Member of the Royal College of Physicians (MRCP) (UK) is an internationally recognized diploma and specialty certificate examination written by medical students. Overseas candidates are mandated to have a minimum of 12 months of postgraduate experience in the medical sector and have qualifications recognized by GMC. It tests the knowledge, skills, and behavior of doctors in training. A candidate needs to clear three parts to be certified by the board. The three parts are:
- MRCP(UK) Part 1
- MRCP(UK) Part 2 Written
- MRCP(UK) Part 2 Clinical (PACES)
To start training as a specialist in internal medicine in the UK, the candidate must clear the three-part examination successfully. As part of the UK’s postgraduate medical training program, all MRCP examinations and specialty certificate programs follow the norms of the UK government.
Part 1 exam is one day long, where each candidate will write two three-hour papers. Each paper has 100 multiple-choice questions, and candidates can take the exams online as well as offline.
1) What is a good MRCP Part 1 score?
Part 1 has a total of 200 questions, and the pass mark is 540. Anything above 540 is a good score.
2) How long should one spend to revise for MRCP Part 1?
Suppose the candidate has just graduated from MBBS and wants to start with MRCP Part 1 preparation alongside an internship or full-time job. In that case, such candidates can choose to prepare eight months before the examination, devoting up to three hours a day. By doing so, a candidate can complete the modules in six months and can revise thrice for two months along with mock-ups.
If a candidate has completed the internship and duty doctors who can spend up to four hours a day, they can start six months in the run-up to the exams. It will help them complete MRCP Part 1 preparation in four months and have two months for revision.
Suppose the candidate does not have any other responsibilities and focuses only on clearing the examination. In that case, they can choose to start preparing four months prior. Since the timeframe is short, the preparation is often intense.
3) Is MRCP difficult to pass?
Upon analyzing the passing rate of the MRCP Part 1 examination since 2014, we could understand that the examination requires intense preparation and dedication to clear. In 2014, 48.5% of UK trainees and 37.1% other trainees cleared the exam. In 2015, the passing rate was 60.9% UK trainees and 48.3%; 59.7% (UK trainees), 41.9% (other trainees) in 2016; 51.2% (UK trainees) and 39.5% (other trainees) in 2018 and 57.8% (UK trainees) and 40.2% (other trainees) cleared the examination.
4) What is the MRCP Part 1 pass mark?
The pass mark for the Part 1 examination is 540.
5) How long is MRCP Part 1 valid for?
MRCP Part 1 is valid for seven years. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, the board extended the timeframe by 12 months to ensure the opportunity to progress was left unaffected. People who do not clear the Part 2 written and PACES exams within the seven-year timeframe will have to appear for the Part-1 examination again and clearly. The candidate will get another seven years to clear Part 2 and PACES examination upon clearing for the second time.
You can take MRCP Part 1 preparation courses to aid you in clearing the MRCP Part 1 online exam. Texila’s MRCP preparation course is tailormade to help you clear the MRCP Part 1 exam. You also get access to a vast database filled with mock exams, practice questions, and other resources to help with your exam preparation.
