MRCP Part 2 comes second in the list of three exams that you need to crack to achieve the coveted Membership of the Royal Colleges of Physicians.
Admission to most Physician Higher Specialty Training (PHST) programs demands the successful completion of all elements of the MRCP(UK).
MRCP Part 2 In Detail
With MRCP Part 2 exam you are expected to complete two papers over the course of the day. You will have three hours to go through 100 multiple choice questions. The exam is a challenging assessment that calls for a comprehensive awareness of different medical disciplines
The exam will evaluate your knowledge, skills and behavior as a doctor. Your ability to understand and make clinical judgements will also be assessed across an array of topics.
The questions will revolve around the diagnosis, investigation, management and prognosis of a patient. During the exam you will be further prompted to prioritize diagnostic or problem lists and formulate plans for investigations.
You will also have to choose appropriate approaches for immediate management. Your selection of strategy for long-term management will be critical. Finally, you will be asked to evaluate prognosis.
The questions are presented in clinical scenario. They will include results of investigations illustrated with clinical photographs, pathology slides, inheritance trees, ECGs, X-rays, CT and MR scans and echocardiograms.
Candidate should exhibit their knowledge of patient diagnosis, investigation, management and prognosis by selecting the apt answer from five possible options. Only one answer will be right. Besides, the others are designed to distract the candidates.
Achieving A Good Score in The Exam
The pass mark for MRCP Part 2 exam is 454. To achieve this, you will need around 121 correct answers from the 200 questions. Answering this many questions may not lead to securing pass marks. It is better to aim for an overall score of 475 to 575.
Prepare effectively to achieve a good score in your MRCP Part 2 exam. Get an insight into the type of questions that will be included in the exam. Refer sample questions to grasp the concepts behind the right answers.
Resources To Aid Preparation
A lot of resources are available to help you prepare for the MRCP Part 2 exam. The exam is written in accordance with the UK core medical training curriculum and the UK national guidelines. Due to this, make sure that your preparation is based on these specifications.
Make an effort to study the latest clinical textbooks and medical journals. This will make sure that you attempt the exam with updated knowledge.
It is essential to go through a wide range of example questions of MRCP Part 2. This will familiarise you with the types of questions asked in the exam. You will also gain the needed confidence to answer them.
Lastly, there are several MRCP Part 2 courses that you can make use of. These courses are available in a variety of formats.
MRCP Paces Exam
MRCP Paces exam assess your ability to carry out essential clinical skills. There will be five clinical stations where there are either patients with a particular condition or trained stand-ins or surrogates. There will be two independent examiners at each station. They will observe and evaluate the candidate’s performance.
It is a half-day examination that takes place in a clinical setting. It assesses seven core skills and comprises five stations. A candidate will come across eight patient encounters.
MRCP PACES Exam Preparation
Your exam preparation should include a balance of written and practical parts.
Make sure that you get an understanding of the exam format. Each of the five stations evaluates different skills. They are history-taking, physical examination, communication skills, clinical management and procedural skills.
Familiarize with the different stations and the skills that will be evaluated at each station. Get a grasp of the marking scheme and the time allocation for each station.
Developing a study plan should be the next step. Create a timetable that includes all the topics covered in the exam. Allocate enough time for each topic. Make sure that you get enough time to revise before the exam. Adhere to your study plane meticulously.
Fine tune your clinical skills. They are essential for the exam. Try to practise physical examinations, history-taking, understanding clinical signs and clinical management. Build your diagnostic skills and learn to interpret investigations.
Practise your communication skills using a patient-centred approach. Examine patients actively and demonstrate empathy.
Taking mock exams can be extremely beneficial for your exam preparation. It gives you plenty of opportunities to understand the exam format and figure out areas that needs attention.
Mock exams can also help you deal with your exam stress. Take enough breaks during your study sessions and make sure you get enough sleep and a healthy diet.
Preparation for MRCP Part 2 exam is tantamount to MRCP Paces examination. Both are equally important.
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