesame.



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10. Review and results of MRCP(UK) Part 1 and Part 2Written Examinations

10.1 Review of the Examinations

Results of the MRCP(UK) Part 1 and Part 2 Written Examinations are released whenthe Chairman and Medical Secretary of the relevant Examining Board are satisfiedthat the Examination has been conducted appropriately and in accordance with theprocedures of the Royal Colleges of Physicians.

The Examining Board considers each question prior to its appearance in theExamination and reviews the question’s performance after every Examination, as wellas reviewing the Examination as a whole. In addition to the overall scaled scoresobtained by the candidates, the Examining Board will also note the mean score forthe Examination and the mean scores for, and the discriminatory power of, thequestions that make up each paper. A detailed analysis of the responses to each item(including a separate index of discrimination for every item), and a coefficientindicating the internal reliability of the Examination as a whole, are also consideredby the Board. In the light of these analyses, the Examining Board may make

modifications to the questions and answers that it deems desirable to ensure that thequality of the MRCP(UK) Part 1 Examination and MRCP(UK) Part 2 WrittenExaminations are maintained.

10.2 Results

Results for the MRCP(UK) Part 1 and Part 2 Written Examinations will be posted byfirst class mail or airmail approximately four weeks after the date of the Examination.Results cannot be collected from the Royal Colleges of Physicians or given over thetelephone or by fax or email.

Candidates can access their examination results via the Results area of the MRCP(UK)website by entering their RCP Code Number. Candidates will not be identified byname, and are therefore advised to take careful note of their RCP Code Number whenthey receive their admission documents. Candidates may opt out of this facility whenmaking their application and they must also re-confirm this on each occasion theyapply for the Examination.

All candidates who have an online account, irrespective of their agreement to havetheir results published in the public area of the website, will be able to view theirresult in the ‘Exam History’ section of their persona l area [My MRCP(UK)] as soon asthe results are released.

Pass result in MRCP(UK) Part 1 Examination

Candidates passing the MRCP(UK) Part 1 Examination can proceed to apply for eitherthe MRCP(UK) Part 2 Written or Part 2 Clinical (PACES) Examinations (in accordancewith the recommendations for necessary clinical experience detailed in Section 5.2)upon receiving confirmation of their successful Part 1 result. Candidates will bepermitted seven years from the date of the Part 1 Examination at which they weresuccessful to pass the remaining parts of the diploma.

Once a candidate has successfully passed the MRCP(UK) Part 1 Examination, they willnot be permitted to re-sit the Part 1 Examination again for any reason until thatseven-year period has expired.



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Pass result in MRCP(UK) Part 2 Written Examination

Candidates who have not passed MRCP(UK) Part 2 Clinical Examination

Candidates passing the MRCP(UK) Part 2 Written Examination must pass theMRCP(UK) Part 2 Clinical Examination (PACES) before they can be elected toMembership of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom. Candidatescan apply for PACES during the application periods for that Examination and do not

need to wait until their result for MRCP(UK) Part 2 Written is confirmed.

Candidates who have already passed MRCP(UK) Part 2 ClinicalExamination

Candidates passing the MRCP(UK) Part 2 Written Examination, who have alreadypassed the Part 2 Clinical Examination (PACES) within the same seven-year period of eligibility, can proceed to be elected to Membership of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom (see Section 13 for further details).

Fail result

A candidate not achieving the pass mark in the MRCP(UK) Part 1 Examination or theMRCP(UK) Part 2 Written Examination will be deemed to have failed thatExamination. Part 2 candidates may apply for the next MRCP(UK) Part 2 WrittenExamination in the next application period once they have received confirmation of their result. Candidates who have not passed the MRCP(UK) Clinical Examination(PACES) can apply for that Examination during the published application period anddo not need to wait until their result for MRCP(UK) Part 2 Written is confirmed.

Candidates and supervisors should note that poor performance in the Examinationmay result in a recommendation from MRCP(UK) to defer further attempts untilfurther evidence of readiness to sit, perhaps accrued from a further period of training,is available.

10.3 Queries on results

Candidates may request that their Examination answer sheets are re-marked. Thereis a charge of £100 for this service. This charge will be refunded if an error isidentified.

Requests for the re-marking of Examination answer sheets should be addressed inwriting to the Examinations Candidate Office, MRCP(UK) Central Office and must bereceived within four weeks of the dispatch of results.

Candidates who are awaiting the outcome of a re-marking request are permitted toapply to sit the next available diet of the same examination. Should an error beidentified and their result be changed from a Fail to a Pass then they willautomatically be withdrawn from that examination and given a full refund.

Note: Candidates are reminded that their Examination scripts are held for two dietsonly.



