RCPI

MRCPI (General Medicine)

MRCPI in General Medicine is the three part membership examination of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and the exam that Irish medical SHOs sit during Basic Specialist Training. It consists of Part I (single best answer), Part II Written (two single best answer papers) and Part II Clinical (long and short cases). Passing all three parts is required to complete BST in General Internal Medicine and to enter RCPI Higher Specialist Training in the medical specialties.

3
Parts
37
Dates listed

Awarded by: RCPI

Cost: €2,345 for one attempt at each part sat in Ireland (€730 + €750 + €865, 2026 fees); €2,960 if the Clinical is sat at an international centre. Fees are refundable to HSE employees under the HSE Clinical Course and Examination Refund Scheme.

Pass rates: Academic year July 2023 to June 2024 (RCPI, all candidates): Part I 35%, Part II Written 54%, Part II Clinical 64%. Irish trainees first attempt: Part I 49%, Part II Written 56%, Part II Clinical 73%. No later figures published as of 2026-08-18.

Who can sit it

Part I: any medical graduate six months after primary medical degree; attested degree or Irish/UK Medical Council registration uploaded at first application. Part II Written: pass in MRCPI General Medicine or Paediatrics Part I within 6 years, or listed exemption. Part II Clinical: pass in Part II Written within 3 years. RCPI regulations do not require a set number of months of clinical experience for the General Medicine parts. HST in the medical specialties requires the full MRCPI (Clinical passed before HST interview); RCPI HST entry pages name MRCPI in General Medicine, and MRCP(UK) is treated as equivalent for exemption purposes.

When NCHDs sit it

Part I is commonly sat late in intern year (December or April diet) or in BST year 1. Part II Written is typically sat in BST year 1 or early year 2, and Part II Clinical in BST year 2. Passing MRCPI is a requirement for the BST certificate of completion, and RCPI states HST candidates must have passed the MRCPI Clinical examination before their HST interview date with no exceptions, so trainees aiming for HST entry after a two year BST need the Clinical passed by the HST interview round in the second BST year.

The parts

Part I€730 (from 1 January 2026; was €710 in 2025) · 3 (April, August, December)/yr
Written, 100 single best answer questions, one paper, computer-based by remote invigilation (TestReach) · 3 hours
Eligible six months after receiving primary medical degree, so it can be sat during intern year. Roughly 75% clinical, remainder basic and clinical sciences. No negative marking. Pass mark set by Board of Examiners each diet with test equating; scores are scaled, not raw. Maximum 6 attempts (one further attempt on trainer support), no time limit to pass. Exemptions include MRCPI Paediatrics Part I, MRCP(UK) (all three parts), MRCPCH, FRACP and several other boards; partial MRCP(UK) is not accepted.
Part II Written€750 (from 1 January 2026; was €730 in 2025) · 3 (March, June, October)/yr
Written, two papers of 75 single best answer questions each (150 total), remote invigilation · 5 hours (2 x 2.5 hours, 90 minute break)
Must have passed MRCPI General Medicine or Paediatrics Part I within the last 6 years (or hold an exemption). No basic science; focus on diagnosis, investigation and management. Marks combined across both papers, no requirement to pass each paper. Maximum 6 attempts; must pass within 6 years of passing Part I. FRACP holders are exempt from this part.
Part II Clinical€865 in Ireland; €1,480 at international centres (2026 fees; 2025 were €845 / €1,460) · 3 Irish diets (Jan/Feb, May/Jun, Sep/Oct); further international diets (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Malaysia, Bahrain TBC)/yr
Clinical, 7 stations: 2 long cases (25 min each) and 5 short cases (10 min each, one a communication/ethics station with role player), in person · About 100 minutes of examined time
Must have passed Part II Written within the last 3 years. Must reach the pass mark in each of the seven skills examined and the overall minimum pass mark set by the Board. Irish diets run over 4-5 weeks at rotating centres (Dublin, Galway, Cork, Manorhamilton, Limerick); candidates are assigned a date after applications close. Maximum 6 attempts. Results emailed about four working weeks after the diet ends.

