MRCS Part B

What to Expect on the Day

Most MRCS Part B anxiety comes from the unknown. Here is an honest, clear account of exactly what the circuit looks like from start to finish.

Practise OSCE stations now →
3.5h
Circuit length
18
Examined stations
9 min
Per station
360
Total marks
2
Components to pass independently

The Circuit

You will move through 18 examined stations, each lasting 9 minutes, with 1 minute of reading time before each. There are also preparation stations and one pilot station you will not be told about.

You must pass both components in the same sitting. A strong skills performance cannot rescue a failed knowledge section.

🧠
Knowledge Component
8 stations · 160 marks
Anatomy · Pathology · ASSCC
🩹
Skills Component
10 stations · 200 marks
Communication · Clinical · Procedural

The Five Content Areas

Anatomy
Prosections, bones, radiology, surface anatomy. Pure knowledge, no communication marks.
60
3 stations
Surgical Pathology
Histopathology reports, specimens, microscopy, staging. Interpret findings and link to the patient.
40
2 stations
Applied Surgical Science & Critical Care
ECGs, ABGs, blood results, obs charts. Reason through clinical problems aloud.
60
3 stations
Communication Skills
Double-manned by a surgeon and lay examiner. Breaking bad news, consenting, history taking, handover.
80
4 stations
Clinical & Procedural Skills
Real patients and manikins. Examine, present findings aloud, demonstrate procedures. Never examine silently.
120
6 stations

The Four Marking Domains

1
Clinical knowledge
Accuracy and application of relevant clinical knowledge
2
Clinical skill
Technique, fluency and safety in practical tasks
3
Communication
Clarity, structure, listening and appropriate language
4
Professionalism
Patient safety, decision-making, situational awareness

On the Day

📋
Read the stem
The 1-minute vignette before each station tells you exactly what is being tested. Candidates who skip it lose valuable context.
💬
Think aloud
Examiners award marks for reasoning. If you are unsure, say so and walk through your logic — you can score marks even with an imperfect conclusion.
⏱
Manage your time
Nine minutes is short. If you are stuck, acknowledge it and move on. Do not sacrifice the end of a station chasing one difficult question.
🔄
Move on after a bad station — DON’T GIVE UP
Everyone has one station that goes wrong. This is especially true if you start on the pathology and anatomy sections, which candidates often feel are much harder — but frequently gain more marks in than they expect. The candidates who recover and perform strongly in the next station pass. The ones who carry the previous station into the circuit with them do not.
🤝
Professionalism counts everywhere
Introduce yourself, use hand gel, maintain eye contact. These are marked as part of the professionalism domain in every station.
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Know the circuit before you sit it

MRCS Complete gives you structured, timed OSCE-style scenarios across all five content areas.

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✓All 5 content areas✓Clinical scenario format✓Timed station practice