mrcs and frcs examination guide
DESCRIPTION
Information about the Membership and Fellowship examinations offered by RCSI. Apply now at https://postgradexams.rcsi.ie/TRANSCRIPT
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RCSI MEMBERSHIP AND FELLOWSHIP .................................................................... 3
MRCS EXAM STRUCTURE ......................................................................................... 4
MRCS EXAM VENUES ................................................................................................. 6
MRCS PART A EXAM DATES 2016 ............................................................................. 7
MRCS PART B (OSCE) EXAM DATES 2016 ............................................................... 8
MRCS PART B (OSCE) PREPARATION COURSE ..................................................... 9
MRCS ENT - DOHNS EXAM ........................................................................................ 10
FRCS EXAM ................................................................................................................. 12
CONTACT INFORMATION ........................................................................................... 13
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Dear Colleague,
The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
(RCSI) is one of Ireland’s longest established
and most respected academic institutions.
For more than two centuries, the College has
provided education and training of the
highest calibre to students and healthcare
professionals from Ireland and more than 78
other countries.
The opportunity to become a Fellow or
Member of RCSI is a privilege that is only
earned through hard work and an absolute
dedication to excellence. The hard work and
dedication doesn’t stop the day a surgeon
qualifies. In fact, qualifying as a surgeon is
the start of a lifelong journey of learning and
professional development.
Membership of the Royal College of
Surgeons in Ireland (MRCSI) is awarded on
successful completion of the Intercollegiate
MRCS examination. Fellowship of the Royal
College of Surgeons in Ireland (FRCSI) is
normally awarded on successful completion
of the Intercollegiate FRCS examination.
The MRCSI and FRCSI are prestigious
internationally recognised quality standards.
Holding one of these qualifications
demonstrates to colleagues, peers, and
employers a doctor’s knowledge and clinical
skills and commitment to his or her practice.
Fellows and Members of the College
receive preferential access to College events,
facilities, and resources; complimentary
surgical journals and other publications; and
a suite of other professional and personal
benefits.
RC
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Professor John Hyland
President, RCSI
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RCSI has offered the intercollegiate
Membership of the Royal College of
Surgeons (MRCS) since 2002.
As many aspects of the different
surgical specialties require the same
core areas of applied basic knowledge
and skills, a central aim of the MRCS
exam is to assess trainee surgeons
in the breadth of both basic sciences
and the principles of surgery.
This examination is an intercollegiate
one. Hence, the examination syllabus,
format and content are common to all
surgical Royal Colleges in the UK and
Ireland.
The MRCS is fully recognised by
both the Irish Medical Council and the
General Medical Council (UK).
Surgical trainees in Ireland are
required to successfully pass all
stages of the examination before
being awarded a Certificate of
Completion of Core Surgical Training.
Doctors from outside the EU can
apply for registration to practice in
Ireland if they are MRCS holders.
The MRCS is structured in two
parts: MRCS Part A and MRCS Part
B. Candidates must pass Part A
before applying to sit Part B.
For more details about the MRCS
exam regulations, please visit
www.intercollegiatemrcsexams.org.
uk
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MRCS PART A MRCS PART B
This four-hour MCQ examination
consists of two papers, each of two
hours duration, taken on the same
day.
The papers cover generic surgical
sciences and applied knowledge,
including the core knowledge
required in all surgical specialties as
follows:
Paper 1. Applied Basic Sciences
MCQ paper, comprising Single
Best Answer Questions.
Paper 2. Principles of Surgery in
General MCQ paper, comprising
Extended Matching Questions.
Candidates may attempt to pass
Part A of the MRCS examination six
times.
The OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) consists
of 18 examined stations, each of nine minutes’ duration. These
stations examine the following broad content areas:
Applied Knowledge - consisting of anatomy, surgical pathology,
applied surgical science and critical care
Applied Skills - consisting of communication skills in giving and
receiving information, history taking and clinical & procedural
skills
In addition, the candidate’s knowledge, skills, competencies and
professional characteristics are assessed across the OSCE
stations as follows:
1. Clinical knowledge and its application;
2. Clinical and technical skill;
3. Communication;
4. Professionalism.
Candidates may attempt to pass Part B of the MRCS examination
four times.