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11. Attendance at, and conduct during, the MRCP(UK)Part 1 and Part 2 Written Examinations

Candidates presenting themselves for the MRCP(UK) written examinations must havecomplied fully with all admission requirements, including the payment of fees, andmust confirm that their application is supported by their current or most recenteducational supervisor or most recent supervising consultant.

Candidates are warned that any breach of MRCP(UK) Examination Rules andRegulations (see 11.2 below) will result in severe penalties, including the risk that thecandidate will be permanently debarred from taking any further examinations and bereported to the UK General Medical Council (or equivalent).

Candidates should note that, owing to issues of heightened security, the examinationstart times might vary. Consequently, candidates are advised not to make travelplans that could be jeopardised if the Examination starts late or is interrupted.

11.1 Monitoring candidate behaviour

Candidates have been advised previously that the MRCP(UK) Management Board hasemployed various systems to identify those candidates who attempt to copy, colludeor perform some other act that may be regarded as academic misconduct inMRCP(UK) examinations. Set out below is an update on the system that is currentlyin use and an explanation of what the Colleges intend to do with the information theycollect.

The Anomaly Monitoring System (AMS) seeks to detect instances of copying orcollusion by looking for anomalous patterns of responses by candidates, the answersof one candidate being more similar to those of another candidate than would beexpected by chance alone. There are many different combinations of answers bywhich candidates can achieve a particular score. If two candidates have an unusuallyhigh number of exactly the same answers then this may be regarded as an anomaly.AMS systematically considers all possible pairs of candidates and looks at thesimilarity of their answers.

In comparing candidate responses, the AMS program takes into account the expectednumber of answers in common, relative to the examinees' performance on theassessment.

Candidates should note that in doing this:the program does not know the centre at which candidates are sitting theexam;the program does not know the seating plan of the candidates at the variouscentres.

The program is therefore inherently conservative in its detection of anomalouscandidates. If a pair (or group) of candidates is identified as having an unusually highproportion of similar answers then a further investigation is carried out looking at thecentres where the candidates sat, the seating plan, and any other information thatmay have been provided by the invigilators and staff administering the examination.Should it be determined that there is sufficient evidence of possible misconduct, thenthe candidate(s) concerned will be contacted and the formal MRCP(UK) Academic andProfessional Misconduct procedures may be invoked (see the MRCP(UK) website fordetails).



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MRCP(UK) Management Board is fully aware that candidates could be implicated in anact of academic misconduct through the conduct of others. In order to avoid suchallegations being levied where there is no evidence confirming which of thecandidates is the guilty party, both candidates will be informed that they have beenidentified by the program and may be requested to sit separately from othercandidates in future. There will be no assumption of guilt in making this request; it issimply a pre-emptive measure.

AMS is one tool that the MRCP(UK) Management Board uses to monitor candidatebehaviour in the MRCP(UK) examinations. Further information is available from theMRCP(UK) Central Office.

11.2 Examination Rules and Regulations

Any infringement of the following Rules and Regulations may be reported to the Headof Academic Division, MRCP(UK) Central Office for consideration in accordance withthe MRCP(UK) Procedures on Academic or Professional Misconduct.

1 Candidates are advised to allow for any transport delays when planning their timeof arrival at the examination hall as, for security reasons, we cannot guarantee that

they will be permitted to enter the examination hall after the start of theExamination.

2 Candidates should assemble outside the examination hall at least 30 minutesbefore the start of the Examination and should not enter until instructed by theinvigilator(s).

3 Candidates will not be admitted to any paper if they arrive more than 30 minutesafter the Examination has started, unless in exceptional circumstances with theexpress permission of the invigilator(s).

4 Candidates will not be admitted unless they produce suitable identification inaddition to the admission document. This will normally be a passport. Wherecandidates do not possess a passport, some other form of identification may beacceptable, providing that it includes both the photograph and signature of thecandidate. Alternatively, two forms of identification, one with a photograph and theother with a signature, will be accepted. Admission to the Examination will be at thediscretion of the invigilator(s), and invigilators have the right to question a candidatefurther if they are not satisfied with identification that has been provided (including if the candidate does not look sufficiently similar to their photograph). The RoyalColleges of Physicians observe sensitivity in the visual identification of candidates,but advance notice should be given by candidates of any anticipated difficulties.

5 Candidates must not bring into the Examination hall any papers, bags, calculators,mobile phones (or any electronic audio or communication device), textbooks or

documents, or items of any kind other than those specifically allowed for thatparticular Examination and previously notified to them. The possession of calculators,mobile phones, personal stereos or electronic wrist watches or any other such devicesthat are audible, make calculations, store information or can be used forcommunication in the Examination venue is strictly forbidden. Any unauthorisedmaterial will be confiscated and a report detailing the incident and identifying thecandidate will be submitted to Central Office.

