Here we take a close look at the MRCS exam for overseas surgeons looking to register with the GMC and find a job in the NHS.
International Medical Graduates (IMGs) from any country in the world can sit the MRCS examinations, provided certain eligibility criteria are met.
These are summarised below along with a broad look at the following topics:
There are four Royal Colleges of Surgeons in the UK (Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Royal College of Surgeons of England, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland).
All four of these colleges are professional bodies responsible for the specialty of surgery throughout the UK. Amongst many other duties, it is their role to set and monitor the educational curriculum for those training to enter the profession.
The Intercollegiate Membership exam of the Royal College of Surgeons tests the knowledge, experience and clinical competence expected of a doctor at the end of their core surgical training (ST2 level) and can be taken through any of the Royal Colleges mentioned above.
The MRCS examination syllabus and the format & content of this examination are common to all four colleges (Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Royal College of Surgeons of England, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland).
Candidates can enter any part of the examination through any college, but may enter with only one college at each sitting. Completion of MRCS will allow you to work in the UK from ST3 level upward (ST3+), with seniority beyond ST3 level dependent on experience.
Upon successful completion of all parts of the examination, candidates will be elected as members of the college for which they have passed Part B of the exam. MRCS is one of two routes an overseas doctor can take full GMC registration (postgraduate qualification or PLAB route).
For doctors who wish to take more senior roles reflective of their current practice, IMG Connect advise that MRCS would be the best route to take and full MRCS is a pre-requisite for anyone looking to go onto a specialist training post as a surgeon in the UK.
The MRCS exam is split into two parts:
Part A:
To be eligible you must hold a Primary Medical Qualification (PMQ) that is recognised by the GMC for registration purposes.
Part B OSCE:
You must pass Part A before applying for Part B. You can attempt Part A of the exam six times, and Part B four times.
The content is designed to test your knowledge of both applied basic science and the principles of surgery in general to a level of a UK trainee with two to three years of postgraduate experience.
Part A of the Intercollegiate MRCS is a five-hour multiple choice question exam with two papers sat in one day. The questions are in single best answer format. The morning paper is 3 hours long and the afternoon paper is 2 hours long.
The OSCE is set in a practical setting and tests your ability to integrate knowledge and experience in the following two areas:
The OSCE consists of 18 examined stations, each 9 minutes in duration, broadly divided into the two components above – knowledge and skills. Each station reflects elements of day-to-day clinical practice.
The knowledge component makes up eight of the stations. The skills component makes up ten of the stations. Candidates must pass both the knowledge and skills components to pass Part B.
Part A of the Intercollegiate MRCS is £539 in the UK
Overseas centres will cost upwards of £539 and can include a local administration fee.
Part B of the Intercollegiate MRCS is £977.
Please note, fees can vary dependent on location.
Part A & B of the exams can be taken in several countries across the world, with locations in the UK, Africa, Asia, Middle East, Central Asia and Europe.
Should you require a visa in order to sit your examinations, the College will provide support letters after the closing date and when an application has been checked and the candidate is eligible. Requests for a Visa support letter must be made in writing.
The full list of countries is below:
Exam |
UK |
Country – Asia |
Country – Middle East, Europe & Central Asia |
Africa |
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MRCS Part 1 & 2 (OSCE) |
Belfast |
Bangladesh |
Philippines |
Afghanistan |
Kuwait |
Botswana |
Nigeria |
|
Cardiff |
Burma |
Singapore |
Azerbaijan |
Lebanon |
Cameroon |
Senegal |
|
Coventry |
Hong Kong |
South Korea |
Bahrain |
Oman |
Egypt |
Sierra Leone |
|
Dublin |
India |
Sri Lanka |
Cyprus |
Palestine |
Ghana |
Sudan |
|
Edinburgh |
Malaysia |
Thailand |
Iraq |
Qatar |
Kenya |
Tunisia |
|
London |
Nepal |
Vietnam |
Jordan |
Saudi Arabia |
Morocco |
Zambia |
|
Manchester |
Pakistan |
|
Israel |
United Arab Emirates |
Namibia |
|
Newcastle |
|
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Kazakhstan |
Uzbekistan |
|
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Nottingham |
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Stirling |
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With lots of resources available online, we have discussed with IMGs the best place to start looking for materials relating to the exams. Most IMGs recommended starting with the Royal College, who have created useful resources to help you to prepare for the exams. See below:
Syllabus:
The complete MRCS syllabus is contained within the General Medical Council approved curriculum for the Early Years of Surgical Training in the United Kingdom. It reflects the Core Surgical Training Syllabus of the Intercollegiate Surgical Curriculum Programme.
