MRCS can be attempted at any level regardless of clinical experience. Find a partner to motivate you and go through the vivas with you. Find a group to go for tutorials with and to share resources. My personal combination if I were to do it all over again? I would spend about 3 months to prepare - see the bottom for my recommended resources depending on the time you have. The first month would be spent borrowing books, getting past year accounts from seniors and asking around for tutors. The hardcore mugging part should be about 2 months. Plan it well and this would allow you a comfortable amount of time to study. You can still go in to the exams feeling like you have owned every question. 1 to 1.5 months of total prep time is a bit tight and I hate the shitty demoralising feeling that comes with under-preparation. Its a very expensive exam after-all and you want to tell yourself that you have truly tried your best.
Anatomy/pathology is a hard subject but if you follow the recommendations and looked through the Past year accounts (on this website), you will score nearly the full marks. Pathology requires hard-core mugging. Go research stuff as books can be very wrong (esp with cancer staging). Level of detail required is high (e.g. including all ligaments of the foot such as the 4 ligaments that make up the deltoid ligament of the foot or the different parts of sciatic nerve that innervate the different heads of the biceps femoris)
Critical care was the section I found to be the hardest in terms of preparation despite having done an ICU stint before and consequently spent the bulk of my time dedicated to this. The content is quite broad and there is no structured text like anatomy. I used Cracking and Kanani but the books alone however are not enough and more of a hit-miss. Kanani's topics are arranged in alphabetical order which drove me crazy. The Past year accounts (on this website) has thus far been the most useful source for Critical Care as it gives many common scenarios to be mugged thoroughly. I made tonnes of notes for this topic based on the web, books and Past year accounts (on this website). Again, doing the past year questions (on this website) and mugging essential books/research will let you score almost the full marks.
Clinical skills require some love and practice, especially if you are rusty. Andre's notes are gold for the knowledge required in the clinical stations. This part got me down in the exam and was my weakest score (I had a hard time catheterising the mannequin somehow) but the stations in general are very easy compared to part 3. If anything I thought this was very easy but was afraid that I would fail because of the one unfortunate doomed station which most other people did well in; somehow they let me clear this broad content area by a surprisingly good margin despite the hiccup. RCS is trying to make the physical examination stations much harder after feedback that the previous ones were really easy.
Communications can be mugged despite the opinions of many who believe it is a gift. I prepared speeches for calling consultants, radiologists, counseling Jehovah's witnesses and taking consent for multiple procedures to minimise the chances of being stunned in the exam. This process actually forces you to go through the common things that you should be doing anyway in clinical practice; the structured format you have in your head should benefit you in future too.
"One-ring-to-rule-them-all" questions
No way to prepare for these ownage questions except having a good broad-based knowledge. Chances are if you finished Cracking, Dr Exam, Andre's and all the other necessary prep and still cannot answer these questions, then other people probably are not able to as well.
Essential
1. Sensible clothes. This includes shoes that you can actually walk in (especially for the girls). Long sleeve shirts need to be folded up such that you are bare below the elbows.
2. Pen. RCS says they will provide but there are a number of incidents where the prior candidate stole the pen!
3. Watch. If you are bringing one, make sure to put it somewhere other than your wrist to meet the 'bare below the elbows' requirement (guys can strap it to their belt)
Optional
These are things that RCS says they will provide for all stations that require them.
1. Stethoscope. I only trust my own stethoscope when it comes to murmurs. Do you really want to listen through that dingy one they provided?
2. Measuring tape. I used mine during my exam. More comfortable that way for my ortho exam.
Others - tendon tapper/orange stick/red hat pin. I borrowed their tendon tapper during my thyroid status examination and I can vouch for the existence of all these items which will remain hidden from view till requested (e.g. doppler ultrasound). Ask and you shall receive.
1 - 1.5 months to prepare
Time is really tight. Cracking and Kanani would be too much details (bonus marks) but you just want to pass right? Anatomy cannot be skimped as you cannot conjure knowledge from your ass. Only time for 1 clinical book - use Dr Exam Book 2 and pray that it works. Clinical tutorials are a luxury you probably do not have time for. Prof Raj's tutorial should be attended still to maximise your chances but many have gone in for the exam without it. Read all the Past year accounts (on this website) first! Questions are often repeated. Google the answers!
Anatomy - Overstall, Harold Ellis, Netters, Prof Raj
Dr Exam Books 1 and 2
Andre
Past year accounts (on this website)
2 - 3 months to prepare
Most people plan with this time frame (factoring in daily work and no study leave). You can afford to read cracking and kanani and gain a better understanding of things. You can compare the steps of Dr Exam Book 2 and Catherine Parchment Smith.
Anatomy - Overstall, Harold Ellis, Netters, Prof Raj, Stuart Currie, Rohen
Dr Exam Books 1 and 2
Cracking
Kanani Crit Care
Andre
Catherine Parchment Smith
Past year accounts (on this website)
Clinical tutorials
4 - 5 months to prepare
You have too much time and it affords the luxury to study books which may not be that useful.
Anatomy - Overstall, Harold Ellis, Netters, Prof Raj, Stuart Currie, Rohen
Dr Exam Books 1 and 2
Cracking
Kanani Crit Care
Andre
Catherine Parchment Smith
Ramachandran
Goodfellow
Past year accounts (on this website)
Clinical tutorials
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