MRCP Part 1 Practice Test

MRCP Part 1 Exam at a Glance

Free MRCP Part 1 Study Tools

Interactive MRCP Part 1 resources on PracticeTestGeeks, free to start:

• MRCP Part 1 flashcards — review key terms and concepts card by card
• MRCP Part 1 study guide — topic-by-topic overview of what the exam covers
• MRCP Part 1 cheat sheet — one-page printable summary for last-minute review

What changed for MRCP Part 1 in 2026

• Oct 31, 2026: Score release (2027/1) changed to By 05 March 2027 (previously 05 March 2027).^[7]
• Oct 31, 2026: Score release (2027/2) changed to By 09 July 2027 (previously 09 July 2027).^[7]
• Oct 31, 2026: Score release (2027/3) changed to By 12 November 2027 (previously 12 November 2027).^[7]
• Oct 31, 2026: Validity changed to No expiry (former 7-year completion limit removed) (previously No expiration (previous 7-year completion limit removed)).^[4]
• Oct 31, 2026: Delivery changed to In-centre computer-based test (Surpass) (previously In-centre computer-based (Surpass)).^[5]
• Oct 31, 2026: Eligibility changed to Minimum 12 months' postgraduate experience in medical employment (previously Minimum of 12 months' postgraduate experience in medical employment).^[6]
• Oct 31, 2026: Retake policy changed to Maximum of 6 attempts (one exceptional additional attempt possible) (previously Maximum of 6 attempts).^[3]
• Oct 31, 2026: Passing score changed to Scaled score of 450 (previously Scaled score of 450 (from 2026/1)).^[1]

What the MRCP Part 1 is and how it works

According to Federation of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK, “The scaled ability score which will be applied as the pass mark from 2026/1 and was agreed by the MRCP(UK) Part 1 Standard Setting Group is 450.”^[1] Practice with the free MRCP Part 1 practice test on PracticeTestGeeks (7 questions with answer explanations).

MRCP Part 1 is the entry-level exam for doctors with a primary medical qualification and a minimum of 12 months' postgraduate experience in medical employment. It is computer-based and administered by Surpass at a test centre, so you sit it in person rather than at home.

The pass mark is a scaled ability score of 450, agreed by the Part 1 Standard Setting Group. A scaled score is not a simple percentage of questions correct, so do not try to convert practice results into it directly.

Upcoming sittings are on 20 January 2027, 26 May 2027 and 29 September 2027. Results for those sittings are released by 05 March 2027, 09 July 2027 and 12 November 2027 respectively. The international written fee is £696 per attempt; fees depend on where you live and train, so check the Federation's fees page for your own category.

You can make a maximum of 6 attempts at Part 1, with an exceptional additional attempt possible by application once you reach that limit. The former requirement to complete Part 2 Written and PACES within seven years of passing Part 1 has been removed, so a Part 1 pass has no expiry.

Rules and dates can change, so confirm everything on the Federation website before you book.

Worked examples: how to reason through MRCP Part 1 questions

These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.

Example 1

Question: A 60-year-old man presents with central chest pain radiating to the jaw, diaphoresis, and an ECG showing ST elevation in leads II, III, and aVF. Which coronary artery is most likely occluded?

1. Left anterior descending artery
2. Right coronary artery
3. Left circumflex artery
4. Left main stem

Answer: B. Right coronary artery

Explanation:

The right coronary artery is correct. ST elevation in II, III and aVF marks the inferior wall, and in most people the right coronary artery supplies it. The left anterior descending artery is wrong because its occlusion gives anterior changes. The left circumflex artery can cause inferior changes in a minority with a dominant circumflex, but it is less likely here and more often affects the lateral leads. The left main stem would usually cause widespread, severe ischaemia and haemodynamic collapse. Rule to remember: match the lead territory to the artery, with inferior leads pointing to the right coronary artery unless the question gives a reason to think otherwise.

Example 2

Question: A 25-year-old woman presents with an intensely pruritic papular rash in the finger webs, wrists, and waistline, worse at night. What is the most likely diagnosis and treatment?