At IMG Connect we recommend getting to know the curriculum as early as possible and using it as a road map for your study plan.
Module Guidance:
Parts A&B both examine 10 modules and the specification for each module is detailed in the Guide to the Intercollegiate MRCS examination - published by the Royal College of Surgeons.
Royal College of England recommended courses:
Royal College of Surgeons of England
Part A guidance notes:
Candidate guidance notes that cover all four colleges, including information on examination procedure, admittance.
Content Guide:
The Intercollegiate Committee for Basic Surgical Examinations (ICBSE) produced this guide to the Intercollegiate MRCS examination which contains:
Intercollegiate MRCS Regulations:
Make sure to read through and familiarise yourself with the regulations for Membership Examinations. They are unilateral across all four colleges, you can find them here.
RCS Library resources:
The RCS Library contains excellent resources particularly useful for the MRCS examinations – they are available to affiliate members. Resources include Atlases, EBooks & Online Journals.
The Funky Professor:
These anatomy video lectures are available from the RCS. Each video is accompanied with a detailed slideshow, plus a test on content.
As ever at IMG Connect, we stronlgy believe in the right preparation. In order to succeed in the clinical exam, IMGs have told us that it is vital that you practice your clinical examinations as frequently as possible, preferably under the supervision of a senior colleague. This will give you confidence in approaching and examining with examiners present.
Once you have passed both parts of your MRCS examinations you can apply for a full registration with a license to practice. Once the GMC have approved your application, you can work as a doctor in the UK.
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A private secondary care hospital situated in the North West of England is recruiting European and internationally trained plastic surgeons for full-time salaried roles in the UK. Offering a competitive and negotiable salary, with potential for bonus and commission to form part of your income, this is an amazing opporutunity for any surgeon interesting in joining one of the UK\'s biggest cosmetic surgery providers.
Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Services
The cosmetic plastic surgery department provides a comprehensive range of procedures, including breast augmentation, reduction, and uplift; tummy tucks; rhinoplasty; facelifts; and Vaser liposuction. These procedures are carried out by a team of fully accredited, specialised surgeons skilled in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. The department operates with modern facilities, including cutting-edge operating theatres and private en-suite rooms designed to enhance patient comfort and experience. With a reputation for high patient satisfaction and a significant volume of procedures conducted annually, the department is a leading provider in the region.
Clinic and Theatre Availability
Clinics operate seven days a week, with theatre availability also spanning the entire week. There are no restrictions on surgical output, providing opportunities for motivated and efficient surgeons to achieve substantial earnings, whether working normal or extended full-time hours.
Salary & Bonus - Earning Potential
The group is well-established, with a steady influx of patient inquiries and leads.
With an experienced theatre team, offering 20-25-min theatre turnaround times, and with the volume of work available, any surgeon has an exceptional earning potential when joining this organisation.
Eligibility
A private secondary care hospital situated in the North West of England is recruiting for part-time or full-time plastic surgeons. The centre provides a full range of medical procedures but specialises in surgical interventions, mainly cosmetic surgeries, and provides the highest volume of cosmetic surgeries in the north west of England. Common procedures include breast augmentations, abdominoplasties, and rhinoplasty amongst many, however a full range of surgeries are provided.
Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Services
The cosmetic plastic surgery department provides a comprehensive range of procedures, including breast augmentation, reduction, and uplift; tummy tucks; rhinoplasty; facelifts; and Vaser liposuction. These procedures are carried out by a team of fully accredited, specialised surgeons skilled in cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. The department operates with modern facilities, including cutting-edge operating theatres and private en-suite rooms designed to enhance patient comfort and experience. With a reputation for high patient satisfaction and a significant volume of procedures conducted annually, the department is a leading provider in the region.
Clinic and Theatre Availability
Clinics operate seven days a week, with theatre availability also spanning the entire week. There are no restrictions on surgical output, providing opportunities for motivated and efficient surgeons to achieve substantial earnings, whether working part-time or full-time.
Earning Potential
The group is well-established, with a steady influx of patient inquiries and leads. Procedure rates range from approximately £600 to £2,500, depending on complexity, offering significant earning potential. Earnings depend on the volume of procedures and hours committed by the surgeon.
Opportunity for plastic surgery specialists to join one of Ireland\'s leading aesthetic and cosmetic plastic surgery clinics, with multiple locations across the country.
At the Clinic clients have access to the very latest procedures and techniques available in the cosmetic surgery industry. The clinic performs more procedures at its designated cosmetic surgery clinics than any other facility in the country, firmly establishing itself as Ireland\'s market leader in this field.
