About the exam
MRCOG Part 2 Exam structure
An independent study guide aligned to the current RCOG MRCOG syllabus and the two-paper Part 2 assessment of knowledge required during clinical practice.
Issuer and path
MRCOG Part 2 Study Guide is administered through Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. Check official resources before booking, retesting, or relying on a stale requirement.
MRCOG Part 2
200 scored + 0 pretest
Two equally weighted 180-minute computer-based papers, each containing 50 Single Best Answer questions and 50 Extended Matching Questions on knowledge required during clinical practice.
Before expressing interest and sitting
Confirm that the Part 1 pass is current and that the attempt rule for your route is satisfied, submit a fresh expression of interest for the intended diet, then verify the booking window, Pearson VUE appointment, matching photographic ID, reasonable-adjustment process and admission-document instructions. Do not share or reconstruct protected examination content.
Official Outline Coverage Map
Coverage is mapped to official outline item counts so content depth can be checked without hard-coding a single exam.
| Topic | Official outline items | Your questions | Your flashcards | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinical Skills | 0 | 41 | 10 | Strong |
| Teaching and Research | 0 | 40 | 10 | Strong |
| Core Surgical Skills | 0 | 40 | 10 | Strong |
| Postoperative Care | 0 | 40 | 10 | Strong |
| Antenatal Care | 0 | 40 | 10 | Strong |
| Maternal Medicine | 0 | 40 | 10 | Strong |
| Management of Labour | 0 | 40 | 10 | Strong |
| Management of Delivery | 0 | 40 | 10 | Strong |
| Postpartum Problems | 0 | 40 | 10 | Strong |
| Gynaecological Problems | 0 | 40 | 10 | Strong |
| Subfertility | 0 | 40 | 10 | Strong |
| Sexual and Reproductive Health | 0 | 40 | 10 | Strong |
| Early Pregnancy Care | 0 | 40 | 10 | Strong |
| Gynaecological Oncology | 0 | 40 | 10 | Strong |
| Urogynaecology and Pelvic Floor Problems | 0 | 40 | 10 | Strong |
How to use this guide
How to prepare for MRCOG Part 2
Build a complete clinical map, then rehearse diagnosis, test selection and interpretation, management, prognosis and patient-centred safety in current UK practice.
1. Read the lead-in first
Identify whether the task asks for diagnosis, investigation, management, epidemiology or prognosis and note the exact time point.
2. Extract the discriminators
Use gestation, age, severity, onset, trend, examination, prior treatment and patient preference to narrow the field.
3. Set the safety boundary
Stabilise time-critical maternal or fetal risk, check contraindications and decide when senior or multidisciplinary help is required.
4. Apply the current pathway
Choose the proportionate UK investigation or management step for this stage, not a later definitive option or an isolated fact.
5. Select one answer and move
For EMQs use the lead-in to filter the long list; for SBAs compare all five options. There is no negative marking, so answer every item.
Official current mark split
Prepare separately for SBA and EMQ technique
Single Best Answer contributes 40% and Extended Matching Question contributes 60%; there is one combined pass mark.
Clinical Skills
Obstetric and gynaecological history, informed consent, legal principles, certification and safe patient-centred decisions.
Choose a topic to open below
Teaching and Research
Quality improvement, governance, standards, critical appraisal, adult learning and research ethics.
Choose a topic to open below
Core Surgical Skills
Consent, anatomy, instruments, infection, complications, enhanced recovery, nutrition and blood-product use.
Choose a topic to open below
Postoperative Care
Immediate, short- and long-term postoperative assessment, complication prevention, treatment and follow-up.
Choose a topic to open below
Antenatal Care
Normal antenatal progress, preconception-to-delivery problems, prenatal diagnosis, screening and fetal assessment.
Choose a topic to open below
Maternal Medicine
Common medical disorders in pregnancy, bidirectional maternal-fetal effects, assessment, treatment and multidisciplinary care.
Choose a topic to open below
Management of Labour
Normal and abnormal labour, intrapartum investigation, prioritisation, initial management, teamwork and escalation.
Choose a topic to open below
Management of Delivery
Processes and management of normal and abnormal delivery, operative birth and obstetric emergencies.
