1. Intercollegiate FRCS Update
David Ward
Council & Chairman JCIE

2. FRCS
Section 1
2 papers, single best answer and extended matching
must pass to proceed to part 2
3 years from 1st attempt
Section 2
structured interviews on clinical topics
scenario-based (orals) & patient-based (clinicals)
exact style specialty-based
3 attempts, then restart part 1

3. Section 2 patient-based (clinicals) scenario-based (orals): 2 - 4
long & short in CT, neuro, OMFS, paed, plastics,
short & intermediateT&O
short: all
ENT: practical x1
scenario-based (orals): 2 - 4
general surgery: academic x1

4. FRCS Section 1: 2009 Specialty Number sitting Pass mark Passes
Kuder-Richardson KR20
Cardiothoracic 13 14
68%
50%
.921
.887
General
110
128
62.45
61.82
61.56
77%
69%
.848
.903
Neurosurgery 29 19
58.95
70.21
90%
42%
.844
.889
Otolaryngology 59 57
60.01
59.49
80%
75%
.894
.920

5. Section 1: 2009 Specialty Number sitting Pass mark Passes KR20 OMFS 1315
69.36
70.68
69%
100%
.864
.758
Paediatric Surgery 12 8
65.90
64.69
50%
.887
.873
Plastic Surgery 39 40
63.07
64.13
75%
.932
.923
T & O
156
123
62.64
63.50
67%
80%
.917
.937
Urology 51 34
60.01
66.38
84%
66%
.898
.902

6. Section 2 Pass Rates: 2009 Type 1 Out of Training Overall
Cardiothoracic
90% 88%
71% 100%
75% 76%
General Surgery
77% 86%
82%
42% 38%
29%
68% 68%
64%
Neurosurgery
87% 89%
47% 25%
66% 50%
OMFS
89% 94%
Otolaryngology
74% 70%
19% 11%
60% 52%
Paediatric Surgery
58% 82%
20% 25%
47% 67%
Plastic Surgery
73% 57%
30% 8%
63% 40%
T & O
79% 81%
79% 89%
35% 34%
55% 30%
64% 56%
69% 72%
Urology
89% 95%
37% 41%
69% 65%

7. FRCS: costs £1795: part 1 £520 part 2 £1275
not for profit: turnover £2.2m, surplus £150K
investment for changes++
questions expensive to produce: examiners & staff
standard setting
IT investment: e.g. question bank software £35K

8. Recent developments on-line applications (£173k)
question bank software (£40k)
oral question bank, images
computer based testing
IQA
examiner & assessor training
general & vascular surgery – work in progress

9. New Regulations Section 1 Section 2
2 years from 1st attempt, max 4 attempts in that time, no re-entry
Section 2
max 3 attempts, no re-entry