MRCOG Exam

Are you ready to take MRCOG? The worst excuse I have heard from candidates and continue to hear from time to time is: ‘I don’t have time.’

Or ‘There’s no time.’

And I always say, ‘Don’t give me this excuse. Instead, say that you don’t know how to use your time or organize your time.’

Everyone in this world is given 24 hours a day. There is no exception to this regardless it’s the president of a super power or a janitor from a third world country, an old person or a child, a doctor or a patient.

All those who have passed MRCOG are not aliens from Mars with some supernatural powers. They all are just like you: they have had 24 hours a day, they have had families, tough jobs, financial restrains, and everything else that you face right now in your life. 98% of people pass the exam in the midst of all this. There are hardly a 2% of those who can leave everything else, sit at their homes and just study 24×7 for 6 long months.

Ok, we settle the issue of time and the next excuse comes: ‘MRCOG is a very difficult exam.’ What is difficult? Difficult is only what you don’t know. When you start understanding things then it’s no more difficult but the appropriate word is challenging. Indeed it is one of the most challenging exams but definitely achievable as there are thousands of MRCOG holders around the globe.

If you have decided to sit for MRCOG exam, please, please… STOP complaining about the hurdles of your way. Take my words on this, the ONLY hurdle in your way to get through this exam is NOT understanding the requirements of RCOG, not understanding the standards against which you are tested.

With my experience I have noticed that candidates pass through different stages before they are ready to take the challenge of MRCOG. When people ask me about how to study and prepare, it’s so easy to spot out those who have gone past the stages of being unsure, frustrated and have stopped moaning about how things are not working for them; instead they are ready to take the stride with full acceptance and responsibility.

Here are some salient features if you want to see whether you are ready to take this challenge or not: – Are you ready to put your ego aside and accept that your focus of study is not meeting the standards of RCOG? (Teaching adults is very challenging because outside MRCOG exam you are an individual with high education profile, clinical skills and social status. Ego strikes too hard in some cases) – If yes to Q1: Are you ready to take criticism? (This indeed is the hardest part for you and for me. This can be very frustrating for an adult to be told that the tone of their speech is not appropriate to break a bad news in an OSCE station, or you need to work on the composition of your sentences) – If yes to critical appraisal: are you ready to bring the changes and adapt the new techniques and methods? (Not as easy as it sounds, old habits die hard. But keep in mind nothing will change unless you bring a change by yourself) – Are you ready to work on spotting what you don’t know? (There is no doubt you carry a wealth of knowledge. It’s very easy to talk about what you know, but the whole difference lies in what you do not know and that’s what you need to spot out) – Are you ready to go that extra mile which leads to your success? (And that extra mile is different for every person, it could mean devoting some more time, changing your job, arranging domestic help, spending on journal subscriptions or courses, getting a new gadget, literally anything depending on your individual circumstances.

If you pass this acid test, you are definitely ready to take this challenge. All you need now is motivation, determination and hard work because success is not an accident; you don’t just stumble and fall into success. Success is all about the choices you make while failure awaits for chances to appear.

Dr Asma Naqi

MMEd,MRCOG, MBBS, BSc Academic Lead, Mentor and Supervisor

Source: BeMRCOG Ltd

MRCOG Part 3 Online Course

Course Description: Get subscribed for our MRCOG Part 3 online course with audio tutorials. We are providing with the highest pass rates with full training in OSCE skills. This course is specially designed for non-UK based candidates.

MRCOG Part 3 is the last and final part of the tedious and competitive journey towards achieving the MRCOG qualification. Part 3 is an oral exam that is designed to make a clinical assessment of knowledge, skills, attitudes and competencies. For the UK based trainees, passing MRCOG Part 3 would mean that they could move on to a higher level training of ST 6 and 7. This progression is the gateway to becoming a consultant in the UK. For the non-UK based candidates, passing this exam and being awarded MRCOG means that if they wish to work in the UK, they would be exempted from the entry exams e.g. PLAB. This may also be the case if they wish to move to any other countries like Australia, United States, Canada etc. However, it is advisable to check the rules and regulations of the country they wish to move for work. Achieving this qualification generally increases the credibility of a doctor working in the speciality of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in any part of the world.

How to pass Part 3 in the first attempt?

Clinical assessment exam is a practical exam, therefore, its preparation requires a lot of practice. Candidates need to master fundamental communication skills that incorporate a clear understanding of culture and systems in the UK. This exam cannot be prepared by reading books and guidelines alone and this makes it particularly challenging for the non-UK based candidates. Knowing about a system without any experience of actually working in it is unlikely to bring confidence in the candidates’ presentation.

Consequently, non-UK based candidates take a few attempts in general before they pass the exam. This is however not a rule, in fact, at BeMRCOG, a significant number of candidates pass this exam in the first attempt without any exposure to UK practice.

These are those candidates who take the time to understand the exam requirements

and then practice with a clear focus under authentic guidance and supervision. So, before embarking on this exam, candidates must spend time figuring out a reliable source of guidance for themselves.

The features to look for in any course or coaching for this exam preparation are that it should:    

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help the candidate to understand the exam requirements very clearly help the candidate to navigate through systems in the UK focus on the presentation of the candidate both in verbal and non-verbal terms cover all syllabus endorsed by RCOG in terms of applied knowledge, attitudes, skills and competencies focus on bringing a behavioural change in the candidate to match the standards of professionalism required by the GMC.

