MRCP PACES dates and fees 2018 [updated and complete]

Scroll down to find the comprehensive list of MRCP PACES dates for UK and all international centres. These were correct at the time they were published – but we will amend them as the Royal Colleges of Physicians makes updates.

After you have had a look at MRCP PACES dates, why not check out our range of MRCP PACES revision packages? All of have access to our course material – the only difference is the length of your subscription.

If you want to test things out first then feel free to try our free quiz here and/or sign up to our newsletter below to get free MRCP PACES tips, tricks and extra revision material straight to your inbox. Just fill out the form below. It’s free, and you can unsubscribe any time. We never send spam!

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Click to jump straight to the MRCP PACES dates you need to know:

United Kingdom
International exam application periods

Brunei
Egypt
Hong Kong
India – Bengaluru
India – Chennai
India – Kochi
India – Kolkata
India – New Delhi
Kuwait
Malaysia – Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia – Penang
Malta
Myanmar – Mandalay
Myanmar – Yangon, UM1
Myanmar – Yangon, UM2
Myanmar – Yangon, UM2
Oman
Qatar
Singapore
Sri Lanka – Colombo
Sudan
United Arab Emirates – Abu Dhabi
United Arab Emirates – Dubai including Sharjah
United Kingdom

UK centres – MRCP PACES dates – £657 fee:

First exam period

Application period 13th to 27th November 2017

Admission documents sent 8th December 2017

Main assessment period 20th January to 8th April 2018

Second exam period

Application period 26th March to 9th April 2018

Admission documents sent 20th April 2018

Main assessment period 5th June to 5th August 2018

Third exam period

Application period 23rd July to 6th August 2018

Admission documents sent 17th August 2018

Main assessment period 29th September to 2nd December 2018

International centres – MRCP PACES dates – £1,202 fee:

First exam period 2nd to 16th October 2017

Second exam period 5th to 19th February 2018

Third exam period 4th to 18th June 2018

Brunei – £1,202 fee:

First exam period

No exam.

Second exam period

Application period 5th to 19th February 2018

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 2nd to 4th July 2018

Third exam period

Application period 4th to 18th June 2018

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 3rd to 5th December 2018

Egypt- £1,202 fee:

First exam period

Application period 2nd to 16th October 2017

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 3rd to 8th February 2018

Second exam period

Application period 5th to 19th February 2018

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 5th to 10th May 2018

Third exam period

Application period 4th to 18th June 2018

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 13th to 18th October 2018

Hong Kong – HK$ 14,945 fee:

First exam period

Application period 4th to 15th December 2017

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 5th to 9th March 2018

Second exam period

No exam.

Third exam period

Application period 3rd to 16th July 2018

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 8th to 12th October 2018

India centres MRCP PACES dates

India (Bengaluru)- £1,202 fee:

First exam period

Application period 2nd to 16th October 2017

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 15th to 17th March 2018

Second exam period

No exam.

Third exam period

Application period 4th to 18th June 2018

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 20th to 22nd September 2018

India (Chennai)- £1,202 fee:

First exam period

Application period 2nd to 16th October 2017

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 12th to 16th March 2018

Second exam period

No exam.

Third exam period

Application period 4th to 18th June 2018

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 12th to 16th November 2018

India (Kochi)- £1,202 fee:

First exam period

Application period 2nd to 16th October 2017

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 21st to 24th February 2018

Second exam period

No exam.

Third exam period

Application period 4th to 18th June 2018

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 14th to 17th November 2018

India (Kolkata)- £1,202 fee:

First exam period

Application period 2nd to 16th October 2017

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 20th to 22nd April 2018

Second exam period

No exam.

Third exam period

Application period 4th to 18th June 2018

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 14th to 16th December 2018

India (New Delhi)- £1,202 fee:

First exam period

Application period 2nd to 16th October 2017

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 9th to 11th February 2018

Second exam period

No exam.

Third exam period

Application period 4th to 18th June 2018

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 14th to 16th November 2018

Kuwait – £1,202 fee

First exam period

Application period 2nd to 16th October 2017

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 26th to 29th March 2018

Second exam period

No exam.

Third exam period

No exam.

Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur)- £1,202 fee:

First exam period

Application period 2nd to 16th October 2017

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 14th – 18th April 2018

Second exam period

No exam.

Third exam period

Application period 4th to 18th June 2018

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period to be confirmed

Malaysia (Penang)- £1,202 fee:

First exam period

No exam.

