MRCOG Part One: Preparation Advice

This post is about the very first step towards the MRCOG journey i.e. Part ONE exam.

I have tried to give a piece of general advice, an essential reading materials list and an outline for the preparation of MRCOG part one. 

Before going for this exam, you need to understand what is this exam all about and then plan accordingly.

Understand the exam

All the essential information about the exam is available on RCOG website. Just to summarise important points:

• MRCOG comprises three parts. Parts 1 & 2 are written exams and part 3 is a clinical skills assessment exam. 
• Part 1 MRCOG assesses the basic sciences’ knowledge relevant to the clinical practice of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at the level of a UK ST3 Trainee.
• You can take part 1 after completing your house job / internship.
• It would be beneficial if you have some working experience in Ob/Gyn as about 25% of questions are based on your clinical knowledge.
• This exam can be taken while you prepare for the first part of your local postgraduate exams in Ob/Gyn (as usually, all these exams assess knowledge of basic sciences)

How to book the Part 1 MRCOG exam

• Applying for the Part 1 exam is a two-stage process: eligibility and booking.
• You must first have your eligibility application processed and approved before you can make a booking application online.
• Please follow this link for updated information from the website: Booking Part 1

Exam Calendar

Part 1 MRCOG is conducted two times per year in the months of January & July at various locations across the globe

Exam Format

Written exam

Two papers each consisting of 100 Single Best Answer (SBA) questions

Paper 1 —50% of marks

Paper 2 —50% of marks

No minimum score is required for each paper. The outcome is determined by the candidate’s overall marks.

Timetable

SBA Paper 1 

Duration 2.5 hours (150 min)

100 SBAs

Paper 1: Anatomy, Biochemistry, Embryology, Endocrinology, Epidemiology/Statistics, Genetics, Physiology

Lunch break (approx. 60 min)

SBA Paper 2

Duration 2.5 hours (150 min)

100 SBAs

Paper 2: Biophysics, Clinical Management, Data Interpretation, Immunology, Microbiology, Pathology, Pharmacology

Syllabus

It's worth having a look at this section of the RCOG website to know what is covered in Part 1 MRCOG. Please Click: Syllabus

According to RCOG, there is inevitable overlap between modules, and not all subjects and domains are relevant to a particular module, as shown in the blueprinting

I have summarised the modules tested in a table. Click here for the pdf: Part 1 Modules

I know some of you might be surprised to find this here because no one would have told you what is actually required for this exam. But this is taken right from the RCOG website. You must read through it to have a clear idea of what are you expected to demonstrate in the exam. I can not emphasise it more.

Preparation Resources

Once you know the outline of the exam, next comes a very important step which is “What are the resources for preparation?

I am going to mention a few books and resources for the preparation. (This is not an ultimate list, so you are free to modify it)

eLearning

StratOG contains SBAs resource for Part 1 MRCOG. It is an authentic source as its from RCOG.

Some websites offer online courses for part 1, just google it and you will find the relevant courses. Before subscribing to any course it is highly recommended to have a look at the previous feedback as it will be helpful in making a correct decision. 

Some online video lectures about basic sciences concepts are beneficial.

Green-top Guidelines

GTGs are a practical resource for all exam candidates. Part 1 MRCOG committee uses these as a reference point when writing papers, so revising guidelines will help you understand what the exam questions require of you. Here I would like to add that for part 1 we do not need GTGs in detail (unlike part 2),  but must know what are the recommended practices. They are free to access. Click here: GTGs

Books

RCOG has given a recommended reading list on the website, compiled by the Part 1 MRCOG Sub-committee.