6 Where Examination halls do not have secure areas to store personal items, anycoats, bags or other item(s) brought into the Examination hall should be deposited as



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directed by the invigilator(s). Electronic items must be deactivated and placed awayfrom the candidate’s desk.

7 With prior approval (via submission of a request for special examinationarrangements), candidates may bring into the Examination hall aids that will enablethem to remedy a disability e.g. of sight and/or hearing.

8 If a candidate has unwittingly brought any unauthorised paper or item into the

Examination hall, this should be handed to the invigilator(s) before the Examinationstarts or at the earliest possible opportunity thereafter.

9 Question papers are individually numbered (with Examination Numbers) in the topright-hand corner. Candidates must sit at the desk where the question paper ismarked with their Examination Number.

10 Candidates must not start reading or answering the Examination questions untilthe start of the Examination is announced by the invigilator(s).

11 Candidates must use only the stationery approved by the Royal Colleges of Physicians. Any rough work must be completed on the approved stationery and

handed in with the completed papers.

12 Candidates must comply with all instructions given to them by invigilator(s). Suchinstructions may include the instruction to leave the Examination hall and not toreturn during the period of the Examination. It is the duty of a candidate to complywith an invigilator’s instruction even if they judge the instruction to be unreasonable(there is the right of appeal if a candidate considers that the invigilator has not actedin accordance with these Regulations).

13 Whilst in the Examination hall, a candidate must not attempt to read the work of any other candidate or communicate in any way with any other candidate or anyother person without the express permission of the invigilator.

14 Where an invigilator suspects a candidate or candidates of infringing MRCP(UK)Examination Regulations/Examination hall rules he/she shall:

(1) Wherever possible alert another invigilator to the suspected misconduct sothat they may act as witness if subsequently required;

(2) Discreetly speak to the candidate(s) involved, making clear what is causingconcern, and reminding them of the relevant regulations and instructions;

(3) Confiscate any unauthorised material in the possession of the candidate(s);

(4) Allow the candidate(s) in question to continue the Examination;

(5) Inform the candidate(s) in question at the end of the Examination that awritten report of the incident will be submitted to the Head of AcademicDivision, MRCP(UK) Central Office;

(6) Arrange for details of the incident to be recorded in the Chief Invigilator’sreport, including details of any witnesses and any confiscated materials, andensure that the report is sent to the MRCP(UK) Central Office;

(7) On request, complete a comprehensive and detailed report on the incidentand send it to the Head of Academic Division, MRCP(UK) Central Office.



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15 Any invigilator or examiner present is empowered to refuse to allow a candidateto continue with the Examination on grounds of misconduct. Ejection from theExamination hall should normally take place only in the event of a candidate’sconduct causing disruption to other candidates.

16 Candidates who wish to attract the attention of the invigilator(s) during theExamination should do so by raising a hand.

17 Candidates should bring to the attention of the invigilator any factor (e.g.distracting noise) that is adversely affecting them during the Examination. Wherenecessary they should communicate the same in writing to the Head of Operations,MRCP(UK) Central Office immediately following the Examination concerned.

18 Once admitted to each part of the Examination, candidates must stay for the fullduration of each paper. Candidates may not leave the Examination hall as a result of finishing the Examination paper early. Those who attempt to do so will be deemed tohave breached the Examination Regulations.

19 Candidates must not leave the Examination hall temporarily, during the period of

the Examination, unless given express permission by the invigilator(s) to do so. If such permission is given, they must not attempt to contact any other person orconsult any material relating to the Examination whilst outside the Examination hall.They should report to the invigilator(s) on returning to the Examination hall.

20 Candidates may not temporarily leave the Examination hall during the first30 minutes of any paper or in the 10 minutes before the scheduled end of eachpaper.

21 Candidates should immediately stop working when instructed to do so and remainin their seats in silence while papers, empty answer books, continuation sheets orother papers are collected.

22 Candidates should not remove from the Examination hall any papers orexamination materials. Question papers or any part of them, or any individualquestions, must not be copied or removed from the Examination hall. All MRCP(UK)Examination questions are confidential and are copyrighted by the Royal Colleges of Physicians. A candidate may not communicate any question or part of a question toany other person or organisation. To do so would be a serious breach of copyright andof these Regulations.

23 When authorised to do so by the invigilator(s), candidates should leave theExamination hall in an orderly manner.

24 Candidates have a responsibility to help safeguard the security of the examination

and their own work. Candidates should make efforts to ensure their work cannot beseen by another candidate, particularly if leaving the Examination hall temporarily tovisit the toilet. Candidates have a duty to report (to an invigilator or MRCP(UK)Central Office) any concerns they have that another candidate was attempting to readtheir work, or any other instances of possible misconduct they see.

25 Candidates are asked to note that any allegation of academic or professionalmisconduct that is sustained against a candidate is likely to be reported to employers,sponsors and relevant professional bodies, such as the UK General Medical Council.



