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Helpful resources for MRCS Part-A preparation

Preparing for the MRCS (Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons) Part A exam requires a thorough understanding of basic sciences and knowledge about the principles of surgery. This blog aims to inspire and encourage candidates preparing for MRCS A. Offering insights, tips, and a dose of motivation to propel you towards success. As you prepare to tackle this crucial phase in your career, remember that every challenge is an opportunity for growth.

Understanding of syllabus

A good understanding of the syllabus is essential before you start to prepare for the exam. As MRCS is a common pathway to enter higher surgical training in the UK, all aspiring surgical training in the UK in GI surgery, Urology, Neurosurgery, Plastic surgery, vascular surgery, trauma and orthopaedics or Neurosurgery are required to get through the MRCS exam. Consequently, the exam questions cover all the subspecialities . You are expected to know some statistics as well.

The MRCS Part A syllabus is separated into the following ten modules:

1. Basic science knowledge relevant to surgical practice

2. Common surgical conditions

3. Basic surgical skills

4. The assessment and management of the surgical patient

5. Perioperative care of the surgical patient

6. Assessment and early treatment of the patient with trauma

7. Surgical care of the paediatric patient

8. Management of the dying patient

9. Organ and tissue transplantation

10. Professional behaviour and leadership skills

Helpful resources to aid in your preparation:

Textbooks:

· Basic Sciences for the MRCS by Andrew Raftery

· Essential revision notes for MRCS part A by Catherine Parchment

· MRCS Applied Basic Sciences and Clinical Topics by Stephen Parker

Reference books:

· Gray’s Anatomy for Students: R. Drake, W. Vogl & A. Mitchell (ELSEVIER)

It is always easy to follow the same textbooks you followed during MBBS preparation. The highlights or sticky notes you have made during your MBBS days are easy to memorise.

Websites:

· www.lms.studymedic.com

· Google search engine

· YouTube

· MRCS podcasts

Question Banks:

· Pastest

· eMRCS

· BMJ on Exam

· SBAs and EMQs for the MRCS Part A” by Sri G. Thrumurthy et al

· StudyMEDIC Library

High yield notes:

· FAWZIA SHEETS (can be downloaded freely over the internet). Sometimes the same questions will appear in your exam, but the options can be changed. So it is essential to understand the basic concept before you answer the question.

Study partner/ Peer group:

· Always find a study partner. Study partners can be found on the social media like Facebook, WhatsApp, Telegram channel. Preferably find the one who shares the same time zone. Studying with a partner is more yielding than studying alone. Your partner might be able to explain things which you find confusing and vice versa.

· Someone working in the NHS as a doctor (FY1/2 or CT1/2 or doctors who have joined through PLAB) is more familiar to the commonly used terminologies and normal values used in the UK than someone not yet in the UK. You should know the normal values for common tests like Urea, Creatinine, Sodium, Potassium and ABG interpretation.