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Exam Date of Exam Closing date Fee
MRCS Part A
Dublin, Belfast,
Dammam, Amman,
Bahrain, Penang,
and Perdana
12 January 2016 30 October 2015 €650 in Dublin
and Belfast
€675 in
Dammam,
Amman, Bahrain,
Penang, and
Perdana
19 April 2016 12 February 2016
6 September 2016 17 June 2016
The MRCS Part A is held three times per year in January, April, and September. RCSI
currently offers this exam in seven venues: Dublin, Belfast, Dammam, Amman,
Bahrain, Penang, and Perdana.
You can apply for the MRCS Part A at postgradexams.rcsi.ie
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We are happy to announce that we have partnered with
PasTest, one of the leading providers of revision resources for
the MRCS exams. All candidates sitting MRCS Part A with
RCSI in September 2016 will be entitled to a 25% discount off their online
subscription which provides access to over 4,300 practice questions, helpful media
resources and a free mobile app. For more information contact [email protected]
Exam Date of Exam Closing date Fee
MRCS Part B (OSCE)
Dublin 16-17 February 2016 27 November 2015 €1,195
MRCS Part B (OSCE)
Dublin 10-11 May 2016 4 March 2016 €1,195
MRCS Part B (OSCE)
Dublin 11-13 October 2016 22 July 2016 €1,195
MRCS Part B (OSCE)
Amman TBC TBC €1,250
MRCS Part B (OSCE)
Bahrain 10-12 March 2016 24 January 2016 €1,250
MRCS Part B (OSCE)
Bahrain 10-12 November 2016 11 September 2016 €1,250
MRCS Part B (OSCE)
Penang 30 January 2016 6 December 2015 €1,250
MRCS Part B (OSCE)
Penang 20 August 2016 26 June 2016 €1,250
The MRCS Part B (OSCE) is held
three times per year in February,
May, and October in Dublin.
Additionally, RCSI holds the exam
in Jordan, Bahrain, and Penang on
different dates each year.
You can apply for the MRCS Part B
(OSCE) at postgradexams.rcsi.ie
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Due to the limited number of
attempts for MRCS Part B it is crucial
that candidates sit the exam only after
undertaking intense preparation. To
that end, RCSI offers an intensive
course designed to prepare surgical
trainees for this exam.
The MRCS Part B (OSCE) Prep
course is a two-day course led by
Prof Peter Gillen, Consultant
Surgeon, Dean of Undergraduate
Studies in RCSI, and MRCS
Examiner. Experienced MRCS
Examiners from Ireland support Prof
Gillen in the delivery of this course.
The course covers the core content
of the exam and is designed to assist
the candidates in their exam
preparation and to improve their
examination technique.
The course has mock OSCE’s,
interactive workshops, and group
discussions in the areas of: Applied
Surgery / Critical Care, Clinical /
Procedural Skills, Anatomy / Surgical
Pathology, and Communications.
The MRCS Part B (OSCE) Exam
preparation course is held twice a
year in Ireland and annually in
overseas centres approximately one
month before the siting of the exam.
Early applications are advised as this
is a highly sought-after course.
Apply now at postgradexams.rcsi.ie
For more information contact us at
“Excellent course”
“The anatomy
demonstrations were
excellent”
“Incredibly helpful”
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The purpose of the Diploma of
Otolaryngology Head and Neck
Surgery (DOHNS) is to test the
breadth of knowledge, the clinical and
communication skills, and the
professional attributes considered
appropriate by the College for a
doctor intending to undertake practice
within an Otolaryngology department
in a non-consultant career grade or
trainee position.
It is also intended to assess those
who wish to practise within another
medical specialty, but who have an
interest in how that specialty interacts
with the field of otolaryngology.
The DOHNS is an intercollegiate
exam structured in two Parts:
DOHNS Part 1 and DOHNS Part 2
(OSCE).
DOHNS Part 1 is a written exam
which assesses candidates’
knowledge of surgery and applied
basic sciences in a multi-choice
format.
