Court of Examiners - MRCS

Now recruiting

RCSI is currently recruiting for new clinical examiners, basic scientists and lay examiners in Ireland, Bahrain, Malaysia, Egypt and the UAE only to join our committee and examine in upcoming MRCS B examinations. More information on how to apply can be found below.

Prospective examiners need to complete the relevant application form below and send it to the Court of Examiners Executive Committee via email.

Brochure

The RCSI Court of Examiners brochure, 'Become an MRCS Examiner: Driving Excellence in Assessment', is now available.

Download brochure

Remit

The remit of the Court of Examiners is to increase the profile of postgraduate surgical examining at RCSI and to make such examining activity more relevant and attractive to the College's surgical community in Ireland and overseas.

The Court’s Executive Committee is responsible for examiner recruitment and development and seeks to make examining more relevant to this community, in terms of continuing professional development (CPD).

There is a common Chair for the Court of Examiners and the Court’s Executive Committee. The current Chair is RCSI Council Member: Professor Paul Ridgeway.

Chapters

The work of the Court of Examiners is coordinated through the following Chapters:

  • RCSI Court of Examiners – Ireland and Great Britain
  • RCSI Court of Examiners – Gulf
  • RCSI Court of Examiners – South East Asia

The Chapters provide a structure for local engagement, promote a sense of inclusivity, allow the College to enhance its profile in these regions, and facilitate the establishment of local examiner pools.

There is an annual meeting and dinner for all Chapters, which is held in tandem with another annual College meeting or exam.

Application process

RCSI is currently recruiting for examiners to participate in our upcoming MRCS Part B OSCE exams in Ireland, Bahrain, Malaysia and the UAE only. Examiners needed include:

  • Clinical examiners 
  • Basic science examiners
  • Lay examiners

Prospective examiners need to complete the relevant application form below and send it to the Court of Examiners Executive Committee via email.

Clinical or basic scientist examiners

MRCS examiner application form PDF | 229.5 KB Examiner recruitment and appointment PDF | 714.3 KB register your interest


Lay examiners

MRCS lay examiner application form DOCX | 156.5 KB register your interest

Please note*

As part of your application, you are required to submit contact details of two referees. These referees should be one of the following:

  • Postgraduate tutor in your trust
  • Medical director
  • Postgraduate dean
  • Programme director
  • Regional specialty advisor or regional advisor
  • Head of an academic department of surgery

For overseas applicants, referees should occupy an equivalent post to those listed above.

Eligibility criteria

Prospective applicants are advised to carefully review the Pearson Specification criteria document below before submitting an application. Incomplete applications or those that do not meet the criteria will not be processed. Please note that we do not accept CVs in place of an application.

Professional Requirements
Attained intercollegiate MRCS or FRCS with one of the four Surgical Colleges of the UK and in Ireland
In good standing with the College with which Membership or Fellowship is held
Holds full registration, without limitation, with the GMC or relevant regulatory body
Holds a substantive consultant post (or overseas equivalent post) or substantive SAS-grade/NCHD surgical post in the UK or Ireland
Able to commit at least 5 days per academic year and have the support of the employer to achieve this
Has the expectation of completing no less than 6 years and no more than 16 years as an examiner
Has the expectation of review of role after initial probationary period of 3 examination diets as an examiner

 

Professional and Occupational Training
Adherence to CPD, annual appraisal and revalidation requirements
Demonstrable commitment to ongoing assessment, training and development as an examiner/trainer
Demonstrable commitment to undertaking Equality and Diversity training
Demonstrable ability to respond constructively to performance feedback

 

Experience, knowledge and skills
At least eight years post-attainment of the MRCS or MRCS (ENT)
Two years in a substantive consultant post or completion of the surgical training programme in the UK or Ireland or at least 8 years combined surgical experience in either post-Core Surgical Training or a substantive senior SAS-grade/NCHD surgical post
Demonstrable experience of surgical practice to include: outpatient work; in-patient work including leading ward rounds; independent operating; and emergency on-call work.
Demonstrable involvement in, and commitment to, the education and training of surgical trainees
Demonstrable understanding of the level of knowledge, skills and behaviours required for completion of core surgical training
Excellent written and verbal communication skills

 

Personal attributes
Highly motivated
Meticulous attention to detail
Able to form excellent working relationships at all levels
Friendly and collaborative approach
Able to handle challenging situations with tact and diplomacy
Acting with probity at all times
Demonstrable willingness to behave with courtesy, fairness and non-discrimination towards all candidates, fellow examiners and College staff
Able to demonstrate suitability for the role by endorsement from two structured references from colleagues holding substantive consultant posts in surgery, including one from current organisation

  1. Member or Fellow (including Fellow ad eundem) of one of the four Royal Surgical Colleges.
  2. Holds a substantive consultant post (or overseas equivalent post).
  3. Able to complete one term of office before retirement i.e. one full term (six years including a probationary year). Two further terms of five years may be approved.
  4. Engaged in active clinical/academic practice. If an examiner wishes to continue to examine beyond the point at which they demit from active practice, they should meet the expectations and requirements of all examiners, with the exception that they are no longer in active practice, but they have maintained a licence to practise with the GMC. International examiners will be required to meet the regulatory requirements of their country’s governing body.

Holder of equivalent basic science qualification from equivalent organisations such as:

  • Fellowship of the Royal College of Anaesthetists
  • Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists
  • Fellowship of British Association of Clinical Anatomists (BACA)
  • Fellowship of the Anatomical Society (of Gt Britain and Ireland)
  • Fellowship of the Physiological Society

This list is not exhaustive and colleges can provide a supporting statement for those applicants who do not directly hold an equivalent qualification. Basic science examiners can only examine in their own basic science for the manned generic and specialty defined stations.

*Lay examiners should not be qualified in professions allied to medicine or have received previous medical training.

  • Knowledge of the rationale, expected standard and structure of the MRCS as defined in the regulations for the examination.
  • High levels of integrity and professional standards as an examiner.
  • A commitment to ongoing assessment, training and development as an examiner.
  • Ability to understand appropriate examination techniques.
  • A commitment to the examination process.
  • Effective oral and written communication skills.
  • A commitment to equality and diversity.
  • Able to remain objective and dispassionate where necessary.
  • Provide references in support of their application.

Full person specification and further particulars document for lay examiners can be obtained from one the Surgical Royal Colleges.

  • Active in postgraduate surgical training/education/teaching.
  • To have informed his/her chief executive/medical director of their application to become an intercollegiate MRCS examiner and list this commitment in their job plan.
  • In good standing with the College/professional organisation.
  • In good standing with the GMC/IMC or equivalent body and not under investigation by an NHS Trust/employing body that restricts their clinical or professional practice. If there are known limitations to practice this must be disclosed and the information will be shared with the four surgical colleges.
  • A commitment to equality and diversity.
  • Able to provide the names and contact details of two suitable referees.
MRCS Examiner tablet marking announcement PDF | 173.3 KB ICBSE Announcement - Appointment of new Chair of ICBSE DOCX | 73.5 KB