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The MRCPCH Clinical exam is the final step towards achieving the membership of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. It is a thorough evaluation of your practical paediatric skills, clinical reasoning, and communication. Most candidates consider it the toughest step in the MRCPCH journey, but with the right strategy, it can become your biggest success.

The aim of this exam is to evaluate whether candidates have the clinical skills needed to move on to level 2 of training. Remember, RCPCH’s aim is not to find outstanding candidates. They are looking for the candidates who meet the required standard (ST4).

MRCPCH Clinical exam format

 As we discussed earlier, the exam tests how you can apply your knowledge in real-life scenarios. During the exam, you will engage in a circuit of 10 stations. Each station will be overseen by trained examiners who will assess your performance. Some stations may feature children, young individuals, or adults acting as patients or family members.

Exam format: Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE)

Number of stations: 10

Exam duration: 2 hours and 40 minutes (approximately)

In the MRCPCH Clinical exam, candidates are expected to showcase proficiency in the following areas.

• Communication
• Establishing rapport with children, parents/carers and colleagues
• History-taking
• Management planning
• Physical examination
• Clinical reasoning- Organisation of thoughts and actions
• Child development
• Recognition of acute illness
• Professional behaviour/ethical practice

Must-practice scenarios

• Acute respiratory distress: Recognise, assess, and manage paediatric respiratory emergencies effectively.
• Seizures and neurology cases: From febrile seizures to complex neurological presentations, structured assessment is crucial.
• Neonatal emergencies: Immediate stabilisation and problem-solving for newborns in critical condition.
• Cardiac presentations: Identifying murmurs, cyanosis, and managing congenital heart disease presentations.
• Gastrointestinal emergencies: Vomiting, diarrhoea, dehydration, and abdominal emergencies.
• Growth and development concerns: Interpreting developmental milestones, growth charts, and recognising delays.
• Chronic illness management: Asthma, diabetes, renal and haematology disorders: monitoring and counselling.
• Ethical and communication scenarios: Breaking bad news, counselling parents, and consent discussions.

We hope this information was helpful for you. Try to cover all these areas thoroughly and attempt timed mock exams to improve confidence for the exam.

If you have any doubts regarding the exam or need help with exam preparation, you can reach out to the StudyMRCPCH team at any time. We offer expert-led preparatory courses for the MRCPCH clinical exam to help candidates clear the exam on their first attempt. And the best part is that our success rate stands at 93% over the last three years.

You can even explore our high-quality study materials, curated by our expert panel of mentors, for free through the StudyMEDIC LMS 3.0 before enrolling in the course. You are welcome to know more about our courses.

Connect with our team today to know more about our courses.

Authored By: Sarath