FRCS Urol practice

How to prepare for the FRCS Urol

Section 2 of the FRCS (Urology) is eight 20-minute orals built on clinical scenarios, taken in four sessions of two, so your preparation is almost entirely spoken: working through scenarios with examiners who move from first steps to the decisions of a day one consultant, which you must justify. Revise all eight topics from the Urology curriculum and the JCIE syllabus blueprint, and practise until you can reach and defend decisions with little prompting.

What happens in the FRCS Urol exam: parts, timings and marking An example FRCS Urol station, with example feedback FRCS Urol dates and countdown

Step by step

  1. 1

    Map your revision to the eight oral topics

    The orals cover urological oncology of the kidney and bladder, and of the prostate, testis and penis; paediatric and emergency urology; calculi and urinary tract infections, and urological imaging and the principles of urological technology; and bladder dysfunction and the gynaecological aspects of urology, and BPH and andrology. The format page lists the sessions. The regulations point you to the Urology curriculum for the scope, and the JCIE blueprint maps each syllabus item to Section 2.

  2. 2

    Practise each topic as a 20-minute conversation

    The JCIE's guidelines for question writers say oral questions should progress logically, increasing in complexity towards the tasks of a day one consultant, and use open questions that ask you to apply knowledge and justify decisions, with 'what if?' and 'and why?' follow-ups. Ask consultants to run full 20-minute scenarios with you rather than quick-fire lists.

  3. 3

    Aim for decisions without prompting

    In the JCIE marking descriptors a 6 describes competent knowledge, no major errors and safe practice, with adequate responses needing no or minimal prompting, while a 7 or 8 adds supporting evidence. Record your mock orals and note each point where the examiner had to lead you.

  4. 4

    Know the evidence and national guidance

    Question writers are prompted to ask how a recent study would change your management. For each topic, know the national guidance, including NICE guidance on urological conditions, and the key trials behind your practice, so you can explain why you would choose one option over another.

  5. 5

    Prepare imaging and technology properly

    Session 3 pairs calculi and infection with urological imaging and the principles of urological technology, and scenarios can include images, results and short video clips you may view up to three times. Practise interpreting images aloud and explaining how the technology you use works and when you would choose it.

  6. 6

    Give paediatric and emergency urology dedicated time

    Session 2 pairs paediatric urology with emergency urology, and each has its own 20-minute oral. If your recent practice has included little paediatric work, arrange cases or teaching with a paediatric urologist well before the exam.

  7. 7

    Plan your attempts and booking

    You must pass Section 1 first, and you then have at most four attempts at Section 2 within the 7 years allowed for the whole examination. Section 2 places may be restricted and are allocated in order of your Section 1 application date.

Official resources

Common mistakes examiners report

  • Carrying an unauthorised recording device: breaking the examination rules means you are automatically deemed to have failed. source
  • Arriving late or misreading the timetable: no allowance is made and you normally lose the fee, though it does not count as an attempt. source
  • Withdrawing part-way through: it counts as an attempt and is normally treated as a fail unless you are taken ill and provide a medical certificate dated that day. source
  • Needing a lot of prompting: the descriptors place 'poor responses which required significant prompting' at 5 on the 4 to 8 scale. source

Practise with MedMock

MedMock runs all eight Section 2 orals by voice, one for each topic, with the examiner working through a clinical scenario with you. Its feedback marks to the day one consultant standard but reports a practice score out of 100, not the JCIE's 4 to 8 grades.

Practise the FRCS Urol viva Free trial, no card needed.

Questions candidates ask

What is the pass mark for Section 2?

The JCIE sets the pass standard at the level of a day one consultant in the generality of the specialty. It does not publish a numerical pass mark for Section 2; examiners mark against its descriptors on a scale of 4 to 8.

How many attempts do I have?

A maximum of four at Section 2, with no re-entry. The limit counts attempts at the Intercollegiate Specialty Examinations and the Joint Surgical Colleges Fellowship Examinations together.

Are there patients or volunteers in Urology Section 2?

The regulations describe Section 2 as structured scenario-based interviews on clinical topics: eight 20-minute sessions using clinical scenarios, with no volunteer cases listed.

When do I get my result, and is there feedback?

Section 2 results are available within two weeks. Your result letter includes a breakdown of your performance, and the JCIE says no other feedback can be provided.

How long should I prepare?

The JCIE does not set a preparation time. It helps to start regular mock orals with consultants well before your date and to cover all eight topics, not only the ones you see most often.

Sources

Checked on 27 September 2026.

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