Second exam period

Application period 5th to 19th February 2018

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 6th to 8th July 2018

Third exam period

No exam.

Malta- £1,202 fee:

First exam period

Application period 2nd to 16th October 2017

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 14th – 18th April 2018

Second exam period

No exam.

Third exam period

No exam.

Myanmar (Mandalay) – £1,202 fee:

First exam period

Application period 2nd to 16th October 2017

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 12th to 14th March 2018

Second exam period

Application period 5th to 19th February 2018

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 9th to 11th July 2018

Third exam period

No exam.

Myanmar (Yangon UM1) – £1,202 fee:

First exam period

Application period 2nd to 16th October 2017

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 5th to 9th March 2018

Second exam period

No exam.

Third exam period

Application period 4th to 18th June 2018

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 8th to 12th October 2018

Myanmar (Yangon UM2) – £1,202 fee:

First exam period

No exam.

Second exam period

Application period 5th to 19th February 2018

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 23rd to 25th July 2018

Third exam period

No exam.

Oman – £1,202 fee:

First exam period

Application period 2nd to 16th October 2017

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 5th to 9th April 2018

Second exam period

No exam.

Third exam period

Application period 4th to 18th June 2018

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period to be confirmed

Qatar – £1,202 fee:

First exam period

No exam.

Second exam period

Application period 5th to 19th February 2018

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 28th to 30th June 2018

Third exam period

Application period 4th to 18th June 2018

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 6th to 8th December 2018

Singapore – £1,297 fee:

First exam period

No exam.

Second exam period

Application period 5th to 19th February 2018

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 22nd to 26th June 2018

Third exam period

Application period 4th to 18th June 2018

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 19th to 23rd October 2018

Sri Lanka (Colombo) – £1,202 fee:

First exam period

Application period 2nd to 16th October 2017

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 15th to 17th March 2018

Second exam period

No exam.

Third exam period

Application period 4th to 18th June 2018

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 8th to 10th November 2018

Sudan – £1,202 fee:

First exam period

Application period 2nd to 16th October 2017

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 7th to 9th April 2018

Second exam period

No exam.

Third exam period

Application period 4th to 18th June 2018

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 8th to 10th December 2018

United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi) – MRCP PACES dates – £1,202 fee:

First exam period

No exam.

Second exam period

No exam.

Third exam period

Application period 4th to 18th June 2018

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period to be confirmed

United Arab Emirates (Dubai including Sharjah) – MRCP PACES dates – £1,202 fee:

First exam period

Application period 2nd to 16th October 2017

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 12th to 15th February 2018

Second exam period

Application period 5th to 19th February 2018

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 7th to 10th May 2018

Third exam period

Application period 4th to 18th June 2018

Admission documents sent approximately six weeks prior to the exam date

Main assessment period 15th to 18th October 2018

25th September 20174th July 2018

MRCP PACES exam stations overview

There are five MRCP PACES exam stations in each carousel. Each station lasts for twenty minutes with a five minute changeover time between stations. Overall you will be in your exam for approximately two and a half hours, so it is important to be aware that you will be need to be completely focused for that length of time.

At each of the MRCP PACES exam stations two consultant examiners will be observing your consultation, taking notes then testing you with a small number of questions at the end.

So not only do you need to have all your medical knowledge ready, but you need to concentrate for a couple of hours while you have the constant presence of two consultants judging what you do.

I mention this because I want you to remember this not just an exam that can be passed or failed on your knowledge, but how you keep your cool under pressure.

Prepare yourself for this and don’t be caught by surprise!

Clinical Skills Pro MRCP PACES exam stations

So let’s look at each of the MRCP PACES exam stations more closely and learn our top tips for passing each one!

MRCP PACES exam stations – 1 – respiratory and abdominal examinations

Here you have two separate ten minute tests of your ability to examine these systems and correctly identify clinical signs, including a minimum four minute discussion with the examiners about your findings.

Top tips for passing
- Respiratory – make sure you clearly look for extraneous signs in the face and hands for clues to the diagnosis (such as a yellow nails with bronchiectasis or a heliotropic rash in dermatomyositis and pulmonary fibrosis). Also look around the bed area for other clues like inhalers (for the far more common COPD patients).
- Abdominal – do not to forget to palpate at every level of the abdomen i.e. on your knees; otherwise you are not properly examining and don’t forget to palpate and observe the inguinal regions in case there are any renal transplant scars – you do not want to say it is a normal abdomen and miss the most obvious diagnosis.