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26 Candidates should note that if any information comes to light at a later stage thatindicates that Examination Regulations have been breached, the Royal Colleges of Physicians reserve the right to invoke the Misconduct Procedures retrospectively.



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12. MRCP(UK) Part 2 Clinical Examination (PACES)

12.1 Format

The MRCP(UK) Part 2 Clinical Examination (PACES) is composed of five stations eachassessed by two independent examiners. Candidates will start at any one of the fivestations and then move round the carousel of stations at 20-minute intervals until the

cycle has been completed. The stations are:

Station 1Respiratory System Examination (10 minutes)Abdominal System Examination (10 minutes)

Station 2History Taking Skills (20 minutes)

Station 3Cardiovascular System Examination (10 minutes)Nervous System Examination (10 minutes)

Station 4Communication Skills (20 minutes)

Station 5Integrated Clinical Assessment

• Brief Clinical Consultation 1 (10 minutes)• Brief Clinical Consultation 2 (10 minutes)

The MRCP(UK) Part 2 Clinical Examination (PACES) lasts a total of 125 minutes(including one 5-minute break before each station).

12.2 Attending the MRCP(UK) Part 2 Clinical Examination (PACES)

Candidates presenting themselves for the MRCP(UK) Clinical Examination must havecomplied fully with all admission requirements, including the payment of fees, andmust confirm that their application is supported by their current or most recenteducational supervisor or most recent supervising consultant.

Candidates should allow for any transport delays when planning travel to theexamination centre as admission will not be permitted once the examination hasstarted.

Candidates will not be admitted unless they produce suitable identification in additionto the Admission Document. This would normally be a passport. Where candidates donot possess a passport, some other form of identification may be acceptable,providing that it includes both the photograph and signature of the candidateconcerned. Admission to the examination will be at the discretion of the Chair of Examiners.

The Royal Colleges of Physicians observe sensitivity in the visual identification of candidates, but advance notice should be given by candidates of any anticipateddifficulties.

Arrival after the examination has started constitutes absence from the examinationand therefore counts as an attempt. Because of the restricted number of clinical



36

places, no guarantee can be made of a later place at the same examination centre, oralternative centre, for a candidate arriving late.

Candidates may not carry electronic devices, including telephones, pagers, PDAs orother forms of communication devices, while at the examination.

All candidates should note that the examination will be conducted in strict accordancewith the host centre’s hygiene and infection control procedures. Dress and

appearance are an important aspect of professionalism. You should dress in a smartand conservative manner. Your fingernails should be short and clean. Infection-control policies vary from centre to centre. At examination centres in the UK you areusually required to wear a short-sleeved shirt or blouse, with no neck-tie, false nails,wrist-watch or wrist jewellery (a plain wedding ring may be acceptable). Candidatesattending centres in the UK must come prepared to meet these criteria – failure tocomply will mean that you cannot sit the examination, and in these circumstancesyou will not be eligible for a refund. Centres outside the UK have not imposed dressrequirements at the present time but, if such policies are introduced, candidates mustcomply with them. If any candidate anticipates difficulties complying with a centre’s infection control procedures they must provide details to the MRCP(UK) Central Officewhen submitting their application.

Procedure

Each candidate receives 16 marksheets before the start of the MRCP(UK) Part 2Clinical Examination (PACES) and must complete his/her personal details on eachsheet in capital letters, using a 2B pencil. The candidate hands one sheet to eachexaminer at Stations 2 and 4 and two sheets to each examiner at Stations 1, 3 and 5.Marksheets are station-specific. The examiners are required to record their marks foreach candidate on the marksheet independently and without consultation. Examinersdo not have any knowledge of the marks given by other examiners at other stationsin the Examination during the cycle.

Stations 1 and 3

At Stations 1 and 3 (each of which consists of two sub-stations lasting 10 minutes),the timekeeper sounds a bell to announce the start of the assessment at the station.One examiner takes the candidate into the station and shows the candidate writteninstructions for the first of the two cases. The candidate responds to the writteninstructions. The response involves the examination of the appropriate system andanswering questions from the examiners that may include the diagnosis andmanagement of the clinical problem. After five minutes, the examiners will remindcandidates that there is one minute remaining in which to complete their physicalexamination (i.e. a total of six minutes is permitted). After six minutes, the physicalexamination will end, leaving four minutes for discussion of the case.

After 10 minutes, the timekeeper signals the end of the sub-station. The examinersand the candidate must then stop. The candidate is then shown written instructions

by the second examiner for the second case. Examination at the second sub-stationthen starts and follows the same procedure as the first sub-station.

After 10 minutes, a bell sounds to signal the end of the examination at the station.The examiners and the candidate must then stop. The candidate leaves the stationand is directed to the next station. A period of approximately five minutes has beenallowed for this changeover and for the examiners to complete the marksheets.

