Part 1 Frequently Asked Questions
Exam preparation:
No. Candidates should prepare for the exam by gaining clinical experience in hospital posts involving the care of emergency medical patients, whether adults or children, and by studying up-to-date postgraduate clinical textbooks and current medical journals.
For more information on preparation for the examination, advice on registration, clinical attachment, availability and suitability of courses and careers guidance please contact NHS Careers.
Is there a syllabus for the Part 1 Examination?
The MRCP(UK) Diploma tests a candidate’s professional knowledge, skills and attitudes to the level required for entry to specialty training as set out in the syllabus of the General Internal Medicine:
Specialty Training Curriculum for General Internal Medicine (GIM)
Currently there are no restrictions to the number of times a candidate can apply to sit the MRCP(UK) Part 1 Examination in order to pass. Once a candidate has passed the examination they will be permitted a further 7 years from the date of the Part 1 Examination at which they were successful to pass the remaining parts of the MRCP(UK) qualification.
Please note that from January 2014 candidates will only be permitted a maximum of six attempts at each MRCP(UK) examination in line with the General Medical Council’s Limit on Attempts policy. Please see the Limit on Attempts webpage for further information.
Is there a course that the College recommends to help with preparation for the exam?
There are a number of courses available to help candidates prepare for the examination, most of which are advertised in the medical press. The Royal Colleges of Physicians do not provide lists of recommended MRCP(UK) courses.
What ID can I bring to the exam?
As per the MRCP(UK) Regulations no candidate will be allowed into an MRCP(UK) Examination without appropriate ID from 1 January 2013.
The aim of enforcing this is to ensure that a candidate attending the exam is who they say they are – thus preventing identity fraud at the exam.
Primary acceptable ID:
- Current valid passport (containing photograph and signature)
- Full or provisional photo-card driving licence
- EEA Member State identity photo-card
- National identity photo-card for non- EEA foreign nationals
- Identity card issued by the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland
Secondary acceptable ID (Please note two forms of secondary ID will need to be shown together eg. NHS card with a debit card. At least one of these MUST CONTAIN a photograph):
- Certified/attested copy of passport or driving licence*
- Valid credit or debit card
- NHS card
- Paper driving licence
- Valid student card with picture
* These documents must be accompanied by an official stamp or letter from the issuing organisation in order to qualify as an acceptable form of ID. Self-made photocopies will not be accepted alone.
Additional forms of ID will be considered providing all candidates contact us well in advance of an examination. If you have any queries surrounding the validity of your ID please email us at IDqueries@mrcpuk.org
For more information on the policy please see section 11.2.4 MRCP(UK) Regulations.
When is a candidate categorised as not having appropriate ID?
A candidate is considered as not having appropriate ID when they don’t bring in any ID or it’s not on the list of acceptable ID listed above.
Applications:
What are the entry requirements for the MRCP(UK) Part 1 Examination?
Candidates may apply to sit the MRCP(UK) Part 1 Examination provided they graduated at least 12 months in advance of the examination date. All doctors must have had at least 12 months' experience in medical employment, i.e. have completed Foundation Year 1 or equivalent. This 12 months experience is calculated up to the date of the MRCP(UK) Part 1 Examination and not the application closing date. The relevant experience may be gained from any hospital in the world.
How do I submit my Primary Medical Qualification?
First time applicants for the Part 1 Examination are required to submit, by post, an attested copy of their Primary Medical Qualification (PMQ). The original stamp on a copy of the PMQ is required. Candidates are advised not to submit original Primary Medical Qualifications.
Photocopies of certificates and/or official translations (in English)* will be accepted only if they have been prepared and authenticated by one of the following:
- the issuing University or Medical School
- a British Consulate or British Council outside the UK
- the British Embassy
- the British High Commission
- the candidate’s own Embassy
- the High Commission in the UK
- a member of the Gardai in the Irish Republic
- Government Ministries of Health
- a notary public
- a Fellow or Member of the Royal Colleges of Physicians or a Chair of the Examining Board of the awarding body (verification of the Fellow or Member will be sought to ensure that they are affiliated with the issuing University/Medical School and the authenticated copy should be submitted with the authenticator’s full name, their Royal Colleges of Physicians code and an accompanying official stamp or letter from that Fellow, Member or Chair)
* Candidates must submit an authenticated translation if their primary medical degree certificate is not in English. A fresh ink stamp must be used to authenticate the copy or translation of the primary medical qualification.
The Colleges reserve the right to request to see the original documents if there is any doubt as to the authenticity of the submitted copies of documents.
Can I submit original certificates with my application?
No. Certificates must be certified/attested copies rather than the original. MRCP(UK) cannot guarantee the return of original certificates to applicants.
What information do I need to provide in the Proposer section of the application form?
Applications for the MRCP(UK) Part 1 Examination must be supported by your current or most recent educational supervisor or supervising consultant (referred to as your Proposer).
Your Proposer is not required to sign your application, but with your signature on page 5 of the application, you confirm that your application has been discussed with, and is endorsed by, your Proposer and that they are satisfied of your readiness to sit the examination.
Please note that verification of support may be sought through direct communication with your Proposer.
How can I find out if my application was received?
If you have received confirmation from the courier company/post office that your application has been received, you must not contact the Administrative Office as this will result in delays in processing. Acknowledgment emails are sent once your application is complete. If your application is incomplete, an email is also sent explaining what you need to do to complete the application.
If you have not received an email by a week after the closing date, then you should contact the relevant Administrative Office at that stage.
Your acknowledgement letters and admission documents will be emailed to you within 2-3 weeks of the exam date. If you have not received the email please check first that your inbox has not treated our email confirmation as spam and that you have given us the correct email address.