Dates

  • 8 Oct 2026SittingPart II Clinical (Dubai) day 1 (Part II Clinical)
  • 21 Oct 2026Apply byPart I (remote) applications close (Part I)
  • 23 Oct 2026SittingPart II Clinical (Ireland) diet ends (Part II Clinical)
  • 29 Oct 2026SittingPart II Written (remote) (Part II Written)
  • 31 Oct 2026SittingPart II Clinical (Penang) day 1 (Part II Clinical)
  • 20 Nov 2026ResultsPart II Written results (Part II Written)
  • 20 Nov 2026ResultsPart II Clinical (Ireland) results (Part II Clinical)
  • 25 Nov 2026Apply byPart II Clinical (Ireland) applications close (Part II Clinical)
  • 10 Dec 2026SittingPart I (remote) (Part I)
  • 22 Jan 2027SittingPart II Clinical (Ireland) diet starts (Part II Clinical)
  • 27 Jan 2027Apply byPart II Written (remote) applications close (Part II Written)
  • 26 Feb 2027SittingPart II Clinical (Ireland) diet ends (Part II Clinical)
  • 3 Mar 2027Apply byPart I (remote) applications close (Part I)
  • 19 Mar 2027SittingPart II Written (remote) (Part II Written)
  • 31 Mar 2027Apply byPart II Clinical (Ireland) applications close (Part II Clinical)
  • 15 Apr 2027SittingPart I (remote) (Part I)
  • 12 May 2027Apply byPart II Written (remote) applications close (Part II Written)
  • 21 May 2027SittingPart II Clinical (Ireland) diet starts (Part II Clinical)
  • 24 Jun 2027SittingPart II Written (remote) (Part II Written)
  • 25 Jun 2027SittingPart II Clinical (Ireland) diet ends (Part II Clinical)
  • 30 Jun 2027Apply byPart I (remote) applications close (Part I)
  • 28 Jul 2027Apply byPart II Clinical (Ireland) applications close (Part II Clinical)
  • 19 Aug 2027SittingPart I (remote) (Part I)
  • 15 Sept 2027Apply byPart II Written (remote) applications close (Part II Written)
  • 17 Sept 2027SittingPart II Clinical (Ireland) diet starts (Part II Clinical)
  • 20 Oct 2027Apply byPart I (remote) applications close (Part I)
  • 22 Oct 2027SittingPart II Clinical (Ireland) diet ends (Part II Clinical)
  • 28 Oct 2027SittingPart II Written (remote) (Part II Written)
  • 9 Dec 2027SittingPart I (remote) (Part I)
8 past dates
  • 1 Jul 2026Apply byPart I (remote) applications close (Part I)
  • 29 Jul 2026Apply byPart II Clinical (Ireland) applications close (Part II Clinical)
  • 5 Aug 2026Apply byPart II Clinical (Dubai) applications close (Part II Clinical)
  • 20 Aug 2026SittingPart I (remote) (Part I)
  • 26 Aug 2026Apply byPart II Clinical (Penang) applications close (Part II Clinical)
  • 16 Sept 2026Apply byPart II Written (remote) applications close (Part II Written)
  • 25 Sept 2026SittingPart II Clinical (Riyadh) day 1 (Part II Clinical)
  • 26 Sept 2026SittingPart II Clinical (Ireland) diet starts (Part II Clinical)

Needed for

BST General Internal MedicineHST Acute MedicineHST CardiologyHST Clinical PharmacologyHST DermatologyHST Endocrinology & DiabetesHST GastroenterologyHST Genito-Urinary MedicineHST Geriatric MedicineHST HaematologyHST Infectious DiseasesHST Medical OncologyHST NephrologyHST NeurologyHST Palliative MedicineHST Rehabilitation MedicineHST Respiratory MedicineHST Rheumatology

Preparation resources

Resources for each exam part, with access details, costs and suggested priorities.

