Passing the MRCPCH examination is a critical hurdle in paediatric training. Trainees can only move from core to higher level training with the MRCPCH examination. As the Head of School of Paediatrics I am determined to ensure that all our trainees are given the best opportunities to pass the examination. This requires a lot of personal effort on behalf of the trainee and commitment from the School of Paediatrics and Child Health. I am aware that the pass rate for the different components of the examination varies across the UK. Working with colleagues, we are keen to develop local, regional and Deanery wide initiatives to improve the success of our trainees.

Nationally the school leads the way in working closely with the principle regional examiner Dr Jane Valente to ensure that we deliver the best possible training for our trainees but also for our consultant paediatric colleagues to ensure that they know best how to prepare candidates for the various parts of the exam.

Dr Nisha Nathwani, Consultant Paediatrician in Luton and Dr Andrea Turner, Consultant Paediatrician in Colchester are working with consultant colleagues and trainees to develop robust programmes across the Deanery. By the end of 2010, we will have introduced courses to help with all parts of the examination. This is in addition to local teaching based on the Masterclass series that should be ongoing in all hospitals.

Specific initiatives have been developed in a number of hospitals. Region wide teaching is now available in Essex and hope this will be further rolled out across the Deanery. Clinical teaching is available in Cambridge in the weeks prior to the exam. Importantly we are looking to offer clinical examination practice in mini-mock examinations which will take place before the formal clinical examinations. We hope that this will prepare trainees for the examination proper. In addition there is a long standing “commercial” weekend course run from Norwich that also provides additional experience.

I am delighted by the commitment shown by consultants and trainees across the Deanery to deliver high quality MRCPCH training. I wish you all the best with your exams. Please remember that the RCPCH website has all the information that you need about the exam which can be accessed through the link shown.

Dr Wilf Kelsall
Head of School of Paediatrics