Eligibility Criteria
What are
the requirements for entry to the
Written examinations?
What are
the requirements for entry to the CASC examination?
Are there any
non-PMETB training posts that the College does not count towards
eligibility?
What kind of
medical council registration do I need to enter any MRCPsych
examination?
I am
unemployed, can I sit an examination?
I am an
overseas candidate can I take the MRCPsych exams?
Applying for an Exam
What is my
candidate number?
Do I need to
complete two separate application forms for the Papers 1 &
2?
Which
sponsorship form do I complete?
Who can sign my
sponsorship form?
When will I receive
an acknowledgement of my application form?
When will I
receive my admission documents/hall ticket?
Fees
How much are the
fees for the examinations?
Can I pay
the application fees by credit card?
How do I
request a receipt?
Preparing for an Exam
What reading
material do you recommend as a study guide for the
examination?
Where can I find
sample questions?
Taking the
Exam
Where can
I sit the written examination?
Do I have
to sit Papers 1 and 2 at the same time?
Can I sit Papers
1, 2 and 3 in any order?
What
identification do I have to take with me to the exam?
Can I use a
calculator during an exam?
What if I need a
visa to get to my examination centre?
Where is the
UK CASC being held in 2010?
Withdrawing from an Exam
Can I transfer
my fee or postpone to the next examination?
I want to
withdraw from the examination, what do I do?
Results
When will the
results be published?
How do I
get a replacement result letter?
Is feedback available once I have sat
the examination?
Can I get my
overall ranking for my recent sitting?
How can I get my
answer script remarked?
Can I make an
appeal against the result of my examination?
Is the
MRCPsych classified as a Bachelors/Masters or PhD?
How long is my
Part 1 valid for?
How long is the
Paper 3 valid for?
General
What are
your contact details?
My contact
details have changed. What should I do?
Where can I find
out a list of dates of examinations?
Eligibility
Criteria
What are the requirements for
entry to the Written examinations?
The mandatory requirements
regarding post-foundation (UK) and post internship (where
applicable) whole time equivalent experience in Psychiatry for
entry to sit MRCPsych Papers 1, 2 and 3 are:
Mandatory 12 months
post foundation (UK) and post internship where applicable
whole time equivalent experience in Psychiatry by the date
of sitting MRCPsych Written Papers. Posts must be part of a
programme of training:
(i) Approved by PMETB
OR
(ii) Recognised by the
Hospital (Trusts where applicable) as incorporating within
contractual arrangements specified time and funding for educational
training. Job plans must include dedicated time for academic and
educational activities such as attending journal clubs, grand
rounds, attendance at an MRCPsych course or equivalent, study leave
and regular weekly educational supervision.
Individual posts can be of either 4
or 6 months duration.
• Posts must be made
up as follows:
A 12 month post
in Adult Psychiatry
OR
A 6 month post in
Old Age Psychiatry and a 6 month post of Adult Psychiatry
OR
A combination of
4 month posts in Adult or Old Age Psychiatry but with a minimum of
6 months in Adult Psychiatry.
Please refer to the Eligibility Criteria & Regulations for MRCPsych
Examinations document from pages 3 for full details of the
eligibility requirements regarding the particular exam you wish to
sit.
What are
the requirements for entry to the CASC
examination?
The CASC eligibility
criteria can be found in Eligibility
Criteria and Regulations for MRCPsych Examinations from page
5.
Are there
any non-PMETB training posts that the College does not count
towards eligibility?
Foundation Programme, Trust
Grade and pilot ST posts do not count towards eligibility.
What kind
of medical council registration do I need to enter any MRCPsych
examination?
All doctors in the UK must be registered with the General Medical
Council (GMC) when applying for the MRCPsych Examinations. The
College will verify that registration is valid with the GMC.
Details regarding
registration can be found on the GMC website (http://www.gmc-uk.org)
Overseas trainees must be
registered with their national body. An original or attested copy
of their current registration certificate must be included with an
application to sit the examination.
