Obtaining the MRCP diploma - difficult Olympic hurdles or a straightforward triple jump?

The Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom have a common membership examination in general medicine and successful candidates are eligible for the award of the MRCP (UK) Diploma1. This important postgraduate qualification is achieved after passing three separate examinations typically known as MRCP Part 1, MRCP Part 2 and MRCP PACES. Attaining the MRCP (UK) Diploma or “full membership” has become a necessary prerequisite for successful completion of UK Core Medical Training (CMT). Attaining the MRCP (UK) Diploma is now essential prior to commencing training in any of the medical specialties at Specialist Trainee year 3 (ST3) level. For many doctors, acquiring this essential qualification proves to be a long, arduous and expensive process. Pass rates for trainees in the component MRCP examinations vary widely between UK postgraduate medical deaneries2. This variation in attainment of the MRCP, and other postgraduate medical examinations, reflects many factors including pre-medical school admission qualifications, UK medical school attended, gender, ethnicity, organisational skills of trainees and the different emphasis placed by deaneries on the optimal “timing” of examinations with respect to junior doctors within Foundation Year (FY) and Core Medical Trainee (CMT) programmes2–7. This article aims to provide FY and CMT doctors with some practical guidance on the optimal timing of taking MRCP examinations and pragmatic advice to UK and overseas medical graduates and their clinical supervisors on effective preparation for these important postgraduate career milestones.