Previous examination news and dates
Changes to the FRCPath Part 1 examination in immunology
2 October 2023
Subject to approval from the General Medical Council (GMC), changes have been made to the Part 1 examination in immunology.
The examination will now be named the FRCPath Part 1 examination in Allergy and Clinical Immunology/Allergy and Clinical Immunology Certificate Examination (ACICE). The changes to the examination are as below:
- the old format of the examination covered the scientific principles underpinning the practice of clinical and diagnostic immunology, knowledge of the clinical aspects of immunology. The new format of the examination reflects the new allergy and immunology curriculum and will instead cover aspects of clinical knowledge in allergy and clinical immunology.
- the old format of the examination contained a mixture of short note style questions and structured essay style questions. The new format of the examination now consists of 2 question papers that consist of short answer questions.
- candidates should apply for either the FRCPath Part 1 examination in Allergy and Clinical Immunology or the ACICE. Please read the attached statement for guidance on which examination you should apply for.
Please see the statement below, which contains further information on dates for the examination, as well as the application period for each exam and guidance on which examination you should take. Once the GMC have provided approval of the new format, the specialty page will be updated with further information on the new format as well as sample questions.
Changes to the FRCPath Part 2 examination in virology
20 June 2023
Following approval from the GMC in June 2023, changes have been made to the FRCPath Part 2 examination in virology with effect from the autumn 2023 sitting of the examination.
The examination will now comprise 3 components taken on a single day as follows:
- objective structured practical examination (OSPE), comprising 15 stations taken over the course of 135 minutes (similar to the current OSPACE 1)
- complex clinical scenarios, comprising 3 long cases taken over the course of 90 minutes (similar to the current OSPACE 2 written)
- oral, comprising 4 stations of 15 minutes duration each (similar to the current OSPACE 2 verbal).
Please see the following document for more information.
The Virology examination page and specialty-specific Regulations & guidelines page will be updated shortly to reflect these changes.
Clinical biochemistry Part 2 old format oral examination
1 July 2022
The last sitting for the old format Part 2 oral examination only in clinical biochemistry for those candidates who have sat the old format written and practical Part 1 will be autumn 2023. After this time, candidates who have sat the old format Part 1 will be transferred to the Part 2 module 1 and 2 structure.
Entry criteria for veterinary pathology Part 2 changes for autumn 2022
22 June 2022
Veterinary pathology Part 2 candidates will now need to complete an observed necropsy before entry can be confirmed for the Part 2 examination. Please refer to the specialty regulations on the website.
Examination arrangements for spring 2022
25 November 2021
In spring 2022, the following examinations will be offered using online delivery to candidates:
- all available Part 1 specialties (please see Appendix 3 in the Regulations & guidelines for whether your specialty is offered in the spring)
- Certificate in Medical Genetics
- Combined Infection Certificate Examination (CICE)
- Diploma in Dermatopathology written examination.
All Part 2 examinations, the Certificate in Higher Autopsy Training (CHAT) and practical Diploma examinations will continue to be held offline in person.
Please see the document below for more information on the online examination platform.
Examination arrangements for autumn 2021 – update
29 June 2021
We are planning to return all Part 2 examinations, practical Diploma examinations, the CHAT and the Certificate in Higher Cervical Cytopathology Training (CHCCT) to offline delivery this autumn 2021, subject to any COVID-19 restrictions. The Part 1 will remain online, as per our earlier update. Candidates outside the UK are welcome to apply for these exams, but will be subject to all travel restrictions or quarantine requirements in place from the UK government at the time of the exam.
Transfusion science examinations
21 June 2021
From 2022, the transfusion science examinations will return to the following pattern:
- the Part 1 examination will be offered once a year in autumn
- the Part 2 examination will be offered once a year in spring.
This pattern was interrupted in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. We apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused.
Changes to the FRCPath Part 2 examination in medical microbiology
26 May 2021
Following approval from the GMC in May 2021, changes have been made to the FRCPath Part 2 examination in medical microbiology with effect from the autumn 2021 sitting of the examination. We intend to return to running this examination in person from autumn 2021.
The examination will now comprise 2 papers taken on a single day as follows:
- paper 1: written paper comprising 10 SAQs and 5 complex scenario questions
- paper 2: OSPE comprising 15 stations including face-to-face questions.
Please see the following document for more information.
The Medical microbiology examination page and Regulations & guidelines page will be updated to reflect these changes shortly.
Changes to the FRCPath Part 2 clinical biochemistry (module 1) examination
28 April 2021
The College is pleased to officially confirm that we have received regulatory approval from the GMC for the proposed adaptations to the Part 2 clinical biochemistry (module 1) examination. The College have had to make the following changes to the examination due to restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic:
- the OSPE portion of the examination, which previously took place in-person at an examination centre, is now being moved online to be taken via TestReach including the communication station
- the bench practical examination will also take place online. The practical previously consisted of sections A (experimental planning), B (data analysis) and C (wet practical), but will now consist of sections A and B only. Section C has been removed as the elements of section C that required the actual performing of an experiment could not take place due to COVID-19 restrictions. These elements have been incorporated into section A, with a 'knows-how' assessment of performing an experiment being added to section A. Additional time has been added to account for these changes.
Candidates have been notified by the College of these changes.
Spring 2021 examination attempts
3 March 2021
Temporary derogation regarding examination attempt numbers
In recognition of the ongoing pandemic and the challenges this presents for all candidates, the College has agreed a continuation of the temporary derogation regarding attempt numbers.
