The FRCS Exam

Ms Rebecca Lewis, Surgical registrar

 THE APPLICATION
 Apply online at www.jcie.org.uk
 Apply and start revision at least six months before your
expected sitting
 You need to submit
 3 references – one must be your TPD
 CV
 Logbook summary
 The initial cost is £1849 which must be paid upfront
 This is £536 for part 1 and £1313 for part 2
 The cost of any retakes will be added on
 Both exams are 3 times a year
 Section 1
 There are two papers in this exam
 The morning – 2 hours SBAs
 The afternoon – 2.5 hours EMQs
 You may only take this exam a maximum of four times
regardless of extenuating circumstances
 It is taken on a computer in the test centre of your choice
throughout the UK
 How to revise for section 1
 There is no clear advice available regarding revision
 You are expected to know the entire curriculum (on ISCP) in
detail and much of the exam is not relevant to surgical
practice
 Revise for at least 6 months
 The best starting point is the two online databases (over 2000
questions)
 www.onexamination.com
 www.efrcs.com
 There are also several books available which are helpful – look
on Amazon
 Some people go through the entire Companion Series – this is
not necessary but helpful if you can remember a lot of
information
 Also consider books that are aimed at US doctors taking the
USMLEs – they have a lot of the basic sciences and critical
care that comes up in the exam
 Recently there has been a trend towards more general and
emergency surgery questions
 Statistics and clinical governance also feature heavily
 Make sure you know the up to date NICE guidelines
 REMEMBER
 Four times seems like a lot of tries to pass, however most people
don’t pass the first time and you use up your chances quickly
 A large amount of marks for any paper can be on specific topics that
are unexpected, therefore passing is strongly dependent on luck
 Do not attempt to sit the exam if you are not ready – you will be
wasting a sitting
 If you fail twice, consider there may be other reasons you are failing
 Try and revise with other candidates as well to make sure you are
studying along the right lines
 Section 2

Made up of clinicals and vivas – again only

4 sittings are allowed
Takes 1.5 days either:
One day of vivas and half a day of clinicals
 •VIVAS
 –Academic (20 mins plus 1hr prep time)
 –Emergencies & Critical care (15 mins each)
 –General Surgery & Sub-speciality (15 mins each)

 CLINICALS
 –2 examiners take you through at least 3 stations
 –1 general & 1 sub-speciality (each 30 mins)
 Preparation for section 2 involves practicing with other
candidates to become more fluent
 Syllabus is the same as for section 1
 There are 2 main courses that are aimed at section 2 revision
– the Whipps Cross course and the Alpine course
 Make sure you know the important trials in breast surgery,
ABS guidelines, NICE guidelines, recent developments
 Much more relevant and easier to pass than part 1
GOOD LUCK