DOHNS Part 2 (OSCE) consists of up
to 28 Active Stations. This includes
approximately five stations designed
to assess clinical skills, clinical
examination, clinical history-taking
and communication skills. There are a
further approximately 23 stations
where candidates are presented with
questions to be answered on a written
question/answer sheet.
Candidates who successfully
complete both parts of the
examination will be
awarded a Diploma of
Membership in
Otolaryngology Head
and Neck Surgery.
Alternatively, candidates
may wish to undertake the
MRCS Part A examination
and then take the DOHNS
Part 2 OSCE. If successful, such
candidates will receive the award of
MRCS (ENT).
For further details on the exam
syllabus and regulations please check
http://
www.intercollegiatemrcs.org.uk/
dohns
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Exam Date of Exam Closing date Fee
DOHNS Part 1 RCSI, Dublin 11 January 2016 6 November 2015 €575
DOHNS Part 1 RCSI, Dublin 18 April 2016 12 February 2016 €575
DOHNS Part 1 RCSI, Dublin 5 September 2016 17 June 2016 €575
DOHNS Part 2 (OSCE) RCSI, Dublin 09-11 February 2016 11 December 2015 €1,150
DOHNS Part 2 (OSCE) RCPS, Glasgow 24-26 May 2016 5 March 2016 €1,150
DOHNS Part 2 (OSCE) RCS, England 18-20 October 2016 29 July 2016 €1,150
DOHNS Part 2 (OSCE) for award of MRCS ENT
RCSI, Dublin 09-11 February 2016 11 December 2015 €1,150
DOHNS Part 2 (OSCE) for award of MRCS ENT
RCPS, Glasgow 24-26 May 2016 5 March 2016 €1,150
DOHNS Part 2 (OSCE) for award of MRCS ENT
RCS, England 18-20 October 2016 29 July 2016 €1,150
You can apply for the DOHNS Part 1 and Part 2 (OSCE) at postgradexams.rcsi.ie
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The Fellowship of the Royal College of
Surgeons (FRCS) is an intercollegiate exam
usually taken by specialist trainees in their fourth
year of higher training. The exam is a
requirement for Specialist Registration with the
Irish Medical Council and General Medical
Council.
The FRCS is structured in two sections:
Section 1 is a written test and Section 2 is the
clinical component. The structure for both
sections varies among the different surgical
specialties.
Surgeons who wish to pursue this internationally
recognised quality standard currently have two
available routes: through the Joint Committee
on Intercollegiate Examinations (JCIE) or
through the Joint Surgical Colleges Fellowship
Examination (JSCFE).
JCIE offers both sections of the FRCS exam
annually in rotating locations in the UK and
Ireland. For further information about dates,
syllabus, and applications please visit
www.jcie.org.uk
JSCFE offers the Intercollegiate Fellowship
Examinations for the international surgical
community. This examination has parity of
standard with the one offered by JCIE and it has
therefore the same international reputation and
value. It is aimed at those in the international
community who are about to, or who have
recently completed their training.
JSCFE holds Section 1 simultaneously in
Australia, Bahrain, Egypt, Hong Kong, India,
Jordan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Oman, Qatar, Saudi
Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Turkey, and the UAE.
Section 2 is held in rotating international
locations. For further information about dates,
syllabus, and applications please visit
www.jscfe.co.uk
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The holding of each exam will be
contingent on viable candidate
numbers.
The dates on this guide are subject to
both change and cancellation - RCSI
cannot be held liable for any loss
incurred by candidates due to
necessary timetable changes.
To review the examination regulations
and eligibility criteria visit www.rcsi.ie/
professional_exams
Applications should arrive no later
than closing date stated.
Candidates are advised to make early
applications as receipt of application
before the last date of entry does not
guarantee a place on the examination.
Candidates are advised to make
arrangements for visas (if
appropriate) before closing date for
entry to examination. RCSI cannot
become involved during any stage of a
visa application.
If candidates require any assistance
with their travel arrangements to attend
any of the examinations, they can
contact RCSI Travel at [email protected]
Please note that Diploma or
conferring fees may apply for
particular exams - this information is
available upon request.
For any queries, email the
Postgraduate Exams Office at
[email protected] or phone
00 353 (0)1 402 2222.
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