Intercollegiate Membership examination of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons (MRCS Part A)

MRCS Part A Examination on 16th May 2023.

The registration window for the MRCS Part A Examination with Pearson VUE will open on 03rd April (at approximately 6am BST time) and close on the 14th April 2023.

MRCS Part A examination

We are pleased to announce that the MRCS Part A examination will be delivered on-screen in partnership with Pearson VUE, using their network of computer-based test centres around the world. You will need to book and attend a Pearson VUE test centre to sit your MRCS Part A examination. This webpage provides you with further information about this process.

Scheduling Your MRCS Part A Examination With Pearson VUE

Before using this website to schedule your examination, you must have successfully applied to sit the MRCS Part A with one of the four Surgical Royal Colleges of the United Kingdom and in Ireland.

Within approximately 3 weeks of the examination application deadline, you will receive an email from Pearson VUE telling you how to book your examination test centre. You will have a specific dated schedule window from receiving this email in which you need to log in to the Pearson VUE portal on this webpage and book your seat at an available Pearson VUE test centre. If you do not book a test centre seat during this window, you will not be able to take the examination. During this window, you can schedule, reschedule or cancel your test centre seat booking. We encourage you to book your test centre seat as soon as possible as there may be a limited number of seats available at certain locations, and these will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

Candidates should be aware that there is no central list of which test centres are available before the schedule window opens. This is because test centres available will be specific to each examination sitting, and some test centres may become unavailable during the schedule window, if their examination seat capacity is reached.

All test centres available will be shown in the Pearson VUE portal during the specific dated schedule window. Please contact Pearson VUE directly if you have any test centre booking or availability queries.

Cancellation Policy

If cancelling your examination, you should ensure you have read the withdrawal policy in the MRCS Regulations.

If you are withdrawing from the examination on compassionate or medical grounds, in addition to cancelling your test centre seat, you will also need to contact your College of application directly.

If you need to cancel your examination after the College application deadline, you must contact Pearson VUE or access your online Pearson VUE account to cancel your test centre seat within the specific dated examination schedule window.

Preparing For Your Examination

We have created a number of useful resources to support you in preparing for the examination experience on your examination day.

The video below shows what you can expect on your examination day.

Arrival At The Test Centre

We ask that you arrive at the test center 30 minutes before your scheduled examination start time. This will give you adequate time to complete the necessary sign-in procedures. If you arrive more than 15 minutes late from the scheduled examination start time, you may be refused admission.

Admission Policy

You are required to present one form of original (no photocopies), valid (unexpired) ID that includes your name, photograph, and signature. The first and last name that you used to register must match exactly the first and last name on the ID that is presented on test day. All IDs required must be issued by the country in which you are testing. If you do not have the qualifying ID issued from the country you are testing in, a passport from your country of citizenship is required. If you have any questions or concerns about the ID you are required to bring with you to the testing center for admittance for your examination please contact Pearson VUE customer Service at https://home.pearsonvue.com/Test-takers/Customer-service.aspx. To view the full ID policy please visit http://www.pearsonvue.com/policies/2.pdf.

Test accommodations

Accommodations can be provided as part of the reasonable adjustments process enacted by each College. They should be applied for at the point of application for the exam in liaison with the College to which you are applying.