Abstract
I read this book from the perspective of a psychiatric registrar who has recently had the dubious pleasure of sitting the RANZCP written and clinical examinations. I was particularly interested in any pearls of wisdom that would make passing these examinations easier and more reliable than my own technique. I was skeptical about whether a book designed for the British examinations would be relevant to the Australasian setting; however, I was pleased to find that Pass the MRCPsych: Parts I & II is sensible, well organized and useful, albeit with some significant limitations relating to differences in examination structures.
The successfully achieved purpose of the book is not to provide facts and information but rather to learn how to present information learned elsewhere to the examiners in a professional and structured way. There is a strong emphasis on examination technique as a necessary corollary to theoretical knowledge. The exception to this rule is two chapters on critical appraisal, which provide a detailed overview of clinical research methodology and statistical analysis due to the authors’ opinion that a single source succinctly summarizing this information could not be found elsewhere.
There are chapters on exam preparation, learning styles, revision strategies and writing essays, which easily cross the divide between different College examination structures and provide sound technical advice that is relevant to our system. Other chapters require an adaptable reader who can digest the underlying message rather than be distracted by differences in question types. For example, learning how to pass an 8-minute Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) requires some differences in approach to the 20-minute OSCEs found in the Australasian system.
Passing college clinical examinations is a complicated matter. MRCPsych: Parts I & II provides some relevant guidance and is a useful technical aid, particularly in the early stages of the study process.
Ben Beaglehole
Christchurch, New Zealand
© 2007 Ben Beaglehole