The
marking scheme for the MRCPsych Written Paper Examinations is
available to download
The MRCPsych Paper 3 will be 3 hours
long, containing a maximum of 200 questions. The paper will include
both ‘best answer 1 of 5’ style MCQs and EMIs. The Clinical Topics
will be approximately two thirds of the paper. The Critical Review
component will make up approximately one third of the
paper.
General Adult
Research methods
Evidence based practice
Statistics
Critical Appraisal
Clinical Topics
Liaison
Forensic
Addiction
Child and adolescent
Psychotherapy
Learning disability
Rehabilitation
Old age psychiatry
|
Breakdown of questions, Paper 3
(Clinical Topics)
|
%
|
- General Adult
Psychiatry
- Classification of disease, preventative strategies
- Presentation of illness and treatment
- Hospital liaison psychiatry
- Neuropsychiatry
- Medicine relevant to psychiatry & HIV
- Research
|
32
|
|
Old age psychiatry
|
15
|
|
Addictions
|
11
|
|
Child & adolescent
psychiatry
|
15
|
|
Forensic psychiatry
|
9
|
|
Learning Disability
|
10
|
|
Psychotherapy &
Psychopathology
|
8
|
This breakdown is intended as a general guide
to the Clinical Topics content of Paper 3 and is subject to
change
Clinical topics sample questions
Single best answer
When assessing a patient with the features of
early dementia which of the following would suggest a sub-cortical
rather than a cortical cause?
a) Absence of dysarthria
b) Calculation preserved *
c) Euthymic mood
d) Mild aphasia
e) Normal speed of cognitive
processes
In an eight year old boy with Attention
Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and no co-morbidity which of
the following drugs would be the first line medication to use
alongside psychosocial interventions:
a) Amitriptyline
b) Clonidine
c) Dexamfetamine
d) Methylphenidate *
e) Nortriptyline
Sample critical review questions:
Extended matching item
Theme: Study Design:
Options:
A. Case Control study
B. Cohort Study
C. Cross Sectional Study
D. Epidemiological study
E. Qualitative study
F. Randomized controlled trial
From the study described below,
select the most appropriate design from the list above
1. To investigate the relationship between
alcohol consumption and depression, a group of patients attending
the psychiatric outpatient clinic with a diagnosis of depression
were questioned about their alcohol consumption. A group of
non-depressed age and sex matched patients attending the clinic
were also questioned about their alcohol consumption using an
identical protocol. A
2. To investigate the relationship between
certain solvents and dementia, all employees at a factory were
questioned about their exposure to an industrial solvent, and the
amount and length of exposure measured. These subjects were
regularly monitored, and after 20 years a copy of the death
certificate for all those who had died was obtained. B
3. A survey was conducted of a random
sample of junior doctors employed at a particular hospital. Among
other questions, the questionnaire asked about the grade of the
doctor and whether he/she was satisfied with the psychiatric
training they were receiving. C
4. A group of patients were invited to
a focus group to elicit their views on drug treatment and reasons
for non-compliance. E
Extended matching
item:
Theme: Calculations in
critical appraisal
Options:
|
A 0
|
|
B 1
|
|
C 4
|
|
D 5
|
|
E 6
|
|
F 8
|
|
G 9
|
|
H 20
|
|
I 50
|
|
J 80
|
|
K 100
|
|
L infinity
|
For each of the questions below, select the
most appropriate number from the list above.
1. The usual upper limit of risk of type II
error (expressed as a percentage) in power calculations for
randomised trials H
2. The odds of an event if it happens
90% of the time. G
3. The ideal Number Needed to Treat.
B
4. The value which, if crossed, the 95%
confidence interval of a Number Needed to Treat becomes
non-significant. L
5. The sensitivity of a test, expressed as
a percentage where 80 people were classified “true positive” and 20
people were classified “false negative”. J
Single best answer
An evaluation of a new screening questionnaire
for depression in primary care is conducted. The most important
single feature of this questionnaire that would encourage you to
use it is:
a) it has Positive Predictive Value of
20%
b) it has sensitivity of 80% *
c) it has specificity of 60%
d) it is brief
e) it is validated in different
languages
Which of the following clinical questions is
better suited to qualitative rather than quantitative research
methods?
a) A study detailing the social outcomes
of people treated with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
b) A study of the costs per unit of
‘patient utility’ in an randomized controlled trial
c) A study to assess the attitudes of
people with borderline personality disorder to their diagnosis
*
d) A study to measure psychiatric
symptoms after head injury
e) A study to measure quality of life in
people with Alzheimers disease.
Which of the following is the least adequate
method of randomisation?
a) Minimisation
b) Odd/even last digit of date of birth
*
c) Permuted block randomisation
d) Simple randomisation by computer
e) Toss of a fair, unbiased coin.
The most important component in the
development of a clinical guideline is:
a) All stakeholders are consulted.
b) Economic factors are considered
c) Meta-analysis of the available
data
d) Systematic development
e) Systematic literature search
*