United Kingdom
Membership of the Royal Colleges of Physicians - PACES
The clinical exam component of MRCP. Tests bedside skills, clinical reasoning and communication in real patient encounters.
- Exam body
- Royal College of Physicians (UK)
- Frequency
- Multiple sittings per year
- Eligibility
- MRCP Part 1 pass
- Format
- 5 clinical examination stations (each 20 min)
MRCP PACES: overview
Membership of the Royal Colleges of Physicians - PACES is administered by Royal College of Physicians (UK). The clinical exam component of MRCP. Tests bedside skills, clinical reasoning and communication in real patient encounters.
In practical terms the assessment is delivered as 5 clinical examination stations (each 20 min), and candidates are measured against a examiner-based marking across all stations. It is scheduled multiple sittings per year, so building a realistic timeline back from the sitting you intend to take is the first planning step.
Exam pattern at a glance
- Exam format
- 5 clinical examination stations (each 20 min)
- Pass / selection standard
- Examiner-based marking across all stations
- Frequency
- Multiple sittings per year
- Eligibility
- MRCP Part 1 pass
Subjects covered
Syllabus
- Station 1: Respiratory + Abdominal
- Station 2: History Taking
- Station 3: Cardiovascular + CNS
- Station 4: Communication Skills
- Station 5: Brief Clinical Consultation (2)
Subject focus and weightage
Candidates who score well tend to protect time for the highest-yield areas rather than reading everything evenly. For MRCP PACES, the topics that repeatedly carry weight include aortic stenosis, mitral regurgitation (cardiology longs), copd, bronchiectasis, pleural effusion (respiratory), communication, station 5. Working these to mastery first, then broadening outward, is a more reliable use of limited revision time than a single linear pass through the syllabus.
The syllabus spans core subjects including Station 1: Respiratory + Abdominal, Station 2: History Taking, Station 3: Cardiovascular + CNS, Station 4: Communication Skills, Station 5: Brief Clinical Consultation (2). A blueprint-led plan - allocating study hours in proportion to how heavily each subject is examined - usually beats spending equal time on every subject.
High-yield areas
Study priorities
- Aortic stenosis, mitral regurgitation (cardiology longs)
- COPD, bronchiectasis, pleural effusion (respiratory)
- Communication: breaking bad news, consent, MDT decisions
- Station 5: integrated clinical consultation
How to prepare
A dependable preparation cycle for MRCP PACES moves through three repeating phases. Learn: build the core concept for each topic once, from structured notes, so the framework is solid before you test it. Recall: convert that understanding into durable memory with active recall and spaced repetition rather than re-reading. Practise: apply it under exam conditions with question banks, reviewing every wrong answer until you understand why the correct option wins - which for this exam is where clinical-reasoning gaps surface.
Timed, full-length practice in the exam's own format is what converts knowledge into a score: it trains pacing, and the stamina a long paper demands. Analyse each mock not just for the total but for which subjects and question-types are dragging the score, then feed that back into the next study block.
Frequently asked questions
What is the MRCP PACES exam and who conducts it?
Membership of the Royal Colleges of Physicians - PACES is conducted by Royal College of Physicians (UK). The clinical exam component of MRCP. Tests bedside skills, clinical reasoning and communication in real patient encounters.
What is the MRCP PACES exam pattern?
The stated format is 5 clinical examination stations (each 20 min). The pass or selection standard is Examiner-based marking across all stations. Because pattern and marking can be revised between cycles, confirm the current structure on the official notification before you sit.
Who is eligible for the MRCP PACES?
Broadly, eligibility is: MRCP Part 1 pass. This is a summary only - the definitive eligibility criteria, documentation and any registration or attempt limits are published by Royal College of Physicians (UK) for each sitting.
Sources and currency
Sources: official examination-body notifications and information bulletins (NBEMS, NMC, GMC, the relevant UK Royal College, USMLE/NBME, AMC, MCC and the Gulf health authorities as applicable). Exam patterns and eligibility change between cycles - always confirm the current sitting's rules, dates and fees on the official body's own notification before you apply. Last verified July 2026.
Build a plan for MRCP PACES
Explore clinician-written learning resources, structured revision and practice across the MedNext platform.
See plans