Candidates must contact, in writing, the administration office to which they sent their application as soon as possible, providing their name, RCP code number and date of birth. Candidates who withdraw before the advertised closing date will be given a 90% refund of the exam fee (10% is retained to cover administrative costs). However, candidates who withdraw after the closing date will not normally be entitled to a refund and must resolve any outstanding fees in order to sit future MRCP(UK) Examinations. Please refer to the Withdrawal page for further information.
My payment was unsuccessful, how can I pay for the exam?
If a candidate opted to pay the examination fee by cheque/bank draft, cash, or if an online card payment was unsuccessful, payment should be rearranged as soon as possible. Cheques/bank drafts should be drawn on a UK bank and made payable to The Royal College of Physicians. Alternatively, payment may be made by calling our office and providing credit/debit card details over the phone, or by posting/emailing a completed Card Payment Form.
DO NOT send cash payments by post/courier. Cash payments are only accepted in person at the address below.
All documents/payments should be sent by recorded delivery/courier to:
Exams Candidate Office
MRCP(UK) Central Office
11 St Andrews Place
Regent’s Park
London NW1 4LE
United Kingdom
Can exam fees be deferred from one examination to another?
No. Candidates who withdraw or are absent from an exam session have to reapply at the next session and provide a new payment.
When will I find out where my exam venue is?
An admission document noting the venue, date and time of the exam, is emailed to candidates within 2-3 weeks of the exam date. Venues are dependant on availability and candidate numbers. Confirmation of venues are not available to candidates until admission documents are sent.
Can I transfer to another exam centre?
Candidates need to advise their Administrative Office in writing, outlining the reasons for the transfer request. Please note that the Administrative Offices cannot guarantee that any transfer request will be processed as these are subject to centre availability and time within the application processing cycle.
The deadline for a transfer requests is two weeks after the closing date for applications.
How do I find my eForm?
Candidates can find their eForm by signing into their online account, through My MRCP(UK), going to the Exam History page, the date of the exam that has been applied for, and then going to the link to the eForm.
If candidates are unable to find their eForm, they may print out a Form A and complete this instead.
Online applications:
How can I apply online?
Candidates wishing to apply online must first Create an online account. The online application service is available within the Upcoming Exams section of My MRCP(UK) and is available to any candidate who wishes to apply for the MRCP(UK) Part 1 Examination. Candidates should refer to the Upcoming Exams Calendar for the application period during which online applications will be accepted for forthcoming examinations. Candidates may apply online to sit an examination at any UK centre or any Part 1 centre for which the application type is listed as ‘Online’.
Candidates wishing to apply to take an examination at an overseas centre for which we do not accept online applications should instead submit a paper application to the appropriate centre address.
Candidates are only permitted to have one account. Candidates who create duplicate accounts risk being charged twice for the exam. If a candidate fails to input their credit card details correctly or make an error inputting personal details, during the online application process, a second account should not be created.
Candidates should log into their online account to check whether an application is made and then wait to receive an email from the appropriate Administrative Office. Contacting the Administrative Office at that stage will only cause delays in processing the application.
I have a problem creating an online account, what should I do?
There can be several reasons why you are unable to set up your online account. Please email your Administration Office for guidance.
I have forgotten my MRCP(UK) password/login, what should I do?
Email the relevant Administration Office and we will provide new password that can be changed after your first login.
Incomplete applications:
It is each candidate’s responsibility to ensure that applications are completed as soon as possible. The MRCP(UK) Central Office will contact candidates to advise them of any outstanding information and will provide a deadline for receipt. Candidates will be allocated a provisional exam place in the meantime, but applications will be rejected if the full fee or Primary Medical Qualification is not received by the deadline. In accordance with the MRCP(UK) Regulations, candidates whose applications are incomplete because the full exam fee has not been received must pay this in order to sit any future MRCP(UK) examinations, even if they subsequently withdraw or are absent from the exam.
Yes. The examination fee is taken as soon as an application is checked and registered for an exam, regardless of whether there are any incomplete items. All applications are taken as a serious intention to sit the exam, for which the full exam fee is liable.
What is the latest date by which I can complete my application?
Candidates who have applied by the closing date, but have an incomplete application, will have additional time in which to complete it. The exact date will be provided in an email to candidates informing them of the incomplete status of their application. This date will also be on the MRCP(UK) website.
Results:
We aim to release results for the MRCP(UK) Part 1 Examination 4 weeks from the date of the Examination. Estimated web and postal results release dates for the MRCP(UK) Part 1 Examination are published on the Exam dates page.
A copy of results will be available 14 working days after the original results letter has been posted.
How can I check my results?
You can check your results through your My MRCP(UK) account go to the Exam History page and then select the date of the application relating to the exam result you wish to view.
The date when the results are released online are posted on the Latest News section of the website.
In addition to viewing your results online you will also receive a results letter through the post.
My result is not showing in My MRCP(UK) account, what should I do?
Results will not be released if there are any outstanding incomplete items with your application, such as outstanding exam fee payment. Please ring the relevant Administration Office and we will look to see possible reasons for this.
How can I change the address where my results letter will be sent?
Your address can be changed by logging into your My MRCP(UK) account and accessing the personal details section. If you do not have an online account, requests must be submitted in writing to your Administration Office.
I require a Part 1 result verification letter. How can I get one?
We do not provide verification letters after passing Part 1 only. Candidates only receive verification letters once they have passed all three parts of the MRCP(UK) examination. Candidates can use their results letter as proof they have passed the Part 1 exam.