Stations 2 and 4Stations 2 and 4 each last 20 minutes. At Station 2, the candidate is given a familydoctor’s letter to read outside the station, and at Station 4, the candidate is given a



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clinical scenario to read. Rough paper is provided for note-taking (these notes do notform part of the examination and are destroyed afterwards). The timekeeper soundsa bell to announce the start of the station. One examiner takes the candidate into thestation.

The interview involves interaction between the candidate and the patient/subjectappropriate to the station. Candidates are alerted when 12 minutes, and again when14 minutes, have elapsed. The simulated patient leaves the station after 14 minutes.

The candidate is given one minute for reflection, or to make further notes, and is theninvited to summarise and discuss important features of the history (Station 2) or theinteraction with the simulated patient (Station 4).

Station 5Station 5 consists of two sub-stations (each called a Brief Clinical Consultation) of tenminutes each. The candidate is given two sets of short written instructions orscenarios, one for each sub-station, to read in the five-minute period before the startof the station. The timekeeper sounds a bell to signal the start of the station. Oneexaminer takes the candidate in to the first of the two cases. The lead examiner willadvise which scenario applies to each case.

The candidate will have eight minutes with the patient/surrogate to take a focussed

history, carry out a relevant examination, respond to the patient/surrogate’s concernsor questions, and explain his/her management plan. Candidates are alerted after sixminutes that they have two minutes left with the patient/surrogate. When the eight-minute consultation is complete, the candidate will then have two minutes to describerelevant physical findings, his/her preferred diagnosis and any differential diagnosesto the examiners. The examiners may also ask about any other issues they need toclarify to complete the assessment.

After ten minutes the timekeeper signals the end of the sub-station. The examinersand the candidate must then stop. The candidate is then shown the patient/surrogatefor the second case. Examination at the second sub-station then starts and followsthe same procedure as at the first sub-station.

If a candidate completes the examination in any sub-station or station before the endof the prescribed period, he/she should remain at the station; this could mean aperiod of silence.

Clinical scenarios must not be copied or removed from the clinical examinationcentres. All MRCP(UK) examination questions and clinical scenarios are confidentialand are copyrighted by the Royal Colleges of Physicians. No person may communicateany question or part of a question to any other person or organisation. To do sowould constitute a serious breach of copyright and of these Regulations.

On occasion a candidate may be observed by a trainee examiner. The traineeexaminer will complete a marksheet for the candidate but the marksheet is not used

in any way in the assessment of the candidate.

Method of assessment

16 marksheets in total are completed by the examiners:

• one by each examiner at Stations 2 and 4 (total 4);• two by each examiner at Stations 1, 3 and 5 (total 12).

Candidates are awarded marks for between four and seven separate clinical skills ateach patient encounter, allowing a minimum of eight and a maximum of 16 judgments to be made on each candidate’s performance in each skill over the course



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of the examination. A description of each of the seven clinical skills, and at whichstations they are assessed, is available on the MRCP(UK) website: www.mrcpuk.org.The onus is on the candidate to demonstrate each of the skills noted on themarksheet for each encounter.

All marks are recorded on a three-point grading system and are detailed on theMRCP(UK) Part 2 Clinical Examination (PACES) marksheet. The grades are:

• unsatisfactory• borderline• satisfactory

These grades are converted to numeric values 0–2 (unsatisfactory=0, borderline=1,satisfactory=2). Grade descriptors are provided on the marksheets and are furtherrefined in the examiner calibration process that takes place before each candidate isseen.

To pass the MRCP(UK) Clinical Examination (PACES), candidates will be required toattain a minimum standard in each of the seven skills assessed AND also attain aminimum total score across the whole assessment. In the 2010/3 diet the Clinical

Examining Board determined that the standards required will be as follows:

Skill Pass mark

A Physical Examination 14

B Identifying Physical Signs 14

C Clinical Communication 10 D Differential Diagnosis 16 E Clinical Judgement 18 F Managing Patient Concerns 10 G Maintaining Patient Welfare 28 Minimum total

score All encounters and skills 130

Please note that the Clinical Examining Board will review the performance of candidates before confirming the pass marks for each diet, and candidates areadvised to consult the website for the latest information.

Marksheets

To facilitate electronic scanning of the marksheets, as well as clear photocopying if required, candidates are required to complete all aspects of the marksheets using a2B pencil and, except for their signatures, to use CAPITAL LETTERS.

Sample versions of the MRCP(UK) Part 2 Clinical Examination (PACES) marksheetsused by examiners are shown below for information.



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40



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Academic and professional misconduct

Candidates should note that it is an offence to seek to gain prior knowledge of theclinical cases or scenarios used in the Examination. Candidates should be aware thatany attempt to visit the hospital or examination centre at which they have beenallocated a place to sit PACES after being notified of that placement will be regardedas an act of suspected misconduct and be investigated accordingly.

