MRCPSYCH Study Guide 2026
Everything you need to pass the MRCPSYCH exam in one place: the exam format, every topic to study, real practice questions with explanations, flashcards, and full-length practice tests. Free, no sign-up needed.
📋 MRCPSYCH Exam Format at a Glance
📚 MRCPSYCH Topics to Study (63)
✍️ Sample MRCPSYCH Questions & Answers
1. What is the ethical obligation regarding continuing education?
Professionals have an ethical duty to maintain and update their knowledge and skills to provide competent service.
2. What does the acronym AED stand for?
An AED (Automated External Defibrillator) analyzes heart rhythm and delivers an electrical shock if needed to restore normal rhythm.
3. A psychiatrist develops a romantic attraction to a current patient. What is the most ethical course of action?
Professional boundaries require seeking supervision and arranging transfer of care; romantic involvement with current or recent patients is a serious boundary violation.
4. A 35-year-old woman with bipolar disorder presents in labour. Her lithium level was 0.8 mmol/L last week. What is the most appropriate management of lithium during labour?
Lithium should be withheld during labour due to rapid fluid shifts and risk of toxicity, then restarted postpartum once the patient is stable and able to eat and drink.
5. Which statement about the pharmacology of lamotrigine is correct?
Lamotrigine stabilises neuronal membranes by blocking voltage-gated sodium channels, which inhibits presynaptic release of glutamate.
6. When a trainee in psychiatry is identified as 'struggling' or 'in difficulty,' what is the recommended first step according to Royal College guidance?
Early identification and a structured support plan developed with the educational supervisor is the recommended approach to help trainees who are struggling before escalating to formal procedures.