European Specialty Examination in Nephrology 2023

Selected Examination Metrics

The 2023 ESENeph examination was sat in September 2023 by 265 candidates of whom 78 were self-
declared UK trainees and 42 were European candidates (sitting in European centres other than UK centres).
Candidates who did not declare their training details and the OTH group are reported as 'Other' (145).
From 2022 ‘OTH’ self-declared UK trainees are excluded from UK trainees’ cohort.

Pass Mark

The ESENeph 2023 examination was equated using 2019 UK trainees’ performance and the passing score was
established at 440. In November 2022, after the standards review based on 2019 UK trainees’ performance after
excluding OTH group the new passing score was decreased to 422. All future examinations will use 422 as the
passing score until the standards are reviewed by the ESENeph Examination Board.

For the 2023 examination the pass score of 422 had a correspondent percent of 64.3% or 128/199.

One question was removed from scoring due to poor performance.

UK trainees’ performance

In 2023 the highest sitting number was in ST5 (27) with a pass rate of 70.4%. Pass rate for all trainees was
74.4%% and for all candidates the pass rate was 61.5%.

Note: The numbers at the top of the bars are the number of sitting trainees.

1
European candidates’ performance

In 2023 the highest number of sitting candidates is in Switzerland (12).

ESENeph European candidates pass rate (%)

1 1 22 1
100 12
90
80
3 6 3 6 3
70 19
5
60 11
2 24 2 6 2 2
50 1 1 1
12
40 4
30 5
2 4 4
20
10
11 1 1 1 1 11 2 2 1 1
0

2022-1 2022-2 2023

Note: The numbers at the top of the bars are the number of sitting candidates

Topic performance

In 2023 the highest percent correct for UK trainees is in Inherited and rare diseases (75.4%)
and the lowest in Peritoneal dialysis (54.1%).

2
 UK trainees mean percent correct (%)

Acute kidney injury, acute renal 23

replacement therapy, disorders of fluid, 26
electrolytes and acid base 26

Cardiovascular disease, hypertension, 19

20
renovascular disease and diabetes 19

Chronic kidney disease, haematuria, 25

25
proteinuria 24
Glomerulonephritis, tubulointerstitial 30
nephritis (incl. vasculitis, anti-GBM 30
disease, SLE) 32

15
Haemodialysis 12
14

14
Inherited and rarer diseases 14
12

26
Other 23
24

8
Peritoneal dialysis 9
9

12
Renal bone disease, renal anaemia 13
10

14
Renal transplantation 14
16
Urological presentations including renal 14
stone disease, urinary tract infection and 14
obstruction 14

0 20 40 60 80 100

2022-1 2022-2 2023

Data labels on charts show the number of questions per topic

3
In 2023 the highest percent correct for Other candidates is in Inherited and rare diseases
(71.7%) and the lowest in Peritoneal dialysis (49%).
.

ESENeph Other mean percent correct (%)

Acute kidney injury, acute renal 23

replacement therapy, disorders of fluid, 26
electrolytes and acid base 26

Cardiovascular disease, hypertension, 19

20
renovascular disease and diabetes 19

Chronic kidney disease, haematuria, 25

25
proteinuria 24

Glomerulonephritis, tubulointerstitial 30
nephritis (incl. vasculitis, anti-GBM 30
disease, SLE) 32

15
Haemodialysis 12
14

14
Inherited and rarer diseases 14
12

26
Other 23
24

8
Peritoneal dialysis 9
9

12
Renal bone disease, renal anaemia 13
10

14
Renal transplantation 14
16

Urological presentations including renal 14

stone disease, urinary tract infection and 14
obstruction 14

0 20 40 60 80 100
%
2022-1 2022-2 2023

Data labels on charts show the number of questions per topic

4
In 2023 the highest percent correct for European candidates is in Renal transplantation (71.3%)
and the lowest in Peritoneal dialysis (51.6%).

MRCP(UK) Research unit

February 2024