MRCS

Overview

The MRCS (Membership of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons) is the basic surgical examination of the UK and Ireland. It is overseen by the Intercollegiate Committee for Basic Surgical Examinations (ICBSE) on behalf of the four surgical royal colleges of the UK and Ireland. The exam is the same whichever college you book through.

Trainees need to complete both parts to progress, except those training in otolaryngology (ENT), who need only Part A.

Exam pattern

The exam has two parts, and both are normally needed to complete the MRCS.

Part A

Part A is a written multiple-choice exam of five hours, taken on one day. It has a three-hour paper on Applied Basic Sciences followed by a two-hour paper on Principles of Surgery in General. From May 2022 it has been delivered on computer at Pearson test centres.

Part B

Part B is an OSCE (objective structured clinical examination) that assesses knowledge and skills. Since October 2021 it has had 17 stations and lasts about three and a half hours.

Syllabus

The syllabus and recommended reading are set out in the Candidate Guide to the MRCS examination, which also holds sample questions and format details for both parts.

Fees

Until the end of 2026, the fee is 650 pounds sterling for Part A and 1,177 pounds sterling for Part B. From 1 January 2027, both rise by 3 percent, to 670 pounds sterling for Part A and 1,212 pounds sterling for Part B.

How to apply

Register with one of the four surgical royal colleges, and contact the college you intend to register with for details. The ICBSE site has pages for examination dates and for applying. Read the current MRCS Regulations before you book.

Preparation tips

• Read the Candidate Guide first and use it to plan your revision.

• Work through the published sample questions.

• Read the Part B candidate guidance so you know how the exam is run.