Guideline for MRCP( given on 9/9/14)

I have passed my MRCP one in the first attempt. Here's a detailed method of how I studied and which books I used.
I passed my FCPS one (its a local post graduation exam here in Pakistan which has mostly the basics) So i had a good knowledge of the basic topics.

I started studying 2 and a half months before my exam. I didn't have a job nor any other commitment.

Books:
1. The only notes you will ever need for Mrcp one.
2. Kalra revison notes for Mrcp.
3. Pass medicine mcq books edition 2013-2014 AND edition 2012-2013 (the new edion doesn't have 5 chapter which the previous edition has)
4. On examination mcq books
5. Helen fellows best of five mcq book.

These books were bought from Lahore,Pakistan from these guys: (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Iqbalian-Book-shop-shadman/288749917803407)


First reading :
I used to study a chapter from "the only notes you will ever need for Mrcp one" book and then used to do the same chapter from kalra. This way, I was able to go through the same topic again without getting bored. Plus kalra has very useful tables. I also wrote all the extra stuff from kalra on my only notes book. This took around 2-3 days per chapter.
I then did the same chapters questions from pass medicine. And highlighted the statements asked frequently - this helped a lot later on as I knew what topics to concentrate more on in subsequent revisions.
In one month I had covered the only notes book, kalra and pass medicine questions (took about a month), I then moved on to my first revision.

First Revision.
I used to write the mcq statements I had highlighted in my only notes book and throughly read through the whole chapter. I then did the relevant questions from on examination mcqs books. I found some of the questions to be quite tough and some topics weren't even mentioned in the only notes book. I wrote those statements in detail in my only notes book. During this revision, I didn't open kalra at all.

Second revision
I again read through the whole of the only notes book and did random questions from free online Mrcp websites (like passmrcp.com) and free demo questions on the pass medicine website . I also did questions from Helen fellows best of five book - the explanations here are very useful. It's a must read.

Third revision
Now I was able to skim through the only notes, I knew most of the stuff especially the questions asked in pass medicine and on examination as I had highlighted them and written the statements in my only notes book.
I kept memorising the important stuff that I kept forgetting (like autosomal dominant and recessive diseases, pharmacology etc). This time I decided to revise pass medicine mcq books again . It took me just five days to go through the whole series.

Subsequent revisions.
I kept going through the only notes book. I had downloaded the most recent past papers and went through them - which was quite difficult as the question statements weren't that clear.

Two days before the exam, I didn't have anything to do so I just kept skimming through the only notes book and kept reviewing the hard stuff. I had made notes of stuff like statistics formulae and all the figures asked in pass medicine and on examination and kept revising those.

I popped a 10 mg xolnox (aplrazolam tablet) the night before the exam and slept peacefully. The following day I woke up fresh, had a heavy breakfast, revised my notes which had all the incidences, percentages and other figures and went for my exam.

During the exam

My exam was at royal Palm club golf and country club,lahore . The British council (which supervises the exam) doesn't provide any refreshments. The café there does provide snacks but because you have a time of just an hour between the two papers, it's advisable to ask your family members to come and bring a snack for you so that you can sit in your car and eat peacefully without looking at the worried faces of other candidates and even have a 20 minute nap.

Paper one
I was able to complete paper one in one and a half hour. I was able to attempt 80% of the questions in the first go - I kept writing all the explanations in detail on the question paper of why I chose a particular option. I had one and a half hour to recheck my stuff - so I kept rechecking my paper again and again. I was able to correct alot of questions I had attempted in the first go. And I was able to answer the questions I had missed. I kept re checking the paper until I was sure I had got every question correct.
When only ten minutes were left, I didn't know one question.
In paper two -
I did paper two in 2 hours, and i used the same method in paper one. At the end, I didn't know 1 question and I was sure about the rest.


Those who thought they wouldn't get through were no doubt excellent academically but they had been working. My two and a half study plan employed a ' a sit at home with no disturbance technique' as I can't work and study at the same time.
However, every person is different. Some can work and study at the same time.

Here's my academic history so that I can remove all notions that I'm a genius :
1. 4 supplys in mbbs
2. DC in final year
3. Worked really hard during my house job in a very busy hospital till August 2013
4. Passed FCPS one in the first attempt in February 2014
5. Did an observership at a hospital in UK for two weeks
6. Studied for Mrcp from 23rd June to 8 th spetember

If a person like me can do it, so can you. Stay positive. And if possible, take some time off for these post graduate exams. Work and study together can be hard.

Stay relaxed. It's a very easy exam provided you study properly and have a proper direction. You don't need bug books like kumar or Davidson to pass this exam.

Best of luck

 

Great and well done @omar_575
Accept my heartiest congratulations on this successful achievements.

 

many many congrats and thanks for sharing your experience with us.

 

i am also preparing for my mrcp-1.
Books I am using are same like you ONLY thing I have additional is oxford handbook.
thank u...your post is really helpful

 

many many congrats, wat was ur score in MRCP 1?

 

Congrats bro, really good post and advi