Choose a topic to open below
Postpartum Problems
Maternal and neonatal resuscitation, birth trauma, postnatal complications and neonatal problems at birth.
Choose a topic to open below
Gynaecological Problems
Aetiology, presentation, investigation and treatment of common problems in a psychosocial and patient-centred context.
Choose a topic to open below
Subfertility
Male and female fertility problems, investigations, prognosis, treatment, assisted reproduction, law and ethics.
Choose a topic to open below
Sexual and Reproductive Health
Fertility control, STI, sexual dysfunction, abortion, screening, law and care of vulnerable groups.
Choose a topic to open below
Early Pregnancy Care
Pregnancy loss and ectopic pregnancy diagnosis, investigation, medical and surgical management, ultrasound and support.
Choose a topic to open below
Gynaecological Oncology
Aetiology, screening, presentation, diagnostic pathways, professional roles, prognosis and treatment.
Choose a topic to open below
Urogynaecology and Pelvic Floor Problems
Urinary and faecal incontinence, benign bladder conditions and prolapse from assessment through treatment.
Choose a topic to open below
Cross-cutting clinical platform
Use four lenses across every Knowledge Area
Diagnosis, Investigations, Management and Epidemiology organise reasoning but carry no published numerical weights.
Clinical Skills
Obstetric and gynaecological history, informed consent, legal principles, certification and safe patient-centred decisions.
Choose a topic to open below
Teaching and Research
Quality improvement, governance, standards, critical appraisal, adult learning and research ethics.
Choose a topic to open below
Core Surgical Skills
Consent, anatomy, instruments, infection, complications, enhanced recovery, nutrition and blood-product use.
Choose a topic to open below
Postoperative Care
Immediate, short- and long-term postoperative assessment, complication prevention, treatment and follow-up.
Choose a topic to open below
Antenatal Care
Normal antenatal progress, preconception-to-delivery problems, prenatal diagnosis, screening and fetal assessment.
Choose a topic to open below
Maternal Medicine
Common medical disorders in pregnancy, bidirectional maternal-fetal effects, assessment, treatment and multidisciplinary care.
Choose a topic to open below
Management of Labour
Normal and abnormal labour, intrapartum investigation, prioritisation, initial management, teamwork and escalation.
Choose a topic to open below
Management of Delivery
Processes and management of normal and abnormal delivery, operative birth and obstetric emergencies.
Choose a topic to open below
Postpartum Problems
Maternal and neonatal resuscitation, birth trauma, postnatal complications and neonatal problems at birth.
Choose a topic to open below
Gynaecological Problems
Aetiology, presentation, investigation and treatment of common problems in a psychosocial and patient-centred context.
Choose a topic to open below
Subfertility
Male and female fertility problems, investigations, prognosis, treatment, assisted reproduction, law and ethics.
Choose a topic to open below
Sexual and Reproductive Health
Fertility control, STI, sexual dysfunction, abortion, screening, law and care of vulnerable groups.
Choose a topic to open below
Early Pregnancy Care
Pregnancy loss and ectopic pregnancy diagnosis, investigation, medical and surgical management, ultrasound and support.
Choose a topic to open below
Gynaecological Oncology
Aetiology, screening, presentation, diagnostic pathways, professional roles, prognosis and treatment.
Choose a topic to open below
Urogynaecology and Pelvic Floor Problems
Urinary and faecal incontinence, benign bladder conditions and prolapse from assessment through treatment.
Choose a topic to open below
Current syllabus map
Keep all 15 Knowledge Areas active
The internal 601-item allocation is near-even because RCOG publishes no Knowledge Area or paper-specific distribution.
Clinical Skills
Obstetric and gynaecological history, informed consent, legal principles, certification and safe patient-centred decisions.
Choose a topic to open below
Teaching and Research
Quality improvement, governance, standards, critical appraisal, adult learning and research ethics.
Choose a topic to open below
Core Surgical Skills
Consent, anatomy, instruments, infection, complications, enhanced recovery, nutrition and blood-product use.
