Intercollegiate FRCS Update

David Ward

Council & Chairman JCIE

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

Section 2

• patient-based (clinicals)• 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

FRCS Section 1: 2009

Specialty Number sitting

Pass mar

k

Passes

Kuder-Richardson

KR20 Cardiothoracic 13

1463.5

4 65.9

0

68%50%

.921

.887

General 110128110

62.45

61.82

61.56

77%77%69%

.848

.903

.903

Neurosurgery 2919

58.95

70.21

90%42%

.844

.889

Otolaryngology

5957

60.01

59.49

80%75%

.894

.920

Section 1: 2009Specialty Numbe

r sitting Pass mar

k

Passes KR20

OMFS 1315

69.36

70.68

69%100%

.864

.758

Paediatric Surgery

128

65.90

64.69

50%50%

.887

.873

Plastic Surgery

3940

63.07

64.13

69%75%

.932

.923

T & O 156123

62.64

63.50

67%80%

.917

.937

Urology 5134

60.01

66.38

84%66%

.898

.902

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%

- - 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%

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

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

New Regulations

• Section 1• 2 years from 1st attempt, max 4 attempts in that

time, no re-entry

• Section 2• max 3 attempts, no re-entry