A candidate will be prevented from proceeding with the MRCP(UK) Part 2 ClinicalExamination (PACES) if it is the examiners’ view that his/her conduct is likely toendanger the safety of patients, cause distress or disrupt other candidates.

Where an examiner considers that a candidate is acting in an unprofessional,improper or inappropriate manner during the MRCP(UK) Part 2 Clinical Examination(PACES) they shall:

(1) ask the candidate to stop that particular part of the MRCP(UK) Part 2 ClinicalExamination (PACES);

(2) endorse the candidate’s clinical marksheet with a note of the time when thealleged infringement was discovered. Wherever possible an examiner should invite

another examiner to act as witness by countersigning the endorsement;

(3) decide whether the candidate in question may continue with the MRCP(UK) Part 2Clinical Examination (PACES);

(4) inform the candidate in question at the end of the MRCP(UK) Part 2 ClinicalExamination (PACES) that a written report of the incident will be submitted to theHead of the MRCP(UK) Central Office;

(5) prepare within three working days a written report on the alleged incident andsend it with any confiscated materials (if applicable) to the MRCP(UK) Central Office.

Candidates are asked to note that any allegation of academic or professionalmisconduct that is sustained against a candidate is likely to be reported to employers,sponsors and the relevant professional bodies, such as the UK General MedicalCouncil.

12.3 After the MRCP(UK) Part 2 Clinical Examination (PACES)

Results of MRCP(UK) Part 2 Clinical Examination

The MRCP(UK) Clinical Examining Board has overall responsibility for policy andprocedures relating to, and the organisation of, the MRCP(UK) Part 2 ClinicalExamination (PACES).

The MRCP(UK) Clinical Examining Board will consider reports from Examiners (andothers as necessary) on the delivery of the MRCP(UK) Part 2 Clinical Examination(PACES) at centres within and outside the UK. The MRCP(UK) Clinical ExaminingBoard is responsible for confirming the pass marks and success or failure of candidates in the Examination. Results are released only when the MRCP(UK) ClinicalExamining Board is satisfied that the MRCP(UK) Part 2 Clinical Examination (PACES)has been conducted appropriately and in accordance with the procedures of the RoyalColleges of Physicians.

After every Examination, the MRCP(UK) Clinical Examining Board reviews the wholeExamination. To do so, it considers statistical analyses of all candidates’ performance,



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together with the comments of the examiners. In the light of these analyses andopinions, the MRCP(UK) Clinical Examining Board:

• agrees the pass marks for the diet

• may make modifications to the structure and format of the MRCP(UK) Part 2 ClinicalExamination (PACES) that it deems desirable to ensure the validity of theExamination.

Candidates can access their examination results via the Results area of the MRCP(UK)website by entering their RCP Code Number. Candidates will not be identified byname, and are therefore advised to take careful note of their RCP Code Number whenthey receive their admission documents. Candidates may opt out of this facility whenmaking their application and they must also re-confirm this on each occasion theyapply for the Examination. Results cannot be collected from the Royal Colleges of Physicians or given over the telephone or by fax or email.

All results are posted first class or by airmail within five weeks of the end of thePACES Examination period in the UK.

Pass result

Candidates who have not passed MRCP(UK) Part 2 Written Examination

Candidates passing the MRCP(UK) PACES Examination must pass MRCP(UK) Part 2Written Examination before they can be elected to Membership of the Royal Collegesof Physicians of the United Kingdom. Candidates can apply for MRCP(UK) Part 2Written during the application periods for that Examination and do not need to waituntil their result for MRCP(UK) PACES is confirmed.

Candidates who have already passed MRCP(UK) Part 2 WrittenExamination

Candidates passing the MRCP(UK) PACES Examination, who have already passedMRCP(UK) Part 2 Written Examination within the same seven-year period of eligibilitycan proceed to be elected to Membership of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of theUnited Kingdom (see section 13 for further details).

Fail result

The MRCP(UK) Part 2 Clinical Examination (PACES) may be failed in the followingways:

• a candidate does not achieve the pass mark on one or more skills, or the overallminimum total score;

In addition, any candidate who receives the following will have his/her overallperformance reviewed by the Clinical Examining Board and may fail the examinationirrespective of total test score:

• a mark of 28 or less on the skill ‘maintaining patient welfare’ ;• three or more recommendations for counselling.



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If a candidate fails the MRCP(UK) Part 2 Clinical Examination (PACES) at their first orsecond attempt they may be deemed by the MRCP(UK) Clinical Examining Board torequire more clinical experience before re-attempting PACES, or be recommended forcounselling from a nominated Fellow or Member of one of the Royal Colleges.Candidates may request counselling themselves through their College of Entry.Candidates who fail badly may be recommended to defer re-entry for one or moreExaminations. The Royal Colleges of Physicians may require evidence of furthertraining before candidates who fail badly are permitted to re-enter the Examination.

