Following the decision to cancel the MRCS Part B examination in February 2021 because of the pandemic, ICBSE are giving notice that the four Surgical Royal Colleges of the United Kingdom and in Ireland will hold an MRCS Part B OSCE between Saturday 3 and Sunday 11 July 2021. This means that, as usual, there will be three diets of this examination in 2021, in May, July and October.
Each of the four Surgical Royal Colleges will open applications for the July 2021 diet on their respective websites soon. The closing date for applications for the MRCS Part B examination in July 2021 will be Friday, 16 April 2021. Results will be published on Friday, 30 July 2021.
The addition of another MRCS Part B OSCE between the usual May and October exams affects the dates that candidates may apply to take the Part B exam, and it should be noted:
- The earliest Part B examination successful candidates in the January 2021 MRCS Part A exam can apply to take will be the July 2021 MRCS Part B exam.
- Candidates unsuccessful in the Part B examination in May 2021 will not be able to apply for the examination in July and will need to apply for the MRCS part B examination in October 2021.
- Candidates who are unsuccessful in the July 2021 MRCS Part B will have an extension to apply for the October 2021 MRCS Part B to Friday 6 August 2021.
ICBSE and the four Surgical Royal Colleges are aware that the changes to the dates for examinations made necessary by the pandemic this year may have been disruptive to trainees’ preparation, but hope that the decision to run the normal number of diets will allow candidates to apply for an examination suitable for them.
Full acknowledgement is made of the contribution surgeons in training have made to the health service during the pandemic and we wish success to everyone in their preparation and good luck in the examination.