MRCOG: A global exam & gold standard qualification in O&G
The RCOG is a truly international organisation of over 16,000 Fellows and Members worldwide.
Around half of our members practise outside the UK, with over 6000 obstetricians and gynaecologists working in more than 100 countries including India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and many more.
RCOG’s leadership in medical education, combined with the knowledge and expertise of our international faculty, enables us to design curricula to support O&G training and women’s health care globally.
The MRCOG exam is internationally respected as the gold standard qualification for career progression in O&G: it’s your passport to the very pinnacle of the profession.
The Membership examination, which was first held in 1931, is intended for those who wish to specialise in obstetrics and gynaecology. The exam is a 3-part assessment:
Written examination to evaluate basic and clinical sciences relevant to the subject.
Part 1 MRCOG: Eligibility: First-time candidates must have eligibility approved
Applying for the Part 1 exam is a 2-stage process: eligibility and booking.
You must first have your eligibility application processed and approved, before you can make a booking application online.
If your eligibility has been approved already, you do not need to apply again. However, it’s essential to use the same RCOG account which has your eligibility approved.
Log in to access the PDF application form:
If you are sure you have never had an account with the RCOG website, you can create a new account.
When you have logged in, download and save the Eligibility Assessment application form below, and follow the instructions carefully.
Once your eligibility application has been approved, you will be able to make a booking application and online payment, when Part 1 booking applications are open.
How to submit your eligibility application: Eligibility applications should be emailed with the correct documentation to Part1eligibility@rcog.org.uk.
Make sure your application is complete: If your application is missing any details or contains errors, you will not be able to book.
Processing time: Please allow up to 4 weeks for your Part 1 Eligibility application to be processed.
Part 1 MRCOG: format
Computer-based test (CBT): There are two CBT papers, each consisting of 100 single best answer questions (SBAs).
Each paper counts for the same amount of marks (i.e. paper 1 counts for 50% of the overall mark, and paper 2 also counts for 50% of the overall mark).
There is no minimum score required for each paper and the outcome is determined only by a candidate’s overall (combined) mark.
Written examination that assesses the application of knowledge.
Part 2 MRCOG: format
Computer-based test (CBT): There are two CBT papers. Each paper counts for the same amount of marks (i.e. paper 1 counts for 50% of the mark, and paper 2 also counts for 50% of the mark). Each paper consists of two question formats:
Single best answer questions (SBAs) – worth 40% of the total mark
Extended matching questions (EMQs) – worth 60% of the total mark
Paper 1
Duration: 3 hours (180 minutes)
Number of questions: 50 SBAs, 50 EMQs
Time management: Candidates are responsible for their own time management. However, the RCOG recommends spending 70 minutes on the SBA questions and 110 minutes on the EMQ questions
Lunch break (approx 60 minutes)
Paper 2
Duration: 3 hours (180 minutes)
Number of questions: 50 SBAs, 50 EMQs
Time management: Candidates are responsible for their own time management. However, the RCOG recommends spending 70 minutes on the SBA questions and 110 minutes on the EMQ questions
Question types: For more information on each of the question types, please see the pages on SBAs and EMQs.
A stand-alone clinical skills exam that assesses candidates’ ability to apply core clinical skills in the context of the skills, as defined in the Part 2 MRCOG curriculum.
Part 3 MRCOG: format
Format of the assessment: The Part 3 MRCOG Clinical Assessment consists of 14 tasks in a circuit, each task based on one of the 14 modules detailed in the syllabus.
Each of the Part 3 modules is assessed in the context of 5 domains:
Patient safety
Communication with patients and their relatives
Communication with colleagues
Information gathering
Applied clinical knowledge
Each of the 14 tasks will assess between three and four of the domains to reflect everyday clinical practice where, for example, communicating with patients is inextricably linked with applied clinical knowledge, or communicating with colleagues also involves aspects of patient safety.
Each task is 12 minutes in length, which includes 2 minutes of initial reading time.
Examiners:
A trained Clinical Examiner will be feature on all 14 tasks.
A trained Lay Examiner will feature on 4 of the 14 tasks, assessing the domains of communication, patient safety and information gathering from the perspective of the patient.
Types of task: There are 2 types of task in the Part 3 MRCOG:
Simulated patient/colleague tasks involve the candidate interacting with an actor who has been trained and fully briefed in the role she/he is to play. The actor will know all the relevant details pertaining to the case and will have some scripted questions to prompt if needed.
Structured discussion tasks involve the candidate interacting directly with a clinical examiner. The examiner will have detailed instructions about the task and a list of questions that they can use to prompt the candidate or to move the task on to ensure that he candidate does not run out of time. The examiner may give the candidate further information as the scenario evolves and then ask further questions.
To allow for more depth in the assessment of applied clinical knowledge, a circuit may contain ‘linked tasks’, where the second task is connected to the first. Candidates will be expected to build on the knowledge acquired in the first task. There may also be tasks where candidates are required to undertake a writing task.
