How to become a CASC examiner

To apply to become a CASC examiner, you must meet the following requirements:

Consultants

• You must have held a substantive consultant in any psychiatric speciality for at least one year.
  
• You must hold specialist registration with the General Medical Council or the Irish Medical Council.
• You must have a licence to practice in the UK/Ireland without limitations.
• You must be a current member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, having passed the MRCPsych examination.
• You must be registered, and be in good standing for CPD.
• You must have completed equality, diversity and inclusion training within the last 3 years.
• You must not be involved in any commercial courses or have any conflicts of interest as advised by the College’s Statement of Conflict of Interests.
• It is essential that applicants are currently involved in the formal teaching and supervision of psychiatric trainees.
• Experience of writing examination questions or examining at OSCE type examinations is particularly welcome, either at undergraduate or postgraduate level.

SAS Psychiatrists

• SAS doctors must have held at least 7 years' (post FY2 level) experience in any psychiatry specialty, 4 years of which should be post MRCPSYCH and in a substantive post.
  
• You must be fully registered with the General Medical Council or the Irish Medical Council.
• You must have a licence to practice in the UK/Ireland.
• You must be a current member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, having passed the MRCPsych examination.
• You must be registered, and be in good standing for CPD.
• You must have completed equality, diversity and inclusion training within the last 3 years.
• You must not be involved in any commercial courses or have any conflicts of interest as advised by the College’s Statement of Conflict of Interests.
• It is essential that applicants are currently involved in the formal teaching and supervision of psychiatric trainees.
• Experience of writing examination questions or examining at OSCE type examinations is particularly welcome, either at undergraduate or postgraduate level.

Following appointment, all examiners:

• Must abide by the Examiners Code of Conduct.
• Must attend a one-day training and assessment course for CASC examining.
• Must rate training videos at induction to a satisfactory standard.
• Must shadow an examiner for one day at the CASC before examining candidates.
• Must be able to attend one session of Examiner Refresher Training every three years, which includes Equality and Diversity training.
• Should be prepared to participate in examining the Clinical Assessment of Skills and Competencies (CASCs) at least two days per year. Adequate prior notice of CASC dates will be given.
• Should be able to commit to serving as a member of the Board of Examiners for a period of seven years.
• Must agree not to disclose any information that one may obtain about the examination by virtue of one’s position as a Member of the Board of Examiners to anyone external to the Board.
• Must be engaged in medical appraisal and be revalidated.
• Must agree to stand down from the Board if, during one’s period of appointment, circumstances change making one unable to meet any one of the eligibility criteria:
  • Examiners who leave a substantive post and take up a locum position must demonstrate continued involvement in training or medical education, in order to remain on the Board.
• Must agree to inform the Chief Examiner of any circumstances, such as ill health or license to practice suspension/conditions, which could affect one’s ability to be an examiner or call into question the good standing of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and its examining procedure.

Retired examiners

UK Examiners who have retired from clinical practice may continue to examine as long as they hold a license to practice from the GMC.

The Examiner Code of Conduct provides guidance all examiners must follow during their tenure on the Board of Examiners.