MRCGP exam applications (2023)

Trainees who intend to make an application for the AKT or RCA will be unable to do so if their membership or training records do not meet the criteria for eligibility.

Prospective candidates should ensure the following in advance of a booking window:

• MRCGP membership must be active. Resigned, lapsed or suspended MRCGP membership will prevent booking. Prospective AKT or RCA candidates who are not current members of the College should contact the membership department to discuss having their membership reinstated (membership@rcgp.org.uk).
• Training records must state that candidates will be at the correct point in their training at the time of an assessment. For AKT this is either ST2 or ST3 year and for RCA this is ST3 year only. Both training posts and training years should be added to training records – gaps in information will prevent booking. Trainees are advised to check their FourteenFish portfolio regularly to ensure that it is up-to-date and to contact their Educational Supervisor if this isn’t the case, as they will be able to update it.
• Out-of-training candidates may need to contact the exams team prior to application (exams@rcgp.org.uk). Trainees on maternity or sick leave or in an extended period of training who are eligible to sit the test (i.e. at the correct point in their training (as stated above) and authorised to do so by their deanery and the RCGP) will require a system override to be added to their RCGP record; for maternity leave and training extensions this is usually automatically applied, however candidates are advised to contact the exams team if experiencing booking issues. Candidates on leave for any other reason will need to have a badge manually added and should contact the exams team in advance of a booking window. Evidence of eligibility may be required.

Booking notes:

• Google Chrome is the preferred web browser for AKT and RCA applications
• American Express is not an accepted method of payment at present

AKT candidates please note: during a booking window all enquiries must be made via email (the exams team phone lines are closed). This is to ensure maximum efficiency in dealing with booking enquiries. Please do not call other departments in the College with exams-related queries as they will have limited ability to help.

Firstly, we would like to apologise for the concern that was caused as a result of the decision made by COGPED (on behalf of regional Primary Care Deans/GP Directors) and the RCGP to alter the booking window at short notice for the April RCA diet. We understand this is a stressful time for both trainees and trainers, and we recognise that this caused uncertainty and anxiety for many.

Importantly, we would like to make clear that anyone who needs to take the RCA will be able to.

We hope it will help to give some context to the situation. The RCGP has provided sufficient capacity for all trainees to sit the RCA across both March and April; however, we remain undersubscribed for March and oversubscribed for April. The unexpected booking patterns have therefore led to this challenging situation. Please be assured that everybody involved is working extremely hard to provide capacity.

COGPED and the RCGP met today to discuss solutions, and we have immediately agreed to:

1. Re-open the March RCA booking window for trainees who are ready to be able to submit now as we still have capacity for marking.
2. Increase examiner capacity in April.

More details of both and what they mean for trainees will be communicated jointly by COGPED and RCGP tomorrow (Tuesday). Once we understand how many more places are required, we will put in place measures to provide any necessary further capacity.

We fully appreciate the impact and uncertainty this is having on trainees and trainers, and again we apologise for the anxiety this has caused. We are making the most strenuous efforts to accommodate everyone. We will continue to keep you informed.

Dr Margaret Ikpoh, MuDr FRCGP DRCOG DFFP DCH PGDip
RCGP Vice Chair | Professional Development & Standards

Professor Kamila Hawthorne MBE MD FRCGP FRCP FAcadMEd FLSW
Chair | RCGP

Everyone is now aware of the potential problem of fitting candidates for the RCA into the available slots in the upcoming diets in March and April 2023. We have only just become aware of the size of the problem, which is a logistics issue that must be resolved. The Exam Team is working really hard, and at the highest levels in the College, with our partners in the Deaneries, to find out exactly how many candidates are going to need to take the RCA before the SCA comes into being (it is currently awaiting accreditation by the GMC which is why we haven't been able to tell you very much about it yet). We are making the most strenuous efforts to accommodate everyone who needs to register for the RCA and will keep you apprised of what is happening. Please do not worry, we are listening to you all, and aware of many individual cases that need addressing. We will address them.

Due to very high candidate demand for the April RCA sitting, RCGP and COGPED on behalf of regional Primary Care Deans/GP Directors, have agreed a solution to increase capacity so those AITs with a CCT date before the end of September 2023 can register for the April examination.

We have therefore made the necessary changes below which you should be aware of.

• There will now be two booking windows for April RCA.
• The first window will open on 22 March and close on 29 March. It will have a total capacity of 1250 places. This window is exclusively for those trainees finishing training with a CCT date up to and including the 15 August 2023.
• The second window will open on 5 April and close on 12 April. It will have a total capacity of 200 places. This window is exclusively for those trainees who CCT between the 16 August and 30 September 2023.
• Therefore, any trainee with a CCT date after the 30 September 2023 will not be able to submit for the RCA in April.
• COGPED will provide RCGP with trainee information by 20 March 2023, so please ensure your CCT date as recorded in your portfolio is correct before this date, even if you are not planning on sitting the RCA yet.
• The previous April booking window advertised on the website will be replaced by the two windows shown above.
• Results for the first window will be published as already advertised on 8th June 2023.
• Results for the second window will be published as soon as possible but after 8th June 2023.
• Dates for booking and sitting a diet of the RCA in September will be released later. This will be available only to those who have previously been unsuccessful in a sitting of the RCA.
• Dates for the SCA will be released in due course, as will more details about the format of the assessment. As previously advised, there will be at least 6 months’ notice before the first sitting.

We apologise for changing the booking timings at short notice, but RCGP and COGPED on behalf of regional Primary Care Deans/GP Directors, agree that this was the fairest way to accommodate the high number of April 2023 RCA bookings.