Candidates may apply for the MRCP(UK) Part 2 Clinical Examination (PACES) in thenext application period once they have received confirmation of their result via theMRCP(UK) website.

Poor performance in the MRCP(UK) Part 2 Clinical Examination (PACES)

All doctors practising in the UK, including examiners and the Officers of the RoyalColleges of Physicians, are governed by the principles outlined by the UK GeneralMedical Council in the publication Good Medical Practice. The Royal Colleges of Physicians acknowledge that some good doctors may perform badly and aberrantlyunder examination conditions. However, where there are genuine concerns that a

doctor’s fitness to practise is called into question by facts coming to light during thecourse of the MRCP(UK) Part 2 Clinical Examination (PACES), the Royal Colleges of Physicians are duty bound to inform those to whom the candidate is contractually orprofessionally responsible. In exceptional circumstances, where no such person canbe identified, this information may have to be communicated directly to the UKGeneral Medical Council or similar professional body.

The candidate concerned will be informed by letter when their poor performance inthe MRCP(UK) Part 2 Clinical Examination (PACES) warrants referral to a sponsor,employer, or professional body, as outlined above. Reporting will normally take placeonly for consistently poor performance in repeated Clinical Examinations but, inexceptional circumstances, it may take place as a result of poor performance in asingle examination.

Before the candidate may re-enter any part of the MRCP(UK) Diploma (or anyexamination run under the auspices of any of the three Royal Colleges of Physiciansof the UK) written evidence must be received from the sponsor, employer orprofessional body confirming that remedial action has been taken. It will be for theChairman of the MRCP(UK) Clinical Examining Board to confirm whether the evidencepresented is satisfactory to warrant re-entry to the MRCP(UK) Clinical Examination.The Chairman of the MRCP(UK) Clinical Examining Board will also be available toconsider any representations that the candidate wishes to submit.



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13. Completion of the MRCP(UK) Diploma and Electionto Membership

For election to membership, every candidate must pass all parts of the MRCP(UK)Diploma. Once a candidate has successfully completed their final Part of theexamination (irrespective of whether this was the Part 2 Written or Part 2 Clinical(PACES) Examination), candidates will have their completion confirmed in their

results letter. This letter will be accompanied by the Form of Faith and testimonialrequest (combined in one form). These should be completed and submitted forelection to membership.

The testimonial must be completed by a Fellow or Member of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom, who should have worked with the candidate withinthe previous 3 years and must be a holder of the MRCP(UK) Diploma for at least 8years. The proposer signing the Form of Faith must be of ‘good standing’ . Verificationof this information will be undertaken. MRCP(UK) Diplomas will not be issued until thesigned Form of Faith and testimonial have been received.

Details of College Admission Ceremonies will be provided with the abovecorrespondence.

Members of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom are electedsubject to the Laws, Bye-Laws, Statutes and Regulations of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom. Copies of the Laws, Bye-Laws, Individual Statutesand Regulations relating to Members can be inspected on application to the respectiveColleges.

Candidates are required to declare details on the Form of Faith of any suspension,condition or undertakings on their practice (including interim orders) from theGeneral Medical Council (or equivalent body) at the time of their application forelection to membership.

14. Other Regulations and Procedures

Details of other MRCP(UK) regulations for candidates are available on the MRCP(UK)website at www.mrcpuk.org/regulations. These are as follows:

Examination Appeals RegulationsExamination Complaint ProceduresAcademic and Professional Misconduct Regulations

Special Examination Arrangements Procedure



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15. Training of a Physician in the UK

The Place of the MRCP(UK) in TrainingThe General Internal Medicine 2009 (GIM 2009) training curriculum for Physicians hasbeen approved by the General Medical Council (GMC). The MRCP(UK) Diplomaprovides valid, reliable evidence of attainment in knowledge, clinical skills andbehaviour, and is a mandatory component of assessment for core medical training.

The Joint Royal Colleges of Physicians Training Board has accepted that, fromAugust 2011, possession of the MRCP(UK) Diploma should become amandatory requirement for ST3 entry into any of the medical (physicianly)specialties.

Please note that the MRCP(UK) Central Office will provide confirmation of UK trainees’ examination performance to Deaneries to assist them with monitoring progress andselection into training programmes.

