MRCP - overview
Membership of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK is a gold standard degree in clinical medicine. A doctor with this medical degree can show a high level of knowledge and skills to manage medical cases in a hospital. There are three parts of MRCP, namely, MRCP part 1, MRCP part 2, and Practical Assessment of Clinical Examination Skills (PACES).
MRCP part 1 and part 2 are written examinations, while PACES is a practical assessment. We have covered everything about passing MRCP part 1 in this article: How to pass MRCP part 1. In this article, I will be talking about my own experiences about MRCP part 2.
If you want to learn about The Professional and Linguistic Assessments Board (PLAB), and how to work in the UK as a doctor then click here: PLAB vs MRCP.
Overview of MRCP part 2
This written examination is split into two papers, paper 1 and paper 2. There is a total of 200 multiple choice questions, 100 questions per paper. Each question has five possible answers but only one of them is correct, while the other options might be very close to being correct.
It is worth mentioning that about 20% of the questions will have a picture attached to them. These pictures can be of an ECG, Echocardiogram, X-ray, CT scan, Skin condition, Histology slide, Audiogram, Respiratory flow-volume curve, Ophthalmoscopic view of the retina, etc. Candidates will be given 3 hours to complete each paper. It makes a total of 6 hours for both of the papers. There is a one-hour interval between two papers which the candidates can use to have a meal and recharge their brain.
The total mark for the exam is 999 and the pass mark is 454. The pass mark is calculated using the statistical equivalence method. The process of mark calculation is a topic for statisticians. For us, all we need to know is, there is no negative marking. So, you should answer all questions.
Registering for the Exam
I am not going to write a lot under this heading because all information is given on the MRCP(UK) website: https://www.mrcpuk.org/
You should pass MRCP part 1 before registering for MRCP part 2. The registration fee is GBP 594. There will be an application period for each exam. I recommend you to pick an exam date and keep your eye on the application period for that exam. You should register earlier in the application period, otherwise, all seats may get booked in your preferred exam venue.
How to pass MRCP Part 2?
When we studied for MRCP part 2, we had to buy several books, question banks, and online and offline lectures. It took a while to figure out which resources are more appropriate for us. That’s why we have developed a comprehensive course to deliver all required resources from one single course. We call it The best MRCP Part 2 course.
- This course covers all required topics for MRCP Part 2. There will be live classes on every topic which will be recorded and uploaded. Dedicated Q and A sections are available for every lesson.
- No need to buy any external textbook or bank. This course will deliver all required assets to pass MRCP part 2.
- This course provides a one-stop solution for MRCP part 2 by combining live lectures, comprehensive lecture notes, a question bank, mock tests, quizzes, dedicated Q & A sections, dedicated lecture for pictorial questions, a telegram channel, and app support.
- You can enroll anytime and watch our introductory videos to get started!
If you do not want to take our course then the following portion of the article is for you:
Question Banks I have solved:
- Pasmedicine
- Pastest (The past papers part is extremely important!)
- I have solved the question banks twice. I highly recommend you to at least re-solve the questions which you could not correctly answer for the first time.
- All pictorial questions may not be covered by the question banks. After solving these question banks you will develop an insight that will guide you to search for important pictures on google.
- Practice MOCK tests against a ticking clock.
If you find different question banks or books that have written treatments and diagnostic tests differently then try to follow the NICE guidance to remove any confusion.
The ideal preparation time should be 6 to 8 months after passing MRCP part 1. Ideally, you should be trying to find a study partner. You can pass by studying alone, but a study partner can help to maintain the regularity of study sessions. Regularity is more important than how many cumulative hours you have studied.
Books I studied for MRCP part 2:
- Notes & Notes For MRCP part I & II By Dr. Yousif Abdallah Hamad
- Oxford Handbook of Clinical Medicine
- Kumar & Clarke’s Clinical Medicine (only important charts and treatment parts)
- Rapid Review of Clinical Medicine for MRCP Part 2
- Complete Data Interpretation for the MRCP
Download the books I have read
The exam day
Try to keep your anxiety level down! You have prepared well enough and it doesn’t matter if you fail. The biggest enemy of you is now your own anxiety. Do not overburden your brain by studying till the last minute. Have a good long sleep night before the exam. Have good healthy meals before and on the exam day. Don’t eat junk foods or anything that may make you feel dizzy. Take one liter of water and some foods (Snickers/ Red Bull energy drink/ coffee) with you in the exam hall. These things can instantly recharge your brain if you feel lightheaded.
Do not overthink about any particular question. You should be answering according to your first instinct. Once you have answered one question you should forget about it and answer the next question. You cannot rethink a question once you have made a decision and answered it. Don’t feel anxious or guilty if you see a question which you don’t have any idea about! You do not need to correctly answer all the questions. If you can correctly answer 70% of the questions it should be enough to clear the examination. Try to finish 35 questions in the first 1 hour, 35 in the next hour, and 30 in the last hour. Try to spend your one-hour exam break (between part 1 and part 2) in a relaxing way.
Best of luck!
In the end, I would like to wish you the’ best of luck.’ If you have any questions about MRCP part 2 preparation then you can directly ask me in the comment section of this article. I would try my best to help you. Thank you for reading!
Freebies for you
Subscribe to get free MRCP content from us every week!