1. Eczema — treat with topical steroids
2. Scabies — treat with permethrin 5% cream
3. Lichen planus — treat with topical tacrolimus
4. Dermatitis herpetiformis — treat with dapsone

Answer: B. Scabies — treat with permethrin 5% cream

Explanation:

Scabies treated with permethrin 5% cream is correct. Intense itch that is worse at night, with papules in the finger webs, wrists and waistline, is the classic distribution of mite infestation. Eczema does not usually favour the finger webs in this pattern and steroids alone would not clear a mite. Lichen planus gives violaceous, flat-topped itchy lesions, often on the wrists, but not the nocturnal web pattern, and tacrolimus is not the answer. Dermatitis herpetiformis causes grouped vesicles on extensor surfaces and is linked to coeliac disease. Rule to remember: nocturnal itch plus web-space burrows means scabies, and household contacts need treating at the same time.

Example 3

Question: A 50-year-old man with known cirrhosis presents with increasing abdominal distension. Diagnostic ascitic tap shows a serum-ascites albumin gradient (SAAG) of 18 g/L and ascitic fluid neutrophil count of 350 cells/mm3. What is the most likely diagnosis?

1. Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis
2. Portal hypertensive ascites without infection
3. Tuberculous peritonitis
4. Pancreatic ascites

Answer: A. Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis

Explanation:

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis is correct. A patient with cirrhosis and ascites whose tap shows a raised neutrophil count has infected ascitic fluid. The SAAG of 18 g/L fits portal hypertension, which is why this is cirrhotic ascites that has become infected. Portal hypertensive ascites without infection would have a low neutrophil count. Tuberculous peritonitis gives a low SAAG and a lymphocyte-predominant fluid. Pancreatic ascites also has a low SAAG and a high amylase. Rule to remember: use the SAAG to say whether portal hypertension is the cause, and the neutrophil count to say whether the fluid is infected. Start empirical antibiotics promptly.

How to use these practice tests

Start with the Federation's own exam information so you know the format, the pass mark and the sitting you are aiming for. Then work backwards from your chosen date and give each specialty set on this page a block of time.

Begin with a mixed set such as the free MRCP Part 1 practice test to find weak areas. Then move to focused sets, for example Cardiology, Respiratory Medicine, Clinical Sciences and Rheumatology, spending longer on the ones where you miss the most.

After each set, read every explanation, including those for questions you got right, and write down the rule behind each miss in a short notebook. Revisit that notebook weekly and retry the sets you found hardest.

In the final stretch, practise in one sitting with a timer and no notes, in a quiet room, to build stamina for a computer-based test. Our questions are written by us with AI tools and are not real exam questions, so use them to test understanding, not to predict what will appear.

Sources & last verified

1. Federation of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK — passing score (official source). “The scaled ability score which will be applied as the pass mark from 2026/1 and was agreed by the MRCP(UK) Part 1 Standard Setting Group…” Verified Oct 31, 2026 · source checked Oct 28, 2026.
2. Federation of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK — exam fee (official source). “International written (Part 1 & Part 2) £672 £696” Verified Oct 31, 2026 · source checked Oct 27, 2026.
3. Federation of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK — retake policy (official source). “Candidates will be allowed a maximum of six attempts at each part of the MRCP(UK) Diploma (Part 1/Part 2 Written/PACES). Candidates who reach six attempts…” Verified Oct 31, 2026 · source checked Oct 28, 2026.
4. Federation of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK — validity (official source). “The previous regulation requiring candidates to complete the Part 2 Written and PACES examinations within seven years of passing the Part 1 examination has been…” Verified Oct 31, 2026.
5. Federation of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK — delivery (official source). “The exam is computer-based and is administered by Surpass at a test centre.” Verified Oct 31, 2026 · source checked Oct 28, 2026.
6. rcpsg.ac.uk — eligibility (official source). “The MRCP(UK) Part 1 is the entry-level exam open to doctors with a primary medical qualification and a minimum 12 months' postgraduate experience in medical…” Verified Oct 31, 2026.
7. Federation of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK — score release, next exam date (official source). “05 March 2027” Verified Oct 31, 2026 · source checked Oct 27, 2026.

How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.