How long is MRCP Part 1?
Part 1 is sat in one day as two three-hour papers, each containing 100 questions, with a break between them — six hours of examination time in total.
MRCP Part 1 FAQ
Answers to the questions UK candidates ask most about MRCP(UK) Part 1 — the paper format, how it is marked, how long to revise, how hard it is, and when results arrive.
- Questions
- 200 best-of-five
- Papers
- 2 × 3 hours
- Diets
- 3 per year
- Result
- Pass mark by diet
Format and structure
How many questions are in MRCP Part 1?
200 questions overall: 100 in each paper, all in best-of-five single-best-answer format with one stem and five options.
What does MRCP Part 1 cover?
The whole Part 1 curriculum: cardiology, respiratory, gastroenterology, hepatology, nephrology, endocrinology, neurology, rheumatology, haematology, oncology, infectious diseases, dermatology, psychiatry, therapeutics and toxicology, plus clinical sciences, genetics, immunology, statistics and study design.
How often is MRCP Part 1 held?
There are normally three diets each year, with published closing dates several weeks before each sitting. Check the MRCP(UK) website for the exact dates for your diet before planning your revision block.
Study time and preparation
How long should I revise for MRCP Part 1?
Three to four months of structured revision alongside clinical work is the most common pattern — roughly 1.5–2 hours on working days with longer sessions at weekends. Candidates returning after a previous attempt often need less, but should focus the time on their weakest specialties rather than starting again from the top.
How many questions should I do before MRCP Part 1?
Most successful candidates work through several thousand best-of-five questions. What separates passes from near-misses is reviewing every incorrect answer properly and repeating flagged questions, not the total attempted.
How should I revise for MRCP Part 1?
Work specialty by specialty: read a structured tutorial, test it with questions in tutor mode, then return to those items later in mixed timed blocks. In the last month, sit full 100-question papers under timed conditions to build pacing.
How hard is MRCP Part 1?
It is a demanding exam — pass rates for first-time UK trainees are typically around half of candidates, and lower across all attempts. The difficulty comes from breadth rather than obscurity: nearly every question is answerable from the curriculum, but the curriculum is very wide.
Marking and results
How is MRCP Part 1 marked?
Each question is worth one mark, there is no negative marking, and both papers count towards a single total out of 200. The pass mark is set for each diet using standard-setting rather than a fixed percentage or a fixed proportion of candidates, and is published with the results.
Should I guess if I don't know the answer?
Yes. Because there is no negative marking, every question should be answered — eliminate the options you can rule out and choose the best of what remains.
When do MRCP Part 1 results come out?
Results are normally released around four to six weeks after the exam, published through your MRCP(UK) online account with your total mark, the pass mark for that diet and a breakdown of performance.
How many attempts do I get at MRCP Part 1?
Candidates are allowed six attempts at Part 1. Passing Part 1 also starts the clock on the wider MRCP(UK) diploma timeline, so plan Part 2 and PACES around it.
Keep reading
- MRCP Part 1 exam prep guide — format, syllabus breakdown and revision planning.
- MRCP Part 1 question bank — what's inside, sample question and syllabus coverage.
- MRCP Part 1 revision note previews — sample tutorials, free to read.
- MRCP Part 1 exam dates 2026 and 2027 — application windows, deadlines, fees and results dates.