MRCOphth clinical experience

**The Clinical Examination**
New Part 3 MRCOphth examination . The changes are : a more standardized and objective assessment a more formal assessment of communication skills assessment by 12 rather than 4 examiners in the clinical section requirement for fewer patients and more efficient use of their time detailed feedback of performance for candidates who fail. The examination now consists of: . 1. An extended matching question paper of 40 questions over a 3 hour period The questions will be divided as follows: 20 general ophthalmology questions 20 medicine and neurology in relation to ophthalmology questions. 2. A constructed response paper of 4 questions and a structured oral in pathology and microbiology. . 3. A multi-station clinical examination, which consists of six stations: Station 1 Anterior segment disorders (including adnexal, corneal and lens disorders) . Station 2 Ocular motility and neuro-ophthalmology . Station 3 Ophthalmology and medicine (including endocrine disease and inflammatory eye disease) . Station 4 Posterior segment disorders . Station 5 Glaucoma, cataract and visual fields . Station 6 Communication skills These may change in future examination and it is wise to always get the most up-to-date information from the College.

Clinical Examination Pearls

Practice makes perfect. Learn the most common techniques until you can perform

The following are common mistakes in the examination:

Failure of observation

for example anisocoria, heterochromia

Figure 1. Look at this patient's eyes.
What further examination would you like to perform?
Click here for the answers.

2. Failure to examine the eye thoroughly
for example adrenochrome, trabeculectomy or subtarsal fibrosis

3. Premature termination of examination
for example failure to spot a second abnormality (Figure 1)

Figure 2.
An example of dual pathology which the candidate may fail to spot
as the attention is drawn to the obvious in this case a choroidal
naevus. The patient also has a macular hole.

Incomplete examination

for example in ocular motility examination failure to perform the saccades or

convergence

5. Poor examination techniques
for example stand in front of the patient while testing the pupil response to light


Colleagues who have just sat the examination provide the best source of information, the following cases are the experience of past candidates which will provide you some ideas about the types ofcases seen and the standard expected:(Please email your experience to me)