The clinic offers an expansive range of treatments for the body and face, including liposuction, abdominoplasty, breast augmentation, breast lift, breast reduction, eyelid surgery, face lift, facial contour surgery, post-weight loss body contouring, lip fillers, anti-wrinkle injections, dermal fillers, Profhilo, and non-surgical facial cosmesis.
Meeting the highest international standards for surgery, pre and post-operative care, and day-to-day clinical management is a core commitment of the clinic, and they continuously invest in technology, procedures, and systems to ensure that every client receives the best quality of service and care. The clinic maintains a carefully selected panel of surgeons, providing clients with the assurance that their surgeon possesses extensive experience in similar procedures. All surgeons in posts currently are registered with The Irish Medical Council on the specialist register of Plastic, Reconstruction, and Aesthetic Surgery. In addition, all surgeons and anaesthetists serve as consultants at the areas principal public hospitals.
Core responsibilities will be:
An excellent opportunity for an experienced Consultant in Urology to join a Health Board in North Wales that promotes equality and diversity. If you love a challenge, have a passion to help others or simple fancy a fresh start, then this Health Board has all the ingredients. The post if suitable for overseas consultants, including candidates who are pursuing CESR. Specialists in Urology holding a specialist certification would be suitable for this post, based on experience entering at either Specialty Doctor or Consultant grade.
Overseas applications from experienced Specialty Doctors and Consultants are welcomed.
WHAT IS HEALTH BOARD LIKE?
The Health Board is largest health organisation in Wales, that are developing an integrated health service which provides excellent care delivered in partnership with the public and other statutory and third sector organisations.
The Health Board have a budget of £1.3 billion and a workforce of over 17,000 staff. Providing primary, community, mental health and acute hospital services for the population of around 700,000 across of North Wales. They continuously develop their workforce so that it has the right skills and operates in a research-rich learning culture.
Besides their three main hospital sites, they are also responsible for community hospitals, health centres, clinics, mental health units, community teams, GP practices and other NHS services provided by dentists, opticians and pharmacists. They plan to improve the health of the population, with particular focus upon the most vulnerable in our society.
WHAT IS THE DEPARTMENT & TEAM LIKE?
The department currently have three full-time urological surgeons, a Locum Consultant along with 5 middle grade registrar level training including 1 SpR from the Mersey Deanery training programme. There are two SHO level staff and one FY1 and FY2. The Department has recently undergone a refurbishment, to provide day-case urology and therapeutic services to include TRUS-Guided prostate biopsy lists, an endoscopy suite, dedicated lithotripsy sessions and specialist out-patient clinics. The department has inpatient beds based on the 3rd floor within the Surgical Department. Paediatric beds are also available on the main hospital site.
The department uses one of the two dedicated purpose built modern integrated laparoscopic surgery theatres for its heavy laparoscopic workload. Currently, major laparoscopic Nephrectomies and prostatectomies are performed in this OR. A 12 bedded Intensive Care/High Dependency Unit is located on the first floor of the hospital. There are excellent pathology facilities, including a Public Health Laboratory. The Radiology Department offers a full range of facilities, including CT, MRI and fully functional intervention radiology service.
The post holder will provide elective and emergency inpatient services, along with other members of the department. The post holder will also participate actively in the Department’s Clinical Audit Programme and Continuing Professional Development, which is fully supported by the Health Board.
WHAT IS LIFE LIKE IN NORTH WALES?
North Wales has a vast national park, purpose built mountain biking trails, a breath taking coastal path, soaring zip wire, food festivals and world class sport and adventure around every corner. The North Wales is equipped with sport and leisure centres that provide opportunities for a wide variety of sporting, fitness and recreational activities. Not only does it have lots of activities for you, it also has a wide selection of private housing is available, both traditional and modern in towns, villages and rural settings.
For doctors with family, the educational standards are consistently high in both the primary and secondary sectors. There are several well established independent schools within North Wales and the surrounding area that cater for both day pupils and boarders. The regional University with its excellent scholastic reputation has a thriving student community. You can say goodbye to heavy inner city commuter traffic, and enjoy a breath-taking commute across North Wales.
WHAT OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU AT THIS HEALTH BOARD?
With an extremely active education/teaching programme supported by the consultant team, there is opportunity to work towards and complete CESR, exams, get involved in active research and many aspects of CPD. Participation in research and educational activities will be encouraged.
ARE YOU ELIGIBLE FOR THIS ROLE?
EEA Candidates:
Non-EEA Candidates:
UK based applicants