Choose a topic to open below
Postoperative Care
Immediate, short- and long-term postoperative assessment, complication prevention, treatment and follow-up.
Choose a topic to open below
Antenatal Care
Normal antenatal progress, preconception-to-delivery problems, prenatal diagnosis, screening and fetal assessment.
Choose a topic to open below
Maternal Medicine
Common medical disorders in pregnancy, bidirectional maternal-fetal effects, assessment, treatment and multidisciplinary care.
Choose a topic to open below
Management of Labour
Normal and abnormal labour, intrapartum investigation, prioritisation, initial management, teamwork and escalation.
Choose a topic to open below
Management of Delivery
Processes and management of normal and abnormal delivery, operative birth and obstetric emergencies.
Choose a topic to open below
Postpartum Problems
Maternal and neonatal resuscitation, birth trauma, postnatal complications and neonatal problems at birth.
Choose a topic to open below
Gynaecological Problems
Aetiology, presentation, investigation and treatment of common problems in a psychosocial and patient-centred context.
Choose a topic to open below
Subfertility
Male and female fertility problems, investigations, prognosis, treatment, assisted reproduction, law and ethics.
Choose a topic to open below
Sexual and Reproductive Health
Fertility control, STI, sexual dysfunction, abortion, screening, law and care of vulnerable groups.
Choose a topic to open below
Early Pregnancy Care
Pregnancy loss and ectopic pregnancy diagnosis, investigation, medical and surgical management, ultrasound and support.
Choose a topic to open below
Gynaecological Oncology
Aetiology, screening, presentation, diagnostic pathways, professional roles, prognosis and treatment.
Choose a topic to open below
Urogynaecology and Pelvic Floor Problems
Urinary and faecal incontinence, benign bladder conditions and prolapse from assessment through treatment.
Choose a topic to open below
History, Assessment and Clinical Reasoning
Turn an obstetric or gynaecological history into a prioritised differential and safe plan.
Key rules
Rule 1
Presenting concern, reproductive and obstetric history, comorbidity, medicines, psychosocial context, examination and clinical documentation.
Exam cue: Identify the clinical domain and exact task before reviewing the option list.
Rule 2
Identify the discriminating feature, prioritise serious and likely diagnoses, then choose the investigation or management step that changes care.
Exam cue: Use gestation, urgency, trend, prior treatment and patient preference to rank plausible answers.
Rule 3
Recognise deterioration, pregnancy-related risk, safeguarding and diagnostic uncertainty that require immediate escalation.
Exam cue: Choose the safest proportionate action for the stated point in care and know when multidisciplinary escalation is required.
Rule 4
Use current UK obstetric and gynaecological guidance while integrating diagnosis, investigations, management and epidemiology.
Exam cue: Rank dangerous and likely alternatives using the discriminating features rather than matching one keyword.
Common traps
Choosing a diagnosis from one familiar symptom without pregnancy status, timing, examination or dangerous alternatives.
Prevention: Do not choose a possible diagnosis or later definitive intervention when the question asks for the single best answer at this exact point in care.
Choosing a theoretically possible answer rather than the single best option at this point in the pathway.
Prevention: Do not choose a possible diagnosis or later definitive intervention when the question asks for the single best answer at this exact point in care.
Inventing a paper-specific or Knowledge Area weighting that RCOG has not published.
Prevention: Only the 40% SBA and 60% EMQ mark split is official; RCOG publishes no numerical Knowledge Area or paper-specific allocation.
Memory anchors
History, Assessment and Clinical Reasoning: scope
Presenting concern, reproductive and obstetric history, comorbidity, medicines, psychosocial context, examination and clinical documentation.
History, Assessment and Clinical Reasoning: clinical reasoning
Identify the discriminating feature, prioritise serious and likely diagnoses, then choose the investigation or management step that changes care.
History, Assessment and Clinical Reasoning: safety boundary
Recognise deterioration, pregnancy-related risk, safeguarding and diagnostic uncertainty that require immediate escalation.
History, Assessment and Clinical Reasoning: common trap
Choosing a diagnosis from one familiar symptom without pregnancy status, timing, examination or dangerous alternatives.