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Candidate 1 passed (Aberdeen, 1996)	Candidate 2 passed (Edinburgh, 1998)	Candidate 3 passed (Newcastle, 1998)	Candidate 4 passed (Newcastle, 1998)
Candidate 5 failed (Liverpool, 1999)	Candidate 6 passed (FRCS, 1999)	Candidate 7 failed (Moorfields, 2000)	Candidate 8 failed (Moorfields, 2000)
Candidate 9 passed (Moorfields, 2000)	Candidate 10 failed (Glasglow, 2000)	Candidate 11 passed (Glasglow, 2000)	Candidate 12 passed (Glasgow, 2000)
Candidate 13 passed (MRCS, 2000)	Candidate 14 passed (Cardiff, 2001)	Candidate 15 failed (Cardiff, 2001)	Candidate 16 passed (Cardiff, 2001)
Candidate 17 passed (Cardiff, 2001)	4 candidates' experience in FRCS 2000	Candidate 18 passed (Manchester, 2001)	Candidate 19 passed (Manchester, 2001)
Candidate 20 FRCS (GLS) passed (India Feb 2002)	Candidate 21 passed (Sheffield , 2002)	Candidate 22 MRCS passed Singapore, Mar,02	Candidate 23 FRCS (Gls) passed 2002
Candidate 24 passed (MRCS 2002)	Candidate 25 failed (Cambridge 2002)	Candidate 26 passed (Cambridge 2002)	Candidate 27 passed (Cambridge 2002)
Candidate 28 passed (New Dehli 2002)	Candidate 29 passed (Hyderabad 2003)	Candidate 30 passed (Bristol 2003)	Candidate 31 failed (Bristol 2003)
Candidate 32 passed (Bristol 2003)	Candidate 33 passed (MRCSEd 2003)	Candidate 34 passed (Bristol 2003)	Candidate 35 passed (FRCS Glasgow 03)
Candidate 36 passed (FRCS Glasgow 03)	Candidate 37 passed (MRCSEd 2003)	Candidate 38 passed (Dundee 2003)	Candidate 39 passed (Dundee 2003)
Candidate 40 passed (Dundee 2003)	Candidate 41 passed Final FRCS (Jordan, Dec. 2003)	Candidate 42 Passed (York Mar. 2004)	Candidate 43 Final MRCOphth (York. Mar. 2004)
Candidate 44 Final FRCS (Glasgow) (Feb. 2004)	Candidate 45 passed (York. Mar. 2004)	Candidate 46 passed (York. Mar. 2004)	Candidate 47 passed (York. Mar. 2004)
Candidate 48 failed (York. Mar. 2004)	Candidate 49 Passed (MRCS S'pore Apr. 04)	Candidate 50 Passed (Liverpool Sep.04)	Candidate 51 FRCS (Gls) Passed (New Dehli Sep.04)
Candidate 52 FRCS (Gls) Passed (New Dehli Sep.04)	Candidate 53 Final MRCOphth Passed (Liverpool Sep.04)	Candidate 54 FRCS (Gls) Passed (Amman Dec.04)	Candidate 55 MRCSEd Passed (Edinburgh Dec.04)
Candidate 56 FRCS (Gls) Passed (Amman Dec.04)	Candidate 57 FRCS (Gls) Passed (Hyderbad Feb. 05)	Candidate 58 MRCOphth (Newcastle Mar, 05)	Candidate 59 FRCS (Gls) Passed (Hyderbad Feb. 05)
Candidate 60 FRCS (Gls) Passed (Hyderbad Feb. 05)	Candidate 61 MRCOphth (Newcastle Mar, 05)	Candidate 62 MRCOphth (Newcastle Mar, 05)	Candidate 63 MRCOphth (Newcastle Mar, 05)
Candidate 64 MRCS (Edinburgh April, 05)	Candidate 65 FRCS (Glasgow) (Tripoli April, 05)	Candidate 66 FRCS (Glasgow) (Pakistan April, 05)	Candidate 67 MRCOphth (Newcastle Mar, 05)
Candidate 68 MRCOphth (Southampton Sept, 05)	Candidate 69 MRCOphth (Southampton Sept, 05)	Candidate 70 MRCOphth (Southampton Sept, 05)	Candidate 71 MRCOphth (Southampton Sept, 05)
Candidate 72 MRCOphth (Southampton Sept, 05)	Candidate 73 MRCOphth (Southampton Sept, 05)	Candidate 74 FRCS (Glas) (New Dehli, Sept, 05)	Candidate 75 MRCOphth (Southampton, Sept, 05)
Candidate 76 MRCSEd (Edinbrugh, Nov. 05)	Candidate 77 MRCSEd (Edinbrugh, Nov. 05)	Candidate 78 MRCSEd (Edinbrugh, Nov. 05)	Candidate 79 FRCS Glasgow (India, Feb. 06)
Candidate 80 FRCS Glasgow (India, Feb. 06)	Candidate 81 MRCOphth (Southampton Sept, 05)	Candidate 82 FRCS Glasgow (Glasgow. March, 06)	Candidate 83 FRCS Glasgow (Tripoli April, 06)
Candidate 84 FRCS Glasgow (Tripoli April, 06)	Candidate 85 FRCS Glasgow (Tripoli April, 06)	Candidate 86 FRCS Glasgow (N Dehli Sept, 05)	Candidate 87 MRCOphth (Glasgow Sept, 06)
Candidate 88 MRCOphth (Glasgow Sept, 06)	Previous communication skills scenarios	Previous CRQs	Candidate 89 FRCS (New Dehli Sept, 06)
Candidate 90 FRCS (New Dehli Sept, 06)	Candidate 91 FRCS (New Dehli Sept, 06)	Candidate 92 FRCS (New Dehli Sept, 06)	Candidate 93 FRCS (New Dehli Sept, 06)
Candidate 94 MRCSEd (Edinburgh Nov, 06)	Candidate 95 FRCS (Glasgow Dec, 06)	Candidate 95 FRCSGlasgow (Hyderabad Feb, 07)	Candidate 97 MRCOphth (Bristol March 07)
Candidate 98 MRCOphth (Bristol March 07)	Candidate 99 MRCOphth (Bristol March 07)	Candidate 100 MRCOphth (Bristol March 07)	Candidate 101 MRCSEd (Singapore April, 07)
Candidate 102 MRCSEd (Singapore April, 07)	Candidate 103 FRCS (New Dehli 07)	Candidate 104 MRCOphth (Belfast Sept, 07)	Candidate 105 MRCOphth (Belfast Sept, 07)
Candidate 106 MRCOphth (Belfast Sept, 07)	Candidate 107 FRCS (Glasgow Nov, 07)	Candidate 108 FRCS (Muscat. 07)	Candidate 109 FRCS Glasgow (various places)
Candidate 110 FRCS (Hyderabad Feb 08)	Candidate 111 MRCOphth (Dundee Feb 08)	Candidate 112 MRCOphth (Dundee Feb 08)