I am
unemployed, can I sit an examination?
Yes, you can sit the
Examination providing that you can obtain sponsorship.
I am an overseas
candidate can I take the MRCPsych exams?
Trainees from any country
in the world can have their experience count and
obtain eligibility to sit the MRCPsych Examinations from 2009
providing that they meet the eligibility requirements and receive
sponsorship to sit the Examination.
Applying for an
Exam
What is my candidate
number?
Your candidate number is
issued to you at your first sitting of any examination and remains
the same throughout your examination period. It is stated on
various documentation including your acknowledgement letter,
admission document and result letter. Candidates are expected to
refer to this documentation for their number before contacting the
Examinations Unit. If you are a new candidate (i.e. it is
your first examination) you will not have a number.
Do I need to
complete two separate application forms for the Papers 1 &
2?
No, you should complete and
submit one application. You should indicate in Section B that you
wish to sit both examinations. However, two separate cheques
should be submitted for each paper.
Which sponsorship
form do I complete?
Trainees in a PMETB post
(CT1/ST1 - 3 and LAT posts) should complete section D.
Trainees in a non-PMETB and overseas post holders including those
in Ireland, should complete section E.
Who can sign my
sponsorship form?
For PMETB trainees, your
College Tutor will need to sign your sponsorship form. If you are
in a non-PMETB post you will need your Training Lead and also your
Director of Medical Education to sign your sponsorship form.
When will I
receive an acknowledgement of my application form?
Please note that during
application periods an applications received list is
published on the College website and can be accessed via
the Exams Unit home page. this is
updated on a daily basis.
Acknowledgement emails
are sent within one week of receipt of the application form which
provides details about the venue and timings.
When will I
receive my admission documents/hall ticket?
For the written
examinations, these are emailed approximately 2 weeks before
the date of the examination. For the CASC examination, it is
aproximately 3 weeks before the exam.
If you have not received
these by then you should promptly contact the Examinations
Unit.
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Fees
How much are the fees
for the examinations?
Examination Fees
2010
UK and
Ireland Centres
Paper 1* - £385
Paper 2* - £385
Paper 3* - £385
CASC Examination - £885
Hong Kong Centre
Written Examination -
£550
CASC Examination - £1450
* Please
Send separate cheques for each written paper entry and
remember to write your name and candidate number (if applicable) on
the back of the cheque.
Can I pay
the application fees by credit card?
No. The College only
accepts cheques, postal orders or banker’s drafts. All
cheques must be paid in sterling.
How do I request a
receipt?
Your acknowledgement letter
is also a receipt of fees. If you require another receipt then
please contact Grant Fisher on gfisher@rcpsych.ac.uk.
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Preparing for an
Exam
What reading
material do you recommend as a study guide for the
examination?
The College does not
recommend any books but candidates are asked to approach their
College Tutor for information about the MRCPsych course.
Where can I find sample
questions?
A selection of sample
questions provided. Please select the examination
below to view the corresponding sample questions.
Paper 1 Examination
Paper 2 Examination
Paper 3 Examination
For the CASC examination, a
guide is available here.
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Taking the
exam
Where can I sit the written
examination?
For 2010:
The UK centres are: London,
Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh
Overseas centres – Dublin
and Hong Kong
NB Places are allocated on
a first come, first served basis.
Do I have
to sit Papers 1 and 2 at the same time?
No, you do not.
Can I sit Papers 1,
2 and 3 in any order?
The Written papers can be
taken in any order. However applicants are strongly advised to
follow the recommended timeframes to apply for Papers 2 and 3 as
these reflect the standards being assessed by each paper.
Recommended
Timeframes
Paper 1: mandatory 12
months
Paper 2: 18-24 months
Paper 3: 18-30 months
In addition, to make full
use of a pass in Paper 3 (635 days), candidates should consider
delaying Paper 3 until they have nearly completed the eligibility
requirements for the CASCs.
