RxPG - End of MRCS Examination

The current Intercollegiate MRCS examination is aimed at trainees who are undertaking Basic Surgical Training, with the structure and syllabus derived from the curriculum of training for Basic Surgical Trainees in the United Kingdom (UK) and the Republic of Ireland. With the introduction of the Modernising Medical Careers (MMC) project in the UK, the grade of Basic Surgical Trainee will cease to exist in the UK and trainees will commence, instead, a programme of Specialty Training.

In these circumstances, the current Intercollegiate MRCS examination, as governed by the current Regulations, will cease to be applicable within the UK; it is therefore intended to phase out this examination within the UK.

The MRCS is being re-structured to make it appropriate for the new training pattern being brought in with Modernising Medical Careers from August 2007. Full details will follow shortly.

It is hereby announced that candidates will have until and including the diet to be held in April 2007 in which to make their FIRST attempt at Part 2 of the examination in the UK. After this diet, the candidates will have until and including the oral/clinical diet to be held in October/November 2010 to pass successfully all parts of the examination within the three-and-a-half year period specified in the Regulations.

Any candidate who has taken the Part 2 examination for the first time in April 2007 and who has not passed all three parts of the examination by the conclusion of the oral/clinical diet to be held in October/November 2010 will have no further opportunity to sit the examination in the UK and will be time-expired. There may be exceptional circumstances in which a longer period may be allowed, but these circumstances will be evaluated on an individual basis after submission of appropriate evidence by the candidate in question.

Mr David Ward
Chairman of Intercollegiate Committee of Basic Surgical Examinations

Kindly refer to http://www.rcseng.ac.uk/ for further details.