What to do on the day
Make sure you are at the test centre by the registration time, which is on your admissions document. Candidates who arrive after their exam circuit has begun will not be permitted to sit the exam.
You will need to bring your final placement letter with you.
You must also bring one form of identification that includes a signature and recent photograph, such as:
- passport
- driving licence
- hospital ID card.
A travel card will not be accepted.
If you have recently changed name - for example, through marriage - you will need to provide official supporting evidence to both RCPCH and the test centre.
Please remember that you are expected to arrive at the exam host centre 1 hour before the start of your exam circuit. That means 9am for a 10am start and 1pm for a 2pm start. If your admissions document lists other start and arrival times, that should take precedence. It is important to arrive on time, as the candidate briefing will begin shortly after arrival time and all candidates must attend the briefing.
Please bring your own stethoscope and surgical masks. You will likely need to wear your mask during the four Short Clinical Stations and will need your stethoscope for those stations as well.
You will not be permitted to take anything onto the exam circuit except for a mask and a stethoscope. If you need anything else, you must include this request for reasonable adjustments in your online application.
Candidates are expected to dress in a manner appropriate to a normal working day in clinical practice.
Your personal belongings will be securely stored during the exam. Please collect these items after your exam has finished. The College and the test centre take no legal responsibility for any loss or damage caused to personal belongings stored in the test centre.
Once you have registered you will be asked to fill in the relevant sections of your exam station mark sheets using a pencil. Please write your name and write and your candidate number on each mark sheet. You will find a route map within your mark sheet pack that will tell you your start station and the order of stations you will move through.
Talking with other candidates during the examination circuit is not permitted.
Once the Senior Examiner or Host Examiner has ushered you to your start station you will have approximately 4 minutes waiting time before the circuit begins.
Exam results
The results are published to your website account within six weeks of the last date in the exam window. For overseas centres, this process can take up to nine weeks. Log in to your account to view your results.
A results letter with detailed feedback will follow the week after the results are published online.
Withdrawals
If you wish to withdraw after you apply, please send your request by email at clinicalexams@rcpch.ac.uk, post or fax.
- If you withdraw after you submit an application but before the application period closes, you will not be charged.
- If you withdraw after you have been placed and wish to request a refund you will need to include supporting evidence with your request. Requests must be received no later than 14 days after the exam date. Any refund that may be granted will depend on supporting evidence and is at the discretion of the Examinations Manager/Examinations Executive Committee.
- Candidates who repeatedly withdraw from the exam may be deprioritised for the next diet's allocation in order to ensure that all spaces for the exam can be filled by candidates who intend to sit the exam.
Please refer to the exams regulations and rules for more details on refunds.
If you need to apply for a visa, please submit your application early in the application period and state this in your application. If you have difficulties obtaining a visa, you will not be automatically entitled to a refund.
Complaints and feedback
Candidates must raise their concerns on the day of the exam either with the invigilator or senior examiner at their exam centre and then submit a complaint form to us within 7 days of the exam. The complaint will be investigated and the candidate will be informed of the decision. If the candidate is not satisfied with the outcome of their complaint, they may then appeal their complaint outcome.
The complaint outcome appeals process is only open to those examination candidates who have submitted a complaint and who wish to appeal the outcome of that complaint. Associated complaint outcome appeals must be submitted within 10 days of the relevant examination results letters being sent out (calculated from the date of the letter). Complaint outcome appeals received after the deadline will not be considered.
For further details please see our exams regulations and rules:
- Examinations complaints and feedback form
- Examinations complaint outcome appeals form