IMRCS

What does IMRCS stand for?

IMRCS stands for the Intercollegiate Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons. It is one the membership of the Royal College of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland and is open to surgeons who have passed all parts of the Intercollegiate Membership examination and meet the criteria set.

How can I become a member?

Membership to one of the three royal surgical colleges of Great Britain is open to surgeons who have passed all parts of the IMRCS exam.

The exam syllabus, format and content are common to all three colleges:

• The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
• The Royal College of Surgeons of England
• The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow.

How do I know if I am eligible to take the examination?

If you’re from overseas you must hold a primary medical qualification accepted by the Medical Councils of the college.

If you’re a prospective candidate, you can check if your medical degree is accepted on the World Health Organisation’s list of medical schools.

You will be eligible for election as a member of the college you’ve chosen to apply for if you’ve successfully passed all parts of the exam.

How do I apply for Part B OCC?

The MRCS Part B OCC will still require a candidate to submit a paper application to the British Council before the closing date. Part B OSCE will totally replace part B OCC as of January 2016. The last time Part B OCC is offered in Egypt will be December 2015.

For Part B registration you must have passed Part A. You will need to submit the following documents:

an application form
two signed recent photos
a copy of your passing letter for Part A. If you passed Part A with another college, you should submit original passing letter and your primary medical qualification.

When is the next exam date?

Part

Exam Date

Application deadline

Part A - Cairo and Alexandria

17 April 2018

9 February 2018

11 September 2018

29 June 2018

How many parts are there in the revised IMRCS examination?

The revised IMRCS exam comprises two parts.

Part A	OSCE -Objective Structured Clinical Examination The OSCE will normally consist of eighteen examined stations each of nine minutes’ duration. These stations will examine the following broad content areas: 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 Royal College of Surgeons will only accept 60 candidates Paper applications must be submitted to the British Council and cannot be sent to the Royal College of Surgeons Candidates are able to apply online via the RCS website
• Is a four-hour multiple-choice question exam consisting of two papers
• Paper 1 covers applied basic science and paper 2 the principles of surgery in general
• Two hours is given to complete each paper and marks for both papers are combined to give a total mark. • To achieve a pass in Part A you must demonstrate a minimum level of competence in each of the two papers in addition to achieving or exceeding the combined paper pass mark.

Please note that you must pass Part A before proceeding to Part B.

How many times can I take the exams?

With effect from the April 2013 Diet, candidates will be entitled to a maximum of 6 attempts at Part A. Candidates are allowed up to four attempts at any combination of the MRCS Part B (OSCE), the DOHNS Part 2 (OSCE) or the MRCS Part 3 (OCC)

Where can I sit the exam?

Exams are held separately by each college. In Egypt you can sit Part A exam in either Cairo or Alexandria. However, part B OSCE is only held in Cairo. You can do each exam part with a different college, however you need to complete that part with the college (you cannot change college half-way through the sitting).

If you’ve applied to sit the exam with more than one of the three colleges at the same time, you’ll forfeit the additional application fee.

How much does each part cost?

Part A	Please refer to the Royal College of Surgeons website.
OSCE	Please refer to the Royal College of Surgeons website.

How can I pay?

For Part A & Part B OSCE:

Fees must be paid online directly to the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

How can I get my results?

Results will be published on the college website and distributed by post.

How do I postpone my exam or get a refund?

For Part A and Part B OSCE:

Any cancellation or withdrawal of application must be done in writing. The candidate will be refunded the fee with 20% administrative charge deducted provided that the withdrawal is received before the closing date of the examination.

Candidates who withdraw from the examination after the closing date, or who fail to attend the examination, will not normally be entitled to any fee refund. Refunds will only be granted under exceptional circumstances, such as on medical or compassionate grounds. Requests for transfer of fees must be accompanied by a supporting letter from the candidate’s general medical practitioner, postgraduate dental dean or a local tutor in order to be considered. The supporting material must also explain the reasons why the fees cannot be deferred.

Failure to comply with the regulations, or failure to meet the eligibility requirements, will not be considered sufficient grounds for a refund.

Do you organise exams for people with disabilities?

If you have special needs owing to a disability or specific learning difficulty, please contact the Royal College directly during registration. You should provide a copy of an educational psychologist report or supporting evidence where necessary.

Where can I find out more information about the exam?

Visit the Royal College of Surgeons of England website for more information about the IMRCS exam or email examination@rcseng.ac.uk

External links

The Royal College of Surgeons of England

British Council

Egypt