What
identification do I have to take with me to the exam?
For the written exam you
must bring official photo identification (ID). This can
include: Passport, Driver’s Licence and Hospital ID only.
For the CASCs, photo cards
will be produced and issued on the day of the examination.
Can I use a calculator during
an exam?
You may use a calculator during the
MRCPsych Paper 3 exam. Calculators are not permited for any of the
other exams.
What if I
need a visa to get to my examination centre?
If you need a visa, you
will need to apply for the examination at the beginning of the
application period and state clearly that you need a letter for
your visa application. If a visa is not granted, it does not
warrant an automatic refund as this is at the discretion of the
Head of Examination Unit.
Where is the
UK CASC being held in 2010?
The venue for the CASC 2010
will be in Sheffield.
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Withdrawing from an
Exam
Can I
transfer my fee or postpone to the next examination?
No. Candidates, who need
to, should withdraw from the sitting and request a refund. Please
note that any request for a refund must be made no later than 30
days after the date of the examination. Please refer to the
withdrawals section of the Eligibility
Criteria and Regulations for MRCPsych Examinations.
I want to
withdraw from the examination, what do I do?
Withdrawals must be made in
writing to the Head of Examinations Unit, Examinations Operations
Manager (Written) or Examinations Co-ordinator (CASC) stating the
reasons for withdrawal. Please refer to the withdrawals
section of the Eligibility Criteria and
Regulations for MRCPsych Examinations.
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Results
When will the
results be published?
Dates for publication of
results are published with the Examinations
Calendar on the College website.
How do I
get a replacement result letter?
Trainees should refrain
from requesting replacement letters until the date specified on the
pass list. After that, requests should be made in writing to
the Examinations Operations Manager, in relation the Written Papers
or the Examinations Co-ordinator (CASC) in relation to the CASC
examination.
Is feedback
available once I have sat the examination?
Feedback is available for
both the Written Papers and the CASC examinations. It is
provided with the result letter and only for those who have
been unsuccessful.
Can I get
my overall ranking for my recent sitting?
No, this information is not
provided.
How can I get my
answer script remarked?
Candidates should apply in
writing to the Examinations Operations Manager, with a cheque for
£120 made payable to 'The Royal College of Psychiatrists' no later
than 14 days after the publication of the results.
Can I make
an appeal against the result of my examination?
Candidates, who wish to make
representations with regard to the conduct of their MRCPsych
Examination, must initially submit an appeal to the Head of
Examinations Unit within 28 days of the date of
publication of the results of the Examination. Representations will
be dealt with according to this policy. Under no circumstances are
representations to be made to an examiner. For further information
please take note of the
appeals procedure.
Is the
MRCPsych classified as a Bachelors/Masters or PhD?
No, the MRCPsych
examination provides you with membership to the College which is a
qualification for entry into higher training in psychiatry.
How long is
my Part 1 valid for?
The Part 1 is valid until
31st July 2010. After this date applicants will be
required to pass MRCPsych Papers 1 & 2.
How long is
the Paper 3 valid for?
A pass in Paper 3 can be
banked for 635 days from the date of publication of results for all
candidates. The date of publication counting as day 1.
No exceptions are
made to this time limit.
ALL applicants who passed
Paper 3 in 2008 will have the following validity dates honoured (as
published on result letters)
- March 2008 passes are valid until
02/01/2010
- August 2008 passes are valid until
15/06/2010
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General
What are
your contact details?
- College address – 17 Belgrave Square, London,
SW1X 8PG, UK.
- Telephone number – +44 (0)207 235 2351
- Fax number – +44 (0)207 235 9948
- E-mail addresses for Examinations Unit staff
can be found here.
My contact
details have changed. What should I do?
You will need to inform us
of your change of address in writing. You can do this by mail,
e-mail or fax.
Where can I find out a list
of dates of examinations?
Please refer to the College
Examinations Calendar.
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