How to crack MRCS OSCE examination in first attempt-Dr Yadnik Jadhav

Time required for preparation: 3 months for General Surgery candidates

4 months for Orthopaedics candidates

Resources:

Past year accounts. This is your bible for successfully clearing MRCS Part B. I cannot
emphasize it enough but take my word for it that if u don’t follow the past year accounts your
chances of clearing the examinations are very slim. These are available for free. Type MRCS
resource on google and click on the first site .

Shailendra Singh Solved Compilations: It is a readymade key for all past year questions.

60-70% of the answers are correct. It is a must if you are short of time.Most importantly, it is
available for free

Note :All the books mentioned henceforth should be used retrospectively. They should be used
only to find answers to questions given in past year accounts.

No new question has been asked outside the past year accounts from the repeated stations. The
new stations which are asked will be new to everyone and hence you shpuld not sweat much
over it.

Anatomy

1. Mc Minns Atlas –It is a must for the identification of anatomival structures. Anatomy
questions begin with identification of structure followed by questions pertaining yo that
structure. Most of the images are repeated ditto from the Mc Minns Atlas
2. Nick Arresti: Anatomy vivas- A short book which provides images and questions and
covers almost all the syllabus for antomy required in the part B examination.
3. Get Through MRCS Anatomy(Simon Overstall)-Provides pro sections and better
images as compared to Nick Arresti. They cover some topics which are not covered in the
above books.
4. Note- Do not use Shailendra Singh notes for anatomy as it has a lot of mistakes. I
personally used BD Chaurasia and Harold Ellis book to find te answers to past year
questions.

Pathology:

1. Bailey and Love OSCE book-The pathology section covers 40% of the past year
questions in 20 pages.
 2. Google or any standard pathology book like Robbins.
3. Pass MRCS Pathology section-

Critical care:

1. Surgical critical care vivas (Kanani)- only relevant topics

2. Passmrcs

History taking:

1. Parchment Smith OSCE book

2. Singh Compilation

Examination:

1. Geeky medic videos and app

2. Doctor exam videos

Procedures:

1. Geeky medics

Communication:

1. Parchment Smith OSCE book

2. Singh Compilation

PREPARATION STRATEGY

1. Skills station require repeated practice preferably with a candidate who is also appearing
for the exam.
2. You should also be thorough with the questions which are asked at the end of the tasks.
They are repeated as it is from the past year accounts and no new question has been
asked.
 3. The knowledge stations require at least three revisions from the past year accounts.

Dos

1. Try to search answers on your own for the past year questions as the readymade notes
may not be reliable.
2. Repetition is the key to succeed in the skills’ bay as basic steps like washing hands are
often forgotten in exam pressure and they carry separate marks.
3. Revise the knowledge stations atleast once in the week before the exam.
4. Have a good night’s sleep before the exam.
5. Attend atleast 1 mock/ orientation course to get aquainted the the pattern of the exam.
6. Answer to the point as marks are obtained only if you answer the key words in the
examiner’s answer key.

DONTs

1. Don’t subscribe to pastest or passmrcs (available for free on majority of groups) as they
are not sufficient to pass the exam, are expensive and you lose a lot of time in that.They
do not cover the questions asked in the exam
2. Do not read any book from cover to cover as the questions asked are very specific.
3. Do not fall for “ Ed******* college has a better passing rate “ bull shit. It is quite the
contrary.

Pass marks: Passing score is different for each day of exam. In my observation, it is
around 108-112 for knowledge and 127-132 for skills. Separate passing is required for
both.

Treat this examination like Mountaineering where you help each other to reach the
top rather than like a boxing match trying to outdo your competitors.

With the above resources, good study partners , my wife acting as patient/examiner for
skills stations and dedicated study, I cracked this examination in the First Go with a
score of 146/160 in skills and 154/200 in knowledge stations, despite being an
orthopaedic surgeon. All the best for your exams . You can contact me for any queries at
nikyj4u@gmail.com

DR YADNIK JADHAV