History, Assessment and Clinical Reasoning: Part 2 sequence
Define the diagnosis or decision, select and interpret the investigation, compare management options, then check epidemiology, prognosis and patient-centred safety.
Next best moves
Quick check-up
Use a short quiz to confirm the rule pattern is actually sticking.
Check-up Questions
A 29-year-old at 7 weeks' gestation reports unilateral pelvic pain, light bleeding and new shoulder-tip pain. She is pale and feels faint on standing. What is the most important working diagnosis?
A woman at 34 weeks has a severe frontal headache, flashing lights and persistent epigastric pain. Her blood pressure is 168/112 mmHg. Which interpretation best integrates these findings?
Answer all questions to submit.
Next step personalized recommendations
Open another topic next
Official resources
Verify the details with the official sources
Use these links for eligibility, scheduling, handbook rules, and issuer updates. Our guide helps you study; official sources tell you what the testing partner currently requires.
MRCOG Part 2
Current Part 2 hub linking application, key dates, revision, SBA, EMQ, syllabus, format and FAQ guidance.
MRCOG Part 2 exam format
Official two-paper CBT structure, equal paper contribution, 50 SBA plus 50 EMQ per paper, 180-minute duration, 40%/60% mark split and recommended timing.
Single Best Answer questions (SBAs)
Official five-option SBA structure and confirmation that incorrect answers are not penalised.
Extended Matching Questions (EMQs)
Official EMQ structure, usual 10-14 option lists, single-best-fit rule and confirmation that incorrect answers are not penalised.
MRCOG Part 2 syllabus
The Part 2-specific hub describing application of knowledge in clinical scenarios and directly linking the 2019 syllabus.
MRCOG Syllabus & Core Knowledge Requirements
The April 2024 version 1.0 syllabus currently published in RCOG's Core Curriculum resources, containing all 15 Knowledge Areas and Part 2 summary requirements.
MRCOG Syllabus Curriculum 2019
The syllabus still directly linked from the Part 2 page; it defines the four clinical domains and the different SBA and EMQ assessment emphases.
Core Curriculum 2024 definitive document
The current GMC-approved Core Curriculum, linking Part 2 to CiPs 9-12 and elements of CiP 2 and to emergency and non-emergency clinical practice.
Core Curriculum resources
The current RCOG resource index publishing the 2024 Core Curriculum and current MRCOG Syllabus and Core Knowledge Requirements.
MRCOG pass mark
Official Angoff standard-setting and linear-equating explanation, including the absence of a fixed pass mark or quota.
MRCOG Part 2 exam: how to apply
Current Part 1 pass requirement, expression-of-interest process and Pearson VUE booking workflow.
DRCOG and MRCOG exam regulations
Current examination currency, attempt, identification, conduct, copyright and Specialist Register rules.
MRCOG Part 2 FAQs
Official answers on booking, attempts, Part 1-to-Part 2 currency, Part 2-to-Part 3 currency and result feedback.
MRCOG Part 2 key dates and fees
Current diet, expression-of-interest, booking, result and fee information; RCOG describes Part 2 as held in January and July.
FAQ
Common MRCOG Part 2 questions
Is this an official RCOG resource?
No. This is an independent study guide. The current RCOG website, syllabus, regulations, admission document and direct candidate communications remain authoritative.
What is the current MRCOG Part 2 structure?
Part 2 is a computer-based test with two papers. Each paper lasts 180 minutes and contains 50 Single Best Answer questions and 50 Extended Matching Questions. The papers contribute equally, with an approximate 60-minute lunch break between them.
How are SBA and EMQ marks divided?
RCOG states that SBAs contribute 40% and EMQs 60% to the overall mark. There is no separate pass mark for either component; the examination has one combined standard-set pass mark.
How should time be divided?
Candidates control their own time, but RCOG recommends about 70 minutes for the 50 SBAs and 110 minutes for the 50 EMQs in each paper. This reflects the 40%/60% mark contribution and the longer EMQ option lists.
What is an SBA?
An SBA has a lead-in and five options labelled A-E. The candidate selects the single most appropriate answer. Incorrect answers receive zero and are not penalised.
What is an EMQ?
