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 two 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.