Trainees who completed Core Medical Training (CMT) in 2009 and 2010 Trainees who completed CMT in 2009 and 2010 (those who entered training beforeAugust 2009) are, as a minimum, required to pass Part 1 as the knowledge-based

assessment for core training (core medical training – CMT; acute care common stem– ACCS) before progressing to ST3. The remaining elements of the MRCP(UK)Examination, Part 2 Written and PACES, will be mandatory elements for the award of a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) in all specialties. However, the Collegesadvise trainees to complete the MRCP qualification as soon as possible after they startcore training. Attainment of the MRCP(UK) Diploma, although not essential toprogress to ST3, is likely to inform the allocation into continuing specialty training.

If not completed during core training, the MRCP(UK) Diploma should be completedbefore the end of ST3 so that trainees can focus on other specialty assessments.Failure to gain the diploma by this stage (some time during ST3) may lead torecommendations for additional training (ARCP outcomes 2, 3 or 4). Having gainedtheir MRCP(UK) qualification, trainees are further assessed as part of their career

progression in their chosen specialty (gastroenterology, dermatology, etc.) in twoways:

workplace-based assessmentsSpecialty Certificate Examination

Trainees who started Core Medical Training (CMT) after August 2009Trainees who started CMT during or after August 2009 will not be able to obtainconfirmation of their CMT competences and exit successfully from the programmeuntil they have the full MRCP(UK) Diploma. They may need to have further training toachieve this (after negotiation with Programme Directors and their PostgraduateDean).

Junior doctors are strongly advised to plan their attempts for MRCP(UK) examinationsin such a way that they can ensure completion of the diploma before they completetheir CMT years. Additionally, candidates expecting confirmation of any MRCP(UK)examination result in time for application to ST3 posts will need to refer to theMRCP(UK) website for information about result release dates.

The Place of the Specialty Certificate Examination in TrainingA Specialty Certificate Examination is a compulsory component of assessment for CCTfor all UK trainees whose specialty training began in or after August 2007. UKtrainees who have completed the MRCP(UK) Diploma would normally take theSpecialty Certificate Examination during the penultimate year of higher specialist



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training. For further information please go to:http://www.mrcpuk.org/SCE/Pages/Home.aspx

Candidates from outside the UK who feel they would benefit from impartial advice onregistration, clinical attachment, availability and suitability of courses and careersguidance are recommended to contact NHS Careers:

http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/explore_oversea_registration-for-doctors-and-general-

practitioners.shtml

16. Registration with the UK General Medical Council

Registration with the General Medical Council (GMC) is required for all candidatesintending to work as doctors in the UK. Registration with the GMC is not necessary inorder to take the MRCP(UK) Diploma. However, prospective candidates who intend toobtain training in a UK hospital, whether paid or unpaid, must register with the GMC.

Candidates who are suspended from practice are not permitted entry to anyMRCP(UK) Examination or Specialty Certificate Examination until the suspension hasbeen lifted.

Candidates who are subject to any warnings, interim orders, undertakings orconditions on their practice from the GMC (or equivalent body) must declare thisinformation to MRCP(UK) Central Office upon applying to any MRCP(UK) Examinationor Specialty Certificate Examination, and may be permitted to enter the examinationat the discretion of the MRCP(UK) Medical Director.

Upon submitting the Form of Faith for election to Membership, candidates mustdeclare to the Royal Colleges of Physicians if they have been suspended or erasedfrom the GMC (or equivalent) register for reasons related to fitness to practise, or if they are subject to any warnings, interim orders, undertakings or conditions on theirpractice from the GMC (or equivalent body).

A list showing those overseas qualifications eligible for full registration is given at thefront of the Medical Register published by the GMC. Doctors who are British nationalsand/or who hold a qualification of one of the countries of the European Communityare subject to special conditions and should seek advice directly from the GMC.

Application forms and pamphlets giving details of the requirements of each kind of registration may be obtained by contacting:

General Medical CouncilRegent’s Place 350 Euston RoadLondon NW1 3JN

Tel: +44(0)845 357 3456Email: [email protected]

For further information please refer to the GMC website (www.gmc-uk.org).

http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/explore_oversea_registration-for-doctors-and-general-practitioners.shtml







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17. Language Requirements

All parts of the MRCP(UK) Diploma are conducted in English.

As all assessments are conducted in English, the Royal Colleges of Physicians advisecandidates that in order to be sufficiently prepared to sit the MRCP(UK) Diploma,their English language ability should be equivalent to IELTS Level 7 in each module.

However, candidates do not need to have taken IELTS, the assessment of theProfessional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB), or any other languageexamination, to sit the MRCP(UK) Diploma.

The MRCP(UK) Diploma cannot be used as demonstrating competency in the Englishlanguage, for which PLAB is necessary before doctors can obtain Limited Registrationwith the GMC. Full details are available from:

PLAB Test SectionGeneral Medical CouncilRegent’s Place 350 Euston RoadLondon NW1 3JN

Tel: +44(0)845 357 3456Email: [email protected]

For further information please refer to the GMC website (www.gmc-uk.org).

