Trainees are now invited to apply online for the revised Intercollegiate MRCS. To apply online simply select the examination from the RCSEd Exams Booking Website and select the diet you wish to apply for and click "Apply Online". Applying online will take approximately 10 minutes. Make sure you have your College username and password and your credit/debit card to hand. If you do not yet have an account with the College you can create one here.
Alternatively you may download an application form and post it to the College at the address at the bottom of this page.
The examination consists of two parts; Part A and Part B. Part A is a written examination consisting of two MCQ papers. Part B is an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). The Part B (OSCE) examination will be held in the UK only.
It will be possible for existing MRCS candidates to transfer to the new examination, provided they have not exceeded the time limit in which they were given to pass the examination they first sat. Each set of Regulations are unique and should be viewed individually. Any enquiries should be sent to the Examinations Section at examinations@rcsed.ac.uk .
Examinations Section
Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
The Adamson Centre
3 Hill Place
Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
EH8 9DS
Intercollegiate MRCS Examination Part A and Part B (Oral Clinical and Communications) - Outside the UK
As of January 2011, New candidates to the Intercollegiate MRCS Examinations will sit the MRCS Part A Exam. Candidates who have passed either Part 1 or Part 2 by December 2010 under the previous regulations may continue with this format of the exam until April 2011.
Candidates who have not passed both Parts 1 and 2 by April 2011 will be required to move to the Part A exam.
In addition to this change the Part 3 Examination will also be renamed to Part B (Oral Clinical and Communications) Examination. The Part B (Oral, Clinical and Communication Skills) and Part 3 Examinations will be identical and have the same marking system and pass criteria.
Candidates who have Passed Parts 1 and 2 but have not achieved a pass in any component of Part 3 by December 2010 will be required to progress to the Part B (Oral, Clinical and Communication Skills) Examination. Candidates who have passed any component of Part 3 by this date must continue with the Part 3 Examination. This examination will be available until December 2013.
The new regulations will allow candidates unlimited attempts at Part A and a maximum of six attempts at Part B (Oral, Clinical and Communication Skills). Candidates who stay within the Part 3 regulations will continue to be subject to the time limit contained within those regulations (3 ½ years from their first attempt at Part 2).
Full information regarding these changes can be found detailed in the announcement below. The College has also produced a PowerPoint presentation which should be read in conjunction with this announcement.
Download: Announcement to Candidates on Forthcoming Changes for Overseas Trainees: April 2010
Download: MRCS 2011 and Beyond Presentation