The UK has no single “board exam”. Instead, each specialty has Royal College exams that you must pass during training. Passing them, plus satisfactory ARCPs, is what allows a CCT. Here is the overview; see the Specialties section for detail.
| Specialty | College | Main exams |
|---|---|---|
| General Practice | RCGP | MRCGP: Applied Knowledge Test (AKT), Simulated Consultation Assessment (SCA), workplace-based assessment |
| Internal medicine and its specialties | RCP (MRCP(UK)) | MRCP(UK) Part 1, Part 2 Written, PACES; Specialty Certificate Examinations (SCE) in many specialties |
| Surgery | Royal Colleges of Surgeons | MRCS Part A and Part B; intercollegiate FRCS exit exams |
| Anaesthetics | RCoA | Primary FRCA and Final FRCA |
| Emergency medicine | RCEM | FRCEM Primary, Intermediate (SAQ) and Final |
| Paediatrics | RCPCH | MRCPCH: Foundation of Practice, Theory and Clinical |
| Obstetrics and gynaecology | RCOG | MRCOG Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 |
| Psychiatry | RCPsych | MRCPsych Paper A, Paper B and CASC |
| Radiology | RCR | FRCR Part 1, Part 2A and Part 2B (clinical radiology) |
| Ophthalmology | RCOphth | FRCOphth Part 1, Part 2 and practical assessments |
| Pathology | RCPath | FRCPath Part 1 and Part 2 |
This page is general education, reviewed 24 October 2026. Rules, fees and dates change: always confirm with the official sources below. It is not medical, legal or immigration advice.