Performance and Progress in Our Exams
Assuring and Improving Exam Quality
We’re committed to making our exams fair, reliable and are continually improving and developing.
On this page, you’ll find information about how our exams perform, how we review them, and the work we do to refine our assessment approach.
Whether you’re a candidate, examiner, educator or researcher, these insights will give you a clearer picture of how we uphold the quality of our assessments—and how we’re working to make them even better.
Learn more about:
The College publishes statistical information on pass / fail rates for all RCoA delivered examinations, including recent figures and historical trends.
- Primary FRCA Pass Rates
- Final FRCA Pass Rates
- FFICM Pass Rates
- FFPM Pass Rates
Examination Chair's Reports are conducted annually and contain information on exam processes, standard setting, reliability and quality assurance.
- Internal Reviews
We are committed to improving the calibre of our examinations, ensuring that they are delivered in line with best practice in assessment for each medical specialty.
Internal Examination Review: FRCA
- External Review
An independent review commissioned by the College to provide external insights into the development and delivery of assessment processes across FRCA, FFICM, and FFPMRCA exams.
- Examination Regulations
How RCoA delivered exams are developed, delivered, marked, and standardised)
- Examination Conduct Policies
Rules & expectations for our candidates
The Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA), the Faculty of Pain Medicine (FPM) and the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine (FICM) ensure that doctors in training, members and fellows are provided with an appropriate breakdown of costs of supporting doctors in training and in the provision of the examinations that form part of the relevant training programmes.
Information on qualitative and quantitative research undertaken by the College related to its exams, aiming to improve and inform assessment processes.
- Differential Attainment Masterclasses
This project explores the design, delivery, and impact of a series of masterclasses aimed at supporting candidates from underrepresented or disadvantaged groups. Questionnaire data from multiple sittings is being collated and will be linked with exam outcomes and candidate demographics to assess effectiveness.
- Longitudinal Validity Study
A multi-phase study tracking the validity of the Primary FRCA Structured Oral Examination (SOE) over time. The project will continue through the introduction of the new examination format, allowing for a comprehensive evaluation of validity evidence across exam changes.