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Blog Summary
Clearing MRCPCH exams and gaining membership to the Royal College of Physicians is the best way to pursue a career in pediatrics. It’s recognized by MCI and considered equivalent to an MD degree. Overcome the challenges in attempting MRCPCH exams with thorough preparation, have the required study materials, get help from seniors or doctors who cleared the exams, solve previous question papers, take mock tests and more importantly start your revisions three months prior to the exam date. Besides preparation, you need to have clinical exposure to clear the exams. TAU offers exclusive training for clearing the Royal College exam. It’s a three-year intensive program that provides you the required clinical experience, guidance from top consultants, access to learning resources, weekly sessions with Royal College certified faculty and support in scheduling your preparation and revisions for the exams. Have a successful career as a pediatrician and progress further with TAU.
If you are aspiring to become a pediatrician in India, getting the Membership of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, UK (MRCPCH), is the best route. Even though the MRCPCH exam is considered the toughest one to clear, it is worth taking to get specialized in pediatrics in India. Best of all, MRCPCH has been recognized by the Medical Council of India (MCI) and considered equivalent to a master’s degree in medicine in India.
If you make schedules properly and plan in advance with intensive training, you can become a pediatrician in the short term (compared with the other modes) with all the advanced skills and certification that is accepted in India.
All About MRCPCH
As mentioned above, MRCPCH is an exam conducted by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, UK (RCPCH), for the aspirants who want to get trained and specialized as pediatricians. Other than the UK, the membership is valued and recognized in Ireland, Singapore, India, and most countries in the Gulf, Asia, and Europe.
MRCPCH Exam Eligibility Criteria
Recognised medical qualification is necessary to appear for the MRCPCH exam. Candidates from India must have an MBBS degree and permanent registration with the MCI.
MRCPCH Exam Pattern
The MRCPCH comprises four exams. Candidates have to clear all the three theory exams (in any order) to take up the clinical exam.
Theory Exams
- Foundation of Practice (FOP) is also called Part 1A that lasts 2 hours 30 minutes and has 79 single best answer types (SBAs) and 6 extended matching questions (EMQs).
- Theory and Science (TAS) is also called Part 1B that lasts 2 hours 30 minutes and has 70 SBAs and 10 EMQs.
- Applied Knowledge in Practice (AKP) is also called Part 2 that has two exams that last 2 hours 30 minutes each and happen on the same day.
Clinical Exam
During the MRCPCH clinical exam, candidates are tested following the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) style format:
- Stations 1–4 – Clinical Examination
- Station 5 – Development
- Station 6 – History-Taking and Management Planning
- Stations 7 & 8 – Communication
- Stations 9 & 10 – Video
MRCPCH Clinical Circuit
MRCPCH Exam Syllabus
Theory Exams
Syllabus for the theory exams outlines the key knowledge and skills required to face the exams. Click here to get the syllabus!
Clinical Exam
Candidates have to demonstrate their proficiency in the following aspects of paediatrics and child health:
- Child Development
- Communication Skills
- Ability to Have Rapport with Children, Caretakers, and Others
- History-Taking
- Management Planning
- Physical Examination Skills
- Clinical Reasoning Skills
- Ability to Recognise Acute Illness
- Professional Ethics
How Difficult Is MRCPCH Exam?
All Royal College exams are designed to be tough. MRCPCH is no exception. There is no fixed passing or failing percentage for the theory exams. However, one of the theory exams has to be passed in the last seven years while applying for the MRCPCH clinical exam. Besides, candidates have to secure 63% and above to pass the clinical exam and get the membership.
Candidates fail not because they are not skilful but because they:
- Do not prepare with focus,
- Do not revise in advance,
- Do not plan properly,
- Do not organize their preparation,
- Lack confidence,
- Have the wrong attitude/approach towards the exam, and
- Have personal issues.
Therefore, if you eliminate all the above obstacles and focus on your preparation with proper training, you can clear the MRCPCH exam. If you plan your MRCPCH exam preparation well in advance, get professional help from your circle or industry experts, and prepare according to the plan and schedule, you will get through the exam for sure.
How to Get through the MRCPCH Exam with Ease
Getting through the MRCPCH exam can be easy only if you have prepared in an organised way. Moreover, you need to get professional training to clear the exams as you have to spend a lot to appear for the exam. So, MRCPCH exam preparation must be intensive and well-planned. Follow the below steps to clear the exams:
- Cover the syllabus of the chosen exam thoroughly
- Have all the required study materials
- Get help from seniors or doctors who have already cleared the MRCPCH exam
- Solve previous question papers
- Take mock exams as many as possible
- Start your revisions 3 months prior to the exam date
Besides preparation, organised training from experts will be more helpful for your MRCPCH exam preparation. Medical universities in India like Texila American University (TAU) offer exclusive training for MRCPCH exams. Taking up one such training program will help you clear the exam with ease.
MRCPCH Training at Texila American University
TAU has designed this MRCPCH preparation course to help aspirants prepare for the exam and clear the exams within a timeframe of 3 years. Royal College certified trainers will give training and prepare you for one of the world’s toughest exams. Besides MRCPCH exam preparation, this training program will get you access to plenty of online material to prepare for your exams. TAU’s 3-year MRCPCH preparation course will give you the exposure you need to get the knowledge base and clinical skills of a paediatrician.
TAU and its faculty will guide you through all the processes and help you prepare for the MRCPCH exam in a more organised way. Such preparation will help you clear the exam as per plan and keep your move in your medical career without any hitch.
Benefits of Taking up MRCPCH Preparation Course at TAU
TAU has designed this MRCPCH preparation course in a way to help Indian doctors clear the Royal College exam and get specialised in paediatrics and child health. TAU will be with you throughout the process and provide you with all the support, guidance, and training you need to clear the exams with ease. The following are a few but not limited to benefits:
- Intensive training to clear all the exams of RCPCH
- Membership access from Royal College, UK
- Access to plenty of study materials, reference books, question banks, and mock examinations
- Weekly lecture sessions by Royal College certified faculty
- Help in scheduling your preparation and revision for the examination
Upon completing all the exams of MRCPCH, you will be offered with the Membership of RCPCH.
The medical profession is challenging and needs your dedication, perseverance, and hard work to reach greater heights in the sector. Getting a specialization is not an easy task. You need to dedicate yourself to the fullest. Likewise, clearing the MRCPCH exams is comparatively tougher. But it is worth taking to have a successful career as a pediatrician and to progress further in the specialty.
Line up your MRCPCH exam preparation with TAU, prepare for the exams in an organized way, and clear the exams with ease!