• Basic Sciences for Obstetrics and Gynaecology (5th ed)***—Tim Chard
• British National Formulary
• Clinical Gynecologic Endocrinology and Infertility (7th ed)— Mark A Fritz and Leon Speroff
• Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics: Lecture Notes (9th ed)— Gerald A McKay
• Essential Medical Genetics (6th edition)—Edward S Tobias
• Ganong’s Review of Medical Physiology (24th ed)— Kim E Barrett
• Harper’s Illustrated Biochemistry (28th ed)— Robert K Murray
• Larsen’s Human Embryology (4th ed)— Gary C Schoenwolf
• Last’s Anatomy – Regional and Applied (12th ed)— Chummy S Sinnatamby
• Medical Microbiology (7th ed)— Patrick R Murray
• MRCOG Part One: Your essential revision guide— Alison Fiander 
• Revision Notes for the MRCOG Part 1 (Oxford Specialty Training: Revision Texts)***— Arisudhan Anantharachagan
• Robbins Basic Pathology (8th ed)—Vinay Kumar
• Statistics at Square 1 (9th Ed)—T D V Swinscow
• SBAs for the Part 1 MRCOG—Andrew Sizer***

***MUST READ for the exam. These are highly recommended

To add more to this list, following are books which are generally recommended for basic sciences and practising SBAs

• Basic Science in Obstetrics and Gynaecology A Textbook for MRCOG Part 1 — Phillip Bennett 
• MRCOG Part 1: 550 SBAs and MCQs — Katherine Andersen
• SBA MRCOG Part 1 —Ankush Raut
• SBAs for the MRCOG Part 1 Exam— Gnanasambanthan
• MCQs MRCOG Part 1– Tim Chard
• Get Through MRCOG Part 1– Rakha Wuntakal
• PassMRCOG— which is a compilation of past papers, must follow the latest edition
• Past Papers— RCOG press
• MRCOG Part 1 Success Manual— Khaldoun W. Sharif

My advice is to follow one basic science book for concept clarification. Then do Revision Notes (OST) and practice as many SBAs as you can.

How to Prepare for the Exam?

Now comes the real question. There are many things to consider while formulating an answer to this question.

Plan the exam: Once you have decided to pursue your career as an OB/GYN and go 4 MRCOG, then you should plan well ahead of time with proper preparation for the exam.

Time: Part 1 MRCOG is a relatively easy exam. Usually, 2-3 months of preparation are enough if you can spare 3-4 hours per day for study. It is not applicable to everyone, as we all have different personal, professional and financial circumstances. While deciding a time frame, you should consider everything. 

Approach: Decide your approach for preparation. These days, it is very easy to access exam materials on our smartphones/tablets. First, decide whether you prefer to study on old-fashioned papers or in soft form. Follow what is convenient and suitable for you keeping in mind the most important factor — TIME

Gather & Organise: Collect all the essential reading materials and organise them in a format where it is accessible to you whenever you need them. I encourage you all to be familiar with technology and its positive use. If you can adapt it during preparation for Part 1, trust me it is going to be very helpful for you in the next parts of the exam.

Make a timetable: Once decided on the exam date which you are going to take, make a realistic & doable timetable. You should cover the whole syllabus with time for revision as well. It's very important to be CLEAR in your basic sciences’ CONCEPTS. Focus on theory as well as keep practising the SBAs, so that you will be familiar with the exam. Utilise your time smartly, like if you are bored of studying theory, you can watch a video on the net to clarify a difficult topic.

Study Buddy: Some people find it easier to study if they have a study buddy. It is your own choice, but be careful in choosing. You should have compatibility and must have the same level of passion otherwise it will be disastrous for your exam preparation. Online discussions in small groups on social networking sites could also be helpful.

Exam Recalls: They are useful to have an idea about the type of questions in the exam. You should try to find out the answer yourself, as it will help you develop your thought process. 

During the exam: It is important how you perform on the exam day. Take adequate rest the night before. Wear a comfortable dress. Reach the centre in time. Keep calm and try not to panic. Manage your time properly during the exam, so that you can attempt the whole paper in time.

So this is all I can advise for the MRCOG part one preparation. Kindly add more to it, if you come across relevant and updated stuff. I hope you might find at least one useful point in this post. For any exam, all you need is to believe yourself that 

“YOU CAN DO IT & JUST DO IT” 

Thanks for your valuable time. I wish you all the very best.

Dr Rubab Khalid

You might find motivation for the exam from this post. A Courier: MRCOG

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