Becoming an examiner on the MRCGP panel

The Simulated Consultation Assessment (SCA) is a remote simulated surgery assessment forming part of the licensing tripos leading to Membership of the Royal College of General Practitioners (MRCGP). The SCA is delivered through an online platform, and consists of 12 simulated GP consultations, conducted by professional role players, and delivered to a consistent standard. The role of an RCGP SCA examiner is to assess a candidate’s ability to consult effectively at the level of a newly qualified GP. To achieve this, SCA examiners must form fair and safe judgements about candidates’ clinical, professional, and communication skills.

Applications for the recruitment of MRCGP examiners are now closed for 2024. 

The RCGP is recruiting GPs to join the panel of examiners, and we encourage applications from enthusiastic highly performing GPs of all backgrounds and levels of experience. We are keen for the panel to be reflective of the diversity of patients and want to encourage those who might not previously have considered applying. The role is valuable and rewarding. Examiners benefit from superb opportunities for CPD, and most of the work is done from home with flexible hours, (see below). Being an examiner gives a GP the chance to contribute to the standard of UK General Practice and provides expertise we can share with the whole GP training community.  MRCGP panel members are paid at a rate of £20.08 per consultation marked and a fee for the provision of professional services for attendance at the annual mandatory training event and training days will be payable, currently £471.16 per day with effect from 1 April 2023. The contract is renewable annually and there is an initial probationary period of six months.

Essential criteria

• Be a GP in good standing with the GMC who has passed the AKT in the last 10 years (or can commit to passing this in order to join the panel). If you have not passed the AKT in the last 10 years please confirm you would be prepared to sit the exam on the week commencing Monday 29 April 2024.
• Be a Member or Fellow of the College in good standing.
• Be on the National Performers’ list without restriction and have annual GP appraisals (examiners demit within two years of retirement).
• Be able to commit to working in five diets per year (usually one fixed day plus 2.5 flexible days, further details below).
• Be able to attend a Potential New Examiner Day as part of the recruitment process, on 16 or 17 May 2024.
• Be able to attend the next MRCGP Mandatory Training Event on 4 to 6 December 2024.
• Have read the examiners’ code of conduct and commit to abide by this if appointed. This will be shared at new examiner training events.

Essential attributes

• Value diversity, equality and inclusivity as applied to candidates, patients and examiners.
• Be able to work well in a team and demonstrate excellent communication skills.
• Be able to think flexibly and work to a standard.
• Be well organised and able to work to short deadlines.
• Appropriate levels of IT literacy.
• Compliance with GMC Good Medical Practice.
• No conflict of interests such as a commercial course provider.
• Familiarity with the principles of equality and data protection legislation and a commitment to comply with the necessary training and implementation.

Desirable attributes

• Significant consulting experience
• Experience of teaching or training

Time commitment

Applicants must be able to provide a minimum of 2.5 days in each of five examining diets per year. There is a 2-hour examiner standardisation meeting on a fixed day during the examination diet, after which you will have 60 cases to mark over a predefined number of days. (Completion within deadlines is essential for timely release of results to candidates.) There are nine diets per year from which to choose, and advance notice is provided.

In addition, examiners are obliged to attend the annual MRCGP Mandatory Training Event, as above, and will undergo quality assurance with a lead examiner during the examination diet (usually about one hour).

IT requirements

Examiners need to have use of a laptop or PC with a minimum screen resolution of 1024 x 768, running Windows 10 or newer, (or Sierra 10.12 or newer), with a reliable speaker, microphone and webcam. The minimum recommended bandwidth is 10mbps download and 4mbps upload.

How to apply

To apply, please confirm your GMC number, that the six essential criteria apply, confirmation of an AKT pass within the last 10 years (or confirmation of a requirement to re-sit), and provide a Personal Statement of up to 400 words describing evidence for the Essential and Desirable Attributes. Please email this to Exams.Recruitment@rcgp.org.uk by 17:00 on Monday 15 April.

Selection process

Please note the following relevant dates. If shortlisted to become an examiner, you will need to ensure you are available for the AKT re-sit (if applicable), new examiner selection day, new examiner training event and MRCGP Mandatory Training Event.

You will need to re-sit the AKT examination if you passed it over 10 years ago.

Please forward any enquiries to Exams.Recruitment@rcgp.org.uk.

Key dates

• Week commencing 22 April 2024: Shortlist released; details of AKT re-sit (where required) sent to shortlisted candidates
• Thursday 16 or Friday 17 May 2024: New examiner selection day in Euston, London
• TBC: New examiner training event at TBC
• Wednesday 4 (evening) to Friday 6 December 2024: Examiner mandatory training event in Stratford-Upon-Avon