FRCA examinership application form
The application window for examiner recruitment 2023–2024 is now closed.
Recruitment for 2024-2025 will open mid year 2023.
Notes to applicants
The Fellowship examination was restructured to the present two-part examination (the Primary and Final FRCA) in August 1996. A major change to the examination structure and marking system took place in 2009. The last examination review took place in 2015 and two changes to the Final FRCA exam were agreed:
- changes to the structure and format of the SOE from December 2018, and
- a change to the format of the Final Written exam from September 2019. Further details of exam changes can be found here.
A further review is taking place this year, in 2022.
The regulations of the examination are published and are available here.
Schedules
There are three sittings of the Primary FRCA OSCE and SOE: November, January and May each academic year, and two sittings of the Final FRCA SOE: December and June.
In addition; the Primary FRCA MCQ is held in September, November and February and the Final Written exams are held in September and March each academic year. Examiners are not required to attend Primary or Final written examinations.
Once the probationary period is completed, all examiners can expect to become a member of a core group. Attendance at these meetings, and associated additional work, is considered an essential part of an examiner’s commitment.
After successful completion of the probationary year, examiners should be prepared to commit to at least 10 days of examining plus 3 days for core group meetings/working parties per academic year. There will be some additional work in your own time, such as question writing and marking of exam papers. Examiners do not attend written examinations.
Selection and appointment process
All details regarding selection and appointment can be found in the Examinations (Selection and Appointment of Examiners) Regulations 2018 (the Regs). The Regulations are available here.
Applicants shall be assessed against the FRCA Examiner Person Specification (Appendix A of the Regs) and if selected, are expected to adhere to the duties and responsibilities set out in the FRCA Examiner Job Description (Appendix B of the Regulations).
Commitment
The Education, Training and Examinations Board expects all examiners to make a full commitment to the examination to which they have been appointed, with the minimum time commitment identified above. It is expected that this duty will take precedence over all other commitments unless there are exceptional circumstances when any such leave of absence must be approved by the Chairman of the appropriate examination.
Retirement
Please note that any examiner retiring from clinical practice during an academic year is normally required to retire from examining. Although the board may approve continuation of examining or exam duties, to the end of the academic year in which an examiner retires, conditions apply.
FRCA examination structure and marking systems
The structure and marking systems of all FRCA examination components can be found at Appendix 1 and 2 of the Primary and Final FRCA Examination Regulations.
Training
Before taking up their appointment duties, all successful applicants are required to attend an examiner training day , which includes principles of assessment and taking part in mock exams. Training for the Primary board takes place on a Friday in October in preparation for the November exam and for the Final board, on a Friday in November in preparation for the December exam. New examiners who are unable to attend this training day will have their appointment deferred until the following year. All examiners are expected to undertake annual exam specific equality and diversity training.
If you require any other information, please do not hesitate to contact the Head of Examinations, Fiona Daniels.