Station two – history taking skills. This consists of a single twenty minute consultation with an actor (they are usually very convincing) in which you are examined in your ability to take a history, form a differential diagnosis and make a clinical plan while addressing the patient’s concerns.

Top tips for passing
- remember to let the patient or relative talk
- remember to ask about herbal medicines and over-the-counter medications as well as recent changes in doctor prescribed medications and allergies
- there are dozens more tips on our interactive video here —-> History & Communication revision video

MRCP PACES exam stations cardiology neurology

Station three – cardiology and neurological examinations. Here you have two separate ten minute tests of your ability to examine these systems and correctly identify clinical signs, including a minimum four minute discussion with the examiners about your findings.

Top tips for passing
- Cardiology – during the auscultation do not forget to sit the patient forward and listen in expiration in the left lateral position otherwise you might miss the regurgitation murmur.
- Neurology – you do not have enough time to do an entire neurological examination (and you will not be expected to) so do the part of the exam that is most pertinent to your patient.

Station four – communication skills and ethics. This station assesses your ability to guide an interview with a patient, family member or other individual while communicating clinical information and applying your knowledge of ethical considerations to a given scenario.

Top tips for passing
- Listen to your patient/relative, don’t assume anything and empathise with their situation.
- Again have a look at our history and communications video —->History & Communication revision video

MRCP PACES exam stations communication skills

MRCP PACES exam stations brief clinical encounter

Station five – integrated clinical assessment. This station is the newest component of the PACES examination, and puts you under some time pressure. You must take a brief focused history, conduct a targeted physical examination (at the same time), and identify and respond to patient concerns – all in eight minutes! In the remaining two minutes you need to summarise your findings to the examiners and propose a plan.

Top tips for passing
- You are against the clock! This is the part of PACES where you have to be the most efficient.
- Practice your examinations until you can do them correctly without thinking. Once you start your station 5 exam you can concentrate on doing the most important parts and getting to a diagnosis without worrying about whether you are doing it right.

Top tips for the discussion

At the end of each of the MRCP PACES exam stations there is time for the examiners to ask you questions. One thing that I have observed when coaching people through their exam is that candidates do not volunteer information.

Remember: Whatever question the examiners ask you should expand your answers and volunteer information. The worst thing you can do is wait to be asked – the examiners may assume that anything you don’t say you don’t know. For example, if you are giving a diagnosis or differential expand your answer and explain how you would exclude each of these. Besides, there is only a short amount of time for this part of the exam. The more you talk about what you know there is less time for the examiners to potentially ask you a question that you don’t know the answer to.

I hope this post outlining the MRCP PACES exam stations has helped. However, always remember:

The examiners have one question that they are asking of you, the ultimate PACES question.

The Clinical Skills Pro course goes into each of these MRCP PACES exam stations in depth helping you to be prepared for your exam day.

The examiners meet briefly after you depart to discuss the exam progress, and may already have a clear idea about whether you have passed or failed. However, you will have to wait a number of weeks to find out how it went while the RCP conducts a moderation exercise across centres to ensure fairness and consistency.

GOOD LUCK!

7th August 201718th October 2017

Free Station 2 and 4 History & Communications Interactive Video

There are some common anxieties that come up again and again when doctors talk about preparing for their MRCP PACES exams. One of them is how do you pass station 2 and 4 history and communication skills. These are the stations that most non-UK candidates fail on, and is anxiety-inducing because almost anything can turn up.

At Clinical Skills Pro we are constantly updating and improving our revision course content so you can be in the best position to pass. The video above is a free interactive station 2 and 4 history and communication skills revision video written and produced by Dr Nidhi Gupta, in partnership with other consultants and course educators who have all taken and passed their MRCP PACES exam. It is interactive so you can expand on points that are relevant to you.

We have other videos and articles about the PACES exam that you can access via our blog and newsletter so follow us for the latest updates.

18th July 201718th October 2017

No.3 | Mini quiz – Station 3

Another new quick MRCP PACES scenario for you to try your knowledge. Click on the button below to take you to the interactive quiz.

11th July 201718th October 2017

No.2 | Mini Quiz– Station1

Another new quick MRCP PACES scenario for you to try your knowledge. Click on the button below to take you to the interactive quiz.