Everyone learns differently and there is no single way to revise for MRCOG Part 2 but here are some helpful tips from successful candidates.
- Read the syllabus
The MRCOG Part 2 syllabus sets out what is expected of candidates and is helpfully subdivided by knowledge area into key topics. Make sure you are very familiar with this – most candidates fail because they do not have sufficient depth of knowledge despite the syllabus making the requirements very clear.
- Make a list of everything you need to read
We have created an extensive reading list of all the latest guidelines to help you and we aim to update this every 6 months to ensure that it is up-to-date.
There is no single textbook for the MRCOG Part 2 and book-based learning is not enough for this exam. Questions will be based on the latest evidence as described in the most recent guidelines. As a minimum, we recommend reading:
- All RCOG Green Top Guidelines
- All RCOG Scientific Impact Papers, Good Practice, Clinical Governance and Consent advice
- All relevant Obstetrics and Gynaecology NICE guidelines
- Recent TOG articles from the previous four years
- Specific specialist guidelines, such as BHIVA, BASHH, NHSCSP and BGCS
For some specialist areas without specific guidelines, we recommend using the RCOG StratOG modules. It may be helpful to have a reference textbook for some aspects of the curriculum. We recommend the following:
- Sexual and Reproductive Health at a Glance – C. Melville (2015)
- A very useful, inexpensive and easy to read summary of sexual and reproductive health, including contraception. The BASHH guidelines are extremely long and can be hard to read and this book contains all the required knowledge in a more accessible format and style.
- Williams Gynecology Third Edition – Hoffman, Schorge et al. (2016)
- Not essential to purchase – we recommend borrowing this book from the library as it is expensive. It contains beautifully drawn diagrams of all gynaecological operations and procedures which are helpful for understanding less common procedures mentioned in the literature but rarely seen in clinical practice.
- Managing Obstetric Emergencies and Trauma: The MOET Course Manual Paperback – Paterson-Brown & Howell (2016)
- Clear well-structured book describing management of every obstetric emergency. Although most senior registrars will take the MOET course in their final two years of training, the manual is a useful adjunct to revision. Not essential to purchase and expensive but often colleagues or departments may have a copy available.
- Access everything you need to read
We have provided direct links to all the relevant guidelines and articles, in parallel with our suggested reading list. Having all of the material available allows you to plan your revision schedule and refer quickly to the relevant guideline if needed. We recommend organizing your revision materials by knowledge area to make it easier to find a particular guideline quickly.
- Make a schedule for revision
There is an enormous amount of material to read when preparing for MRCOG Part 2 and this can be daunting. We suggest making a schedule to plan your revision, aiming to have read all of the recommended reading materials at least two months prior to the exam. Many revision courses will take place at this point, providing an ideal boost to your revision. You can then focus your revision in the last two months, making sure you have retained the knowledge from all your hard work and practice your exam technique using an online revision website.
One way to break the material down is to revise by knowledge. We recommend starting with the smaller and often less familiar modules such as Subfertility, Urogynaecology, Gynaecological Oncology and Early Pregnancy. Candidates are often weaker in the gynaecology aspects of the syllabus, having more clinical experience in obstetrics. Starting with these modules gives more time to identify and improve weak areas and it also helps with motivation to finish a module and check it off your revision schedule.
- Summarize important guidelines
Guidelines can be very long and wordy and it can be helpful to make shorter succinct summaries with the relevant important points. This allows you to revise quickly later on, just prior to the exam. When making a summary, make sure that you are capturing the important points that may come up in questions.
- Go on a revision course
There are several MRCOG Part 2 revision courses available and attending one can be a valuable addition to personal study. Many are now run virtually which is helpful for busy candidates. A revision course cannot replace time spent acquiring the required knowledge, nor should it attempt to. A good course can highlight knowledge gaps, improve exam technique and act as a boost to motivation. Some offer shorter intensive question based teaching while others run longer programmes of lectures. Different courses will suit different candidates so we recommend knowing what each course is offering and being clear about what you hope to achieve by attending. For example, shorter intensive courses may be particularly helpful in the run up to the exam. Longer courses may allow you to get fully immersed in acquiring the knowledge without any distractions.
- Use an online revision website
Online revision websites are extremely useful, allowing candidates to test their knowledge depth, identify any gaps and become familiar with the format of the exam. The ideal revision website should have an extensive and regularly updated question bank, specifically written for the exam in the correct exam format. However some revision websites have become out-of-date with questions based on previous editions of guidelines or written in an obsolete format rather than SBAs and EMQs – make sure that any online revision website you use is current and up to date.
- Revise with your study buddy
Finding time to revise with your study buddy is important but it can be hard to arrange to meet up if you are working in different hospitals with busy on call commitments. One solution is to arrange a time to communicate via Zoom, Microsoft Teams or similar internet video conferencing – this allows you to use the time effectively without wasting time travelling to meet up. We suggest agreeing a weekly topic or specific set of guidelines to revise and then meeting or video-conferencing with your study buddy to go through some practice questions on an online revision website.
- Use your time effectively
MRCOG Part 2 is a clinical examination. Finding spare time to sit down and revise is necessary but try to use your clinical time to acquire knowledge. For example, you may see an interesting case during your working day and be unfamiliar with best practice management. Be sure to look up and read the relevant guideline and consolidate the knowledge later on in the evening. Make the most of your commuting time by listening to revision podcasts. The key is to be as efficient as possible – be creative and maximize your time spent revising.