An EMQ has a lead-in, a clinical scenario and an extended option list, usually 10 to 14 options. The candidate chooses the single answer that best fits. Incorrect answers are not penalised.
Do SBA and EMQ topics differ?
They can overlap. The syllabus says SBAs are particularly useful for aetiology, natural history, epidemiology and statistics, whereas EMQs are particularly useful for diagnosis, investigations and management. These are emphases, not exclusive topic boundaries.
What does Part 2 assess?
It assesses knowledge required during clinical practice and its application to clinical scenarios. The 2024 Core Curriculum describes recognition, assessment and management of emergency and non-emergency cases in gynaecology, early pregnancy and obstetrics.
What are the four clinical domains?
Diagnosis: Important differential diagnoses and the features of conditions presenting in obstetrics and gynaecology. Investigations: Investigations used for diagnosis, monitoring and prognosis, including their indications, limitations and interpretation. Management: Medical, surgical and non-medical management, including the contribution of other clinical and non-clinical practitioners. Epidemiology: Incidence, progression, natural history, prognosis, efficacy and patient-centred approaches. They are cross-cutting lenses, not separately weighted examination sections.
How many official Knowledge Areas are there?
The current MRCOG syllabus contains 15 core Knowledge Areas: Clinical Skills; Teaching and Research; Core Surgical Skills; Postoperative Care; Antenatal Care; Maternal Medicine; Management of Labour; Management of Delivery; Postpartum Problems; Gynaecological Problems; Subfertility; Sexual and Reproductive Health; Early Pregnancy Care; Gynaecological Oncology; and Urogynaecology and Pelvic Floor Problems.
Which Capabilities in Practice does Part 2 assess?
The 2024 Core Curriculum says Part 2 summatively assesses CiPs 9-12 with elements of CiP 2, demonstrating developing clinical expertise. The current syllabus cautions that individual Knowledge Requirements cannot yet be completely disaggregated into single CiPs.
Does RCOG publish module weights?
No. RCOG publishes the SBA/EMQ mark split but no numerical percentage or item count for the 15 Knowledge Areas or four clinical domains. It also does not publish a Paper 1 versus Paper 2 module allocation.
Why does the Part 2 page link a 2019 syllabus?
The Part 2 syllabus page still directly links the MRCOG Syllabus Curriculum 2019. RCOG's current Core Curriculum resources also publish the April 2024 version 1.0 syllabus. The 15 Knowledge Areas and Part 2 summaries align; this guide uses the current document and retains the direct 2019 link for the four-domain and item-emphasis description.
How is the pass mark set?
RCOG uses the Angoff method for Part 2, with consultant standard setters estimating borderline-candidate performance. It then uses linear equating with anchored and unanchored questions to maintain comparability across diets. Pass marks and pass rates can vary because there is no fixed threshold or quota.
Who is eligible to sit Part 2?
RCOG requires candidates to have passed Part 1 and to meet current currency and attempt rules. Eligible candidates submit an expression of interest and then book an available Pearson VUE place during the booking window.
How many attempts are allowed?
For candidates intending to enter the UK Specialist Register, regulations ordinarily permit no more than six Part 2 attempts, with an exceptional documented route after six failures. Candidates not intending to enter the UK Specialist Register have no attempt limit.
What are the exam-currency boundaries?
UK Specialist Register candidates who passed Part 1 after March 2013 must first attempt Part 2 within seven years, extended pro rata up to ten years for applicable less-than-full-time training or breaks. Other candidates must first attempt Part 2 within ten years. After passing Part 2, Part 3 must be attempted within seven years pro rata under the current rules.
When is Part 2 normally held?
RCOG currently describes Part 2 as held twice yearly, in January and July, in the UK and at various overseas locations. Candidates must use the current key-dates page because application and booking windows change by diet.
Are the 601 practice questions an official RCOG allocation?
No. The live examination has 200 questions across two papers. This independent 601-item practice bank is spread near-evenly across the 15 unweighted Knowledge Areas because RCOG publishes no numerical module distribution. Its 360 EMQ-style scenarios retain 120 shared option lists, but the bank is not presented as an official or complete mock paper.