Examinations

MRCPCH examination

The MRCPCH examination is for the Diploma of Membership of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) and is usually taken during the period of basic specialist training, which normally lasts two to three years. 

MRCPCH Newcomer's Guide (PDF, 526KB, 12 pages)

The MRCPCH consists of three sections:

1. MRCPCH Part 1 
2. MRCPCH Part 2  
3. MRCPCH Clinical

The MRCPCH is the normal entry requirement for Core Specialist Training in paediatrics. Each examination is taken in sequence, with success in one leading to a timed registration period of entry into the next examination. Successfully completing the MRCPCH Clinical allows for entry to membership of the College. There are usually three sittings of each examination per year. 

Provisional clinical applications no longer available

From September 2010 it is no longer possible for candidates to submit a provisional application for the clinical exam at the same time as applying for the Part 2 exam. All candidates wishing to apply for the clinical exam from 2011 will need to have received a confirmed pass in the Part 2 before sending in their clinical application. 

Diploma in Child Health (DCH) Examination

The DCH is designed to give recognition of competence in the care of children to:

• general practitioner vocational trainees 
• staff grades in paediatrics 
• trainees in specialties allied to paediatrics.

The DCH clinical examination is held twice a year.

Examinations calendar and publication of results dates

View the 2011 and 2012 examination dates including MRCPCH Parts 1 and 2, MRCPCH clinical and the DCH:

2011 UK calendar (PDF, 8KB, 1 page)

2012 UK calendar and fees all exams(PDF, 27KB, 1 page)

All exam results pub dates 2011 2012 (PDF, 10KB, 1 page)

Online accounts for RCPCH exam candidates

All exam candidates can create an online account and view all past and current examination results since January 2006 by clicking on the 'exams' section once you have signed in and created an online account. 

A notice will be posted on the relevant examination section of this website when each set of results are available to view. For all examination results information go to exam results look up - all exams.

Futher information for UK trainees

All paediatric specialty trainees who are in GMC-approved training posts are required to be registered with the RCPCH as set out in the Gold Guide (A Reference Guide for Postgraduate Specialty Training in the UK).

• ASSET
• ePortfolio
• Educational Supervision
• Membership Department
• RCPCH Examinations
• GMC Website

General examination information

Candidates 

We are currently dealing with approximately 7,000 attempts per year for the MRCPCH Part 1 Examinations, and approximately 2,100 candidates attempt the MRCPCH Part 2. There are over 1,500 candidates for the MRCPCH Clinical and approximately 500 candidates for the DCH.

Further information

College examinations are taken overseas as well as in the United Kingdom. A number of overseas countries ally their standards to those of the UK by using the MRCPCH as part of their own paediatric training programme.

The College is committed to maintaining the highest possible standards for its examinations.  The MRCPCH Clinical has been substantially remodelled to more accurately assess the competencies of paediatric trainees and to conform to the highest standards of assessment and medical education. In order to maintain this position, the Education and Training Division rigorously quality assures all of its processes and actively engages in research and ongoing development work to ensure the pre-eminence of the MRCPCH.