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Changes to the MRCPsych examination - an update

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Stephen Tyrer
Affiliation:
EMI Working Group
Simon Fleminger
Affiliation:
EMI Working Group
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Abstract

Type
The columns
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
Copyright © 2001. The Royal College of Psychiatrists

The proposed changes to the MRCPsych examinations were published in the Bulletin in July 2000 (Katona et al, July 2000, 24, 276-278). The timetable for the changes to the examination were indicated in the article.

After further discussions by the Implementation Working Group, the body that is concerned with the logistics of implementing the changes to the MRCPsych examination, two changes have been recommended of which candidates and examiners should be aware.

  1. (a) The new extended matching items (EMI) questions will be introduced into the MRCPsych Part I examination in Spring 2003 as planned. It has been demonstrated that EMI questions test a wider range of clinical skills than the multiple choice question (MCQ) format. In a recent pilot examination of EMI questions in Part I of the examination in Autumn 2000, these questions were found to have good psychometric properties in terms of distinguishing between good and bad candidates, and were acceptable to the candidates. EMI questions will therefore replace part of the MCQ examination so that in future the written section of the Part I examination will consist of both MCQ and EMI questions. Examples are to be found on the College website (http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/traindev/exams/regulation/emisamp.htm ). Alternative formats are being developed in a further pilot examination in Spring 2002 for both parts of the examination and examples of these will be posted on the website. However, EMI questions will not be included in the Part II examination until Autumn 2003.

  2. b The revised curriculum for basic specialist psychiatry training and for the MRCPsych examination is scheduled for publication within the next 3 months. In the Autumn 2001 MRCPsych examinations candidates should be aware that the questions set in both parts of the examinations will be based on the old curriculum. Sufficient time will therefore be available for candidates to examine the revised curriculum, which will be used as a basis for the questions set in both the written and clinical papers in the Spring 2002 examination.

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