General Medical Council (GMC) has published comprehensive ethical guidance for all doctors named ‘Goof Practice Points’. This guidance has been into effect since April 2013 nationwide in the UK. Therefore, it is mandatory that any courses, practice and preparation chosen for this exam should incorporate this guidance which can be found here: What is MRCOG Part 3 Online Course?

Since 2011, BeMRCOG is delivering a comprehensive preparatory course for the oral/clinical exam. This course is continuously evolving to adopt the changes in the RCOG curriculum and exam format. Over years, many useful features keep adding to the course representing the continuous strive to maintain excellence. Our Part 3 course maintains a pass rate of 95-100% in the first attempt for MRCOG, MRCPI, EFOG and RANZCOG. Our E-Course is fully accredited by the globally CPD recognised standards office. You can earn 1-2 CPD credits per topic. These credits will count towards your CME points and are internationally accepted by all medical councils.

Audio Lectures (Anytime, Anywhere) The learning material is presented in the form of audio lectures that are accessible anytime anywhere with the comfort of your home and are not bound to any specific time and place. The introduction module provides an insight into the exam and the course. It also covers advise on preparation and includes helpful tips from the passed candidates.

Domains:      

A detailed description of the 5 domains Communication techniques Communication in the NHS system Referral pathways in the NHS Domain-based challenges faced by Non-UK based candidates Solutions to the challenges

The actual course starts with the description of domains with each domain covering relevant details: Patient safety:        

all part 3 related clinical governance issues Communication with patient/relatives: counselling skills, consultation skills, communication skills Communication with colleagues: teaching skills, communication between NHS Information gathering: history taking skills Applied clinical knowledge: this is covered in details under the relevant core module

Core Modules:       

14 core curriculum modules Standards to meet in each module Applied clinical knowledge explained in detail Pathways for each module Modulebased challenges faced by Non-UK based candidates Solutions to the challenges Real Exam standard task per module

The core modules also include a practice task and a sample performance with tips and techniques to improve performance. The modules covered in this course are: 1.

2.

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Teaching Core surgical skills Post-operative care Maternal medicine Early pregnancy care

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Antenatal care Management of labour Management of delivery Postpartum care Sexual and reproductive medicine Subfertility Urogynaecology and pelvic floor problems Gynaecological Oncology Gynaecological problems

You can upgrade to any other part 3 course by paying the difference between the two.

Supervision & Support After enrolment, you will be given access to a fully supportive learning experience which extends to personal support from the course mentor and peers from the study group. You will also receive through email a ‘Needs Assessment Meeting’ appointment with the course mentor Dr Asma Naqi. This meeting is a video conference call and is the first step towards rapport building. This support continues all through the period of subscription.

Learning Objectives:   

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What is Pat 3 and what is expected from a candidate in this exam?

How to prepare for this exam with practical tips and examples?

Detailed understanding of each of the 5 domains with meticulous clarity on GMC standards Art of communication with the examiner and simulated patients Counselling skills Art of an impressive presentation with the appropriate organisation of thoughts Applied Clinical Knowledge of all 14 modules from RCOG syllabus Step-wise understanding of performing exam tasks

Related Courses You can also subscribe to the following options along with the Part-3 E-Course   

2-Day Clinical Exam Practice Workshop Group Practice One-to-One Practice Session

Course Duration: This course is self-paced and offers complete flexibility to choose to study at a place and time that suits you.

After subscription, your access to this course will last for one year or until you pass the exam, whichever comes earlier.

Usually, 6-8 weeks are deemed sufficient to prepare for the exam, but this duration gives the subscribers flexibility to adjust with visa issues and acceptance from college without worrying about their access to the course material.

Other boards and memberships equivalents of Part 3: Almost all postgraduate qualifications in the speciality of Obstetrics and Gynaecology include an oral/clinical exam as a final part before granting the qualification. The name of this final step may vary from exam to exam, the format of tasks and circuits may also vary, but the fundamental principles of communication skills are almost universal. Exams which are very similar to MRCOG Part 3 are MRCPI and EBCOG (EFOG).

General Information Eligibility Criteria: To be eligible to sit for the Part 3 exam, the candidate must have passed MRCOG Part 2. Once Part 2 is passed, a candidate must sit for the Part 3 exam once within 7 years otherwise they would be required to sit for Part 2 again.

Candidates are permitted 4 attempts for the Part 3 exam. If they do not clear this exam in 4 attempts, they are required to sit for part 2 again.

Exam format: The Part 3 exam consists of 14 tasks in one circuit and every candidate has to attempt one circuit. The tasks are of two types: a) Structured discussion tasks with the examiner b) Simulated patient/colleague tasks with an actor

There is an examiner assessing each task in the context of 5 domains on each module in the RCOG syllabus namely: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Patient safety Communication with patient/relatives Communication with colleagues Information gathering Applied clinical knowledge

On 4 out of 14 stations, a lay examiner is also present to assess the domains of communication, patient safety and information gathering from the perspective of the patient.

Exam Syllabus: The syllabus for Part 3 is essentially the same as MRCOG Part 2 comprising of 14 modules. Candidates are expected to demonstrate fundamental communication skills. More details on syllabus can be found on the RCOG website here.

Exam dates: The details on exam calendar, venue and fees are the most up to date on the RCOG website and can be accessed here.