Intercollegiate MRCS Part B - OSCE

The Intercollegiate MRCS Part B (OSCE) integrates basic surgical scientific knowledge and its application to clinical surgery. Its purpose is to build on the test of knowledge in Part A and assess how this is applied in clinically appropriate contexts. This is done through a series of stations reflecting elements of day-to-day clinical practice.

Membership of the College

By choosing to sit your MRCS Part B exam at RCSEd, you will be joining our membership network of approximately 30,000 professionals in over 100 countries worldwide. As well as joining a College renowned for its friendliness and approachability, the College offers a wide range of membership services to support you through every step in your career and professional development.

Exam Benefits

Pass both parts of the MRCS exam to prove that you possesses the correct knowledge, skills and attributes to complete basic training and to progress to higher levels of specialist surgical training.

Exam Format

The Intercollegiate MRCS Part B is an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). The exam consists of twenty stations, each lasting ten minutes. There are eighteen examining stations and two preparation stations. Candidates are given a one-minute reading time in which there are clearly defined instructions, briefly outlining the scenario and describing the task.

The stations are divided into two broad components:

Applied Knowledge - consisting of anatomy, surgical pathology, applied surgical science and critical care
Applied Skills - consisting of communication skills in giving and receiving information, history taking and clinical & procedural skills

Candidates must pass both the knowledge and skills components to pass Part B.

Costs

Exam Fee: £1099 (£1132 effective 1st April 2025)

Exam Eligibility

Candidates must have passed the Intercollegiate MRCS Part A exam to be eligible to apply for Part B.

They must hold a medical qualification that is acceptable to the UK General Medical Council for Full or Provisional Registration or to the Medical Council in Ireland for Full or Temporary Registration. Overseas candidates must hold a medical qualification acceptable to the Councils of the colleges.

First-time applicants whose names do not appear on the Registers of the UK General Medical Council or Medical Council in Ireland must submit their original certificate (or an authenticated copy) of a medical qualification acceptable to the Councils of the four Colleges.

Full details can be found in the Intercollegiate MRCS Regulations document.

Candidates have 4 attempts in which to pass their Intercollegiate MRCS Part B OSCE and must successfully complete this within seven years of passing their Intercollegiate MRCS Part A or MRCS Parts 1 and 2.

Additional Information

Before applying for this exam, please ensure you have read and understood the relevant documentation.

Our Exam Policies and Procedures page will provide you with more general information about sitting an exam at the College.

Frequently Asked Questions

I have used all 4 attempts, can I have another attempt?

There is an Intercollegiate policy that allows candidates to apply for an additional attempt. More information, including the relevant application form, can be found on the College website under Exams Policies and Procedures.

I am a first-time applicant, what additional documentation do I need to submit?

You will be asked to submit a certified copy of primary medical qualifications (unless you have a GMC/IMC Number), 2 passport photographs, and a signed declaration to confirm that you have read and understood the regulations.

Where do I send my supporting documents?

Surgical Examinations

You can submit supporting documents electronically by scanning copies and emailing these to surgical.exams@rcsed.ac.uk. Alternatively, you can send it by post to the College address of FAO Examinations Department, The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Nicolson Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9DW.

FPHC Examinations - FIMC / DIMC / DRTM / DUMC

You can submit supporting documents electronically by scanning copies and emailing these to fphc.exams@rcsed.ac.uk. Alternatively, you can send it by post to the College address of FAO FPHC OFFICE, The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Nicolson Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9DW.

I want to withdraw from an examination, how do I do that?

You must advise the Examinations Department in writing (via email) that you wish to withdraw from an examination. Depending on when you request to withdraw, you may be asked to provide supporting evidence. If you withdraw before the closing date for application, there is no requirement to submit evidence. However, following the closing date, you will be required to submit evidence which must be received by the College within 14 days of the examination commencement date.

What are suitable reasons for withdrawing from an examination?

There are a number of number of reasons for needing to withdraw from an examination; these are:

medical reasons (illness prior or illness on the day of an examination)
compassionate grounds (e.g. bereavement)
unable to secure time off work

Can I get a full refund following my withdrawal from an examination?

Candidates who withdraw from an examination will be subject to a 20% administrative fee. 80% of your fee will be returned via the original payment method used to pay for the examination.

Will I be quarantined?

Occasionally candidates need to be quarantined. This depends on the examination session you are allocated to. For most examinations, we quarantine candidates who sat the morning examination session until the afternoon examination session has commenced. A light lunch is normally provided for you. You will receive information about whether you need to be quarantined in your candidate notice.

Can I keep my mobile phone and other electronic devices on my person?

When you register for the examination on the day, you will be asked to hand over your mobile phone and any other electronic devices (e.g. tablets, smartwatches) to the RCSEd Coordinator. Your device(s) will be placed in an envelope marked with your candidate number and stored securely in the RCSEd Administration Office while you undertake your examination.

When will my results be published?

Each examination varies. Results are normally published around 6 weeks after the examination has taken place. The intended results publication date will be stated on your candidate notice, and it will also be mentioned at your examination sitting.

Exam Details - Intercollegiate MRCS Part B - OSCE

Key Facts