Where a candidate may be unsuccessful in their attempt at an examination in spring 2021 this will not be counted towards their overall attempts as follows:
- for candidates on their first, second or third attempt, their attempt number would also be the same for their next sitting
- for candidates on their fourth attempt, their attempt number would also be the same for their next sitting and they would not need to apply to Council for permission to resit
- for candidates who have been granted permission by Council to sit the examination for a fifth or sixth attempt, they will not need to reapply for permission to resit their following attempt only.
This derogation is applicable to candidates sitting an examination in any format in the spring 2021 examination session.
Part 2 written options change
2 September 2020
Candidates are required to submit their finished project no more than 3 years after the original proposal is accepted by the College. Under current guidance, candidates who do not submit within this time are required to apply for an extension or submit a new proposal.
In order to align arrangements for Higher Specialist Scientist Training (HSST) and non-HSST clinical scientist candidates, the College guidance document for Part 2 written options will be updated to recommend that candidates experiencing an interruption to their training programme should submit a request to the College for the 3-year deadline to be paused for an appropriate length of time. Examples as to when this may be appropriate include parental leave, redeployment under COVID-19 or significant family care issues.
Autumn examinations Q&A
21 August 2020
View the questions that were answered at the webinar held on Friday 7 August.
Candidate conduct
16 September 2019
While the vast majority of candidates behave with complete integrity, following some recent incidents candidates are reminded that when they apply to sit one of the College's examinations they agree to abide by the examinations regulations and guidelines.
These regulations and guidelines include a candidate misconduct policy. Candidate misconduct can take many forms, including memorising questions from an examination and reproducing them elsewhere (regardless of whether this is done for profit).
The College owns the copyright for its examination questions. Unauthorised reproduction of examination questions will be treated as breach of copyright and candidate misconduct.
Penalties for proven candidate misconduct can include declaring the result of an exam void, barring a candidate from applying for College examinations for a specified period, and reporting details of the misconduct to the GMC, Health and Care Professional Council or equivalent regulatory body. Where the College's intellectual property has been infringed, the College also reserves the right to initiate civil proceedings, criminal prosecution or both.
Current and potential examination candidates are strongly encouraged to familiarise themselves with the College's examination regulations and guidelines, which can he found here.
Changes to the Part 2 examination in immunology
9 May 2019
The FRCPath Part 2 immunology examination comprises 3 parts: a practical examination, an oral examination and a written project.
The GMC has approved the following changes for candidates in a UK medical training programme:
Trainees with a Certificate of Completion of Training date on or before 30 April 2020
The examination format is unchanged. Trainees must pass the FRCPath Part 2 immunology examination including the written option as part of the FRCPath Part 2 exam in order to be eligible for a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) in immunology.
Trainees with a CCT date on or after 1 May 2020
Trainees must pass the FRCPath Part 2 examination but this does not need to include the written option. Trainees will, however, need to demonstrate that they have completed all relevant work place-based assessments (which will be checked at annual review of competence progression) in order to be eligible for a CCT in immunology.
Arrangements for clinical scientists sitting this examination are unchanged.
Changes to the Part 1 examination in clinical biochemistry
23 October 2017
From autumn 2018, the Royal College of Pathologists will introduce a new format for the FRCPath Part 1 clinical biochemistry examination. The new examination will comprise a single paper of 125 multiple choice questions in single best answer format.
Changes to the Part 1 examination in veterinary clinical pathology
1 September 2017
From spring 2019, there will be a change in the format of the Part 1 examination in veterinary clinical pathology. The examination will comprise two 3-hour papers, each consisting of 20 structured short answer questions. Sample questions and some further guidance can be found in the documents below.
Changes to the genetics examinations
15 December 2016
From 2018, candidates who have been successful in the Part 1 practical examination will continue to proceed to the Part 2 oral examination. Candidates who are successful in the written examination but not the practical examination will proceed to a new format Part 2 oral and practical examination in combined genetics regardless of the written paper taken. The Part 1 written examination will be available in the autumn session only and the Part 2 practical and oral in the spring session only. The Part 1 examination will be offered in combined genetics only. The standard of the practical in Part 2 will be comparable to the practical in Part 1.
The Part 2 oral examination in clinical cytogenetics and molecular genetics will be available until spring 2020.
The Part 2 examination will be modularised so candidates will have the option to sit their practical and oral components in separate sittings and in an order that best fits their training. Candidates will no longer need to have passed their Part 2 written option before proceeding to the Part 2 oral/practical or oral examination but must have their project proposal approved prior to the closing deadline for the examination session in which they wish to sit.
Reproductive science (formerly clinical embryology)
30 November 2016
Candidates who have previously taken and passed the Part 1 practical examination will be eligible to proceed to the Part 2 oral examination until autumn 2020. This will be offered in both sessions.
Candidates who have passed the Part 1 written examination but not the Part 1 practical examination will proceed to the new format Part 2 oral and practical examination, details of which are available on the specialty page for Reproductive science.
Candidates will no longer need to have passed their Part 2 written option before proceeding to the Part 2 oral/practical or oral examination but must have their project proposal approved prior to the closing deadline for the examination session in which they wish to sit.
Changes to the histocompatibility and immunogenetics examinations
30 November 2016
From 2018, candidates who have been successful in the Part 1 practical examination will continue to proceed to the Part 2 oral examination. Candidates who are successful in either the new format written examination or the old format written examination but not the practical examination will proceed to a new format Part 2 oral and practical examination.
Candidates will no longer need to have passed their Part 2 written option before proceeding to the Part 2 oral/practical or oral examination; however, from spring 2020 they must have their project proposal approved prior to the closing deadline for the examination session in which they wish to sit.
Confirmation of routes to FRCPath Part 2 examination in molecular pathology
3 March 2016
We have produced guidance on routes to the FRCPath Part 2 examination in molecular pathology. Full details can be found on the Molecular pathology specialty page.