MRCPCH practice

What happens in the MRCPCH exam

MRCPCH Clinical is a circuit of 10 stations: four 9-minute short clinical stations with a child, a 22-minute development station, a 22-minute history station, two 9-minute communication stations and two 9-minute video stations. Under optimum conditions the circuit takes about 160 minutes. A different examiner marks each station, scoring each domain tested as Meets Standard (2), Borderline (1) or Below Standard (0), giving 41 domain marks and a maximum of 82.

Checked against the official sources on 24 September 2026.

The parts, in order

Stations 1-4: Short clinical (four stations)9 minutes

In each station the examiner states the system and task, you examine a child, then discuss the signs you found, what they mean and the child's management with the examiner. There is no role-player and no written instructions to read.

Station 5: Development22 minutes

A scenario-based station. You take a focused developmental history from a role-player for 9 minutes without asking directly about the area to be assessed, then describe to the examiner how you would assess one or at most two areas of development while the examiner gives the findings as cues, and finish by discussing the findings and management plan with the examiner.

Station 6: History22 minutes

You take a focused history from a role-player, often a parent or adolescent, for 13 minutes without examining a patient, then discuss the problems and management plan with the examiner for the rest of the station.

Stations 7-8: Communication (two stations)9 minutes

You talk with a role-player, who may be a parent, an adolescent, a health professional or a member of the public, in scenarios such as information giving, breaking bad news or consent. The examiner observes and does not ask questions.

Stations 9-10: Video (two stations)9 minutes

You watch a video clip as many times as you wish for 3 minutes, then discuss the clinical signs, likely diagnosis and management with the examiner.

How it is marked

There is one examiner per station, and candidates are assessed by a different examiner at each station. Each domain tested at a station is marked Meets Standard (2), Borderline (1) or Below Standard (0); 41 domains are marked across the 10 stations, for a maximum of 82. The domains are information gathering, information giving, physical examination, identification of clinical signs, clinical reasoning, management planning and communication skills; examiners can also record Professional Conduct, which does not count towards the mark.

Passing

The pass mark is 62 out of the 82 available marks (75.6%), set by a modified Angoff process and applied to all UK and overseas face-to-face centres. The total score is compared with this pass mark, so candidates are assessed on the accumulation of marks rather than on any single station.

Worth knowing

  • You must have passed all three MRCPCH theory exams before you can apply for MRCPCH Clinical.
  • The exam is held in hospitals in the UK and other countries, and each candidate is given a start station and a route map for the circuit.
  • A score of 52 or below is a deferment mark: the candidate must not apply for the next diet.

Sources

Formats change. MedMock is not affiliated with any examining body; always check the current regulations on the official site before you book.

MRCPCH dates and countdown A complete MRCPCH practice station, with its scorecard

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