MRCP part two exam: Written Examination

The Part 2 examination is held through the three Royal Colleges and various centres throughout the world.

Part 2 must be completed within seven years of passing Part 1. Candidates must complete Part 2 within seven years of the date of their exempting qualification. If more than seven years have elapsed since passing Part 1, the Part 1 examination can be re-taken.

Candidates must gain sufficient marks in the written section in order to go forward to PACES.

Candidates who fail badly may be recommended to defer re-entry for one or more examinations.

According to Royal College of Physicans website : The composition of the Papers is as follows:

Specialty Number of Questions ( + / - 2)
Cardiology 10
Dermatology 4
Endocrinology and metabolic medicine 10
Gastroenterology 10
Haematology/ Immunology 5
Infectious diseases and GUM 9
Neurology/ Ophthalmology/ Psychiatry 11
Oncology and palliative medicine 5
Renal medicine 10
Respiratory medicine 10
Rheumatology 6
Therapeutics and toxicology 10

Total 100

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

New Update to Part 2 Written exam

Updated 8 June 2005

As announced earlier this year, the MRCP(UK) Part 2 Written Examination will consist of three papers from December 2005 (the 2005/3 diet). The Examination will be delivered over the course of two days: Wednesday 7th December 2005 (two 3-hour papers) and Thursday 8th December 2005 (one 3-hour paper).

The timings of the third paper will be released in due course. It is likely that this will take place on the morning of 8th December at the UK centres while being held simultaneously in centres outside the UK.

Each paper will contain approximately 90 questions in the same format and the same distribution of specialties as the current Examination.

To minimise the inconvenience to candidates, details of all examination venues will be publicised as early as possible in order that candidates can make appropriate arrangements.

Examination fees will not increase as a result of this development to the MRCP(UK) Part 2 Written Examination.

Rachael O'Flynn
Associate Head, MRCP(UK) Central Office and Head of Operations

Discuss this change here: Forum Link

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