Reading lists for MRCPsych examinations

These reading lists have been compiled by our Question Writing Panels as a resource for candidates to use when preparing for our theory papers.

The most successful candidates use multiple learning strategies to prepare including:

  • familiarisation with syllabus, and directing their study to cover all topics
  • study of textbooks in psychiatry or allied topics relevant to the MRCPsych examination (e.g. basic psychology) to build a coherent basic knowledge of the material
  • participation in MRCPsych courses (as a trainee in UK you should have access to this as a part of your training programme offer) which should allow for interaction and discussion with experts in the field
  • local postgraduate medical education including journal clubs and case presentations
  • online learning such as MRCPsych eLearning – an online learning resource we developed to help you during your training
  • keeping abreast of high impact research in psychiatry including recent publications and critically reviewing such papers. Trainees are also expected to keep up to date with latest best practice guidance or consensus statements, clinical alerts relevant to psychiatric practice
  • practising and discussing example questions, ideally in a study group with peers.

In line with good practice in assessment, we include 30-40% new questions in each diet.  The reading lists may not cover the entire syllabus, but are a very useful tool to build a coherent knowledge base.

Many of the texts and resources listed are available through the College library.