The exam incorporates both examination of the candidate's knowledge of basic medical sciences as well as testing the clinical skills required for the diagnosis and management of disease.
Obtaining the "MRCP(UK)" is a prerequisite to anyone wishing to go on to a specialist training post as a Physician in the United Kingdom.
Various companies, including the Royal Colleges themselves, have developed preparatory courses that focus on the nature of the questions and the required background knowledge.
The ultimate objective is to ensure that NHS consultants have demonstrated their acquisition of sufficient knowledge in their chosen specialty to practice safely and competently.
This will bring the assessment of physicians in training in the UK into line with those training in North America, where most specialist trainees sit a specialist examination as a further test of excellence, usually after having acquired certification in Internal Medicine.
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