S
  • The college's own description of the 100 SBA Part I paper, the Part II written and the long case/short case clinical, plus the BST GIM curriculum that acts as the blueprint; read first to check the exam content.

  • Short online RCPI Brightspace course with practice SBAs and examiner videos (Dr Geoff Chadwick) on what long and short case examiners look for; the only college-run prep and it maps exactly to the RCPI clinical format.

  • Pastest MRCP Part 1 and Part 2 question banksQuestion bank£99.99 for 3 months to £199.99 for 12 months (Part 1)Part I, Part II Written

    Over 5,000 SBAs with past papers; MRCPI Part I and Part II Written are SBA papers on the same core medicine syllabus, so the MRCP(UK) banks are the standard preparation for both.

  • Passmedicine MRCP Part 1Question bank£35 for 4 monthsPart I

    Cheapest large SBA bank with a built-in textbook and spaced repetition; most Irish SHOs use it alone or alongside Pastest for Part I.

A
B
C

Tiers are editorial: S = essential and closely mapped to the exam, A = strong, B = useful supplement, C = optional. No affiliate links; prices are indicative and change.

Preparing

The BST General Internal Medicine curriculum is the published blueprint for all three parts, so use it as the checklist rather than a syllabus. Part I is around three quarters clinical medicine and one quarter basic and clinical science (physiology, biochemistry, immunology, genetics, statistics, ethics); Part II Written drops the basic science and uses longer vignettes with data and image interpretation. There is no negative marking, so answer every question.

RCPI runs a short online MRCPI General Medicine Skills Course on Brightspace covering exam structure, sample SBAs with feedback and video guidance on the long and short cases. Most Irish candidates use MRCP(UK) style question banks for the written parts, since the SBA format and content overlap heavily, and mock long and short case practice with registrars or consultants on the ward for the Clinical. RCPI's own limited attempts policy notes that candidates who resit without at least three months of additional experience are unlikely to pass, which is a reasonable guide to spacing attempts.

All written parts are delivered by remote invigilation through TestReach: you need a single occupancy room, one screen, webcam and a stable connection, and you must complete the device check and book a start slot at least 72 hours before the exam.

Last verified 2026-08-18. Sources: https://www.rcpi.ie/Learn-and-Develop/Examinations/RCPI-Examinations/MRCPI-in-General-Medicine/Overview https://www.rcpi.ie/Learn-and-Develop/Examinations/RCPI-Examinations/MRCPI-in-General-Medicine/Exam-Format/General-Medicine-Part-I https://www.rcpi.ie/Learn-and-Develop/Examinations/RCPI-Examinations/MRCPI-in-General-Medicine/Exam-Format/General-Medicine-Part-II-Written https://www.rcpi.ie/Learn-and-Develop/Examinations/RCPI-Examinations/MRCPI-in-General-Medicine/Exam-Format/General-Medicine-Part-II-Clinical https://www.rcpi.ie/Learn-and-Develop/Examinations/Examinations-Schedule https://www.rcpi.ie/Portals/0/Document%20Repository/Exams/Regulations/MRCPI%20General%20Medicine%20Regulations%20October%202025.pdf https://www.rcpi.ie/Portals/0/Document%20Repository/Exams/Policies%20and%20Procedures/MRCPI%20Examination%20Pass%20Rates%202024%20(website).pdf https://www.rcpi.ie/Portals/0/Document%20Repository/Exams/Policies%20and%20Procedures/Limited%20Attempts%20Policy%20MRCPI%20February%202026%20(including%20Occ%20Med)%20NEW.pdf https://www.rcpi.ie/Learn-and-Develop/Examinations/Examination-Policies-and-Resources https://www.rcpi.ie/Learn-and-Develop/Training-Programmes/Higher-Specialist-Training/Entry-Guidance-and-Advice https://www.rcpi.ie/Learn-and-Develop/Training-Programmes/Basic-Specialist-Training/General-Medicine-Basic-Specialist-Training/Overview https://courses.rcpi.ie/product?catalog=General-Medicine-Skills-Course