FRCA Primary Events for UK Doctors

Under the current format, the exam has three components: a written MCQ (90 single-best-answer questions, 3 hours), an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE, 16 stations of 5 minutes), and a Structured Oral Examination (SOE, two 30-minute viva segments).

Starting in July 2027, the written MCQ becomes the Primary AKT (Applied Knowledge Test). The separate OSCE and SOE exams will merge into a single clinical assessment called the Clinical and Anaesthetic Sciences Exam (CASE), consisting of 13 active stations lasting 9 minutes each.

From July 2027 to June 2028, legacy components will remain available only for candidates who hold a valid partial pass (e.g., passed the SOE but failed the OSCE prior to July 2027). All other candidates must sit the new AKT and CASE exams. Attempts at the new CASE exam will count separately, resetting the attempt count for transitioning candidates.