FRCA examinership application form

The application window for examiner recruitment 2021–2022 is now open.

To check whether you are eligible, please read the Person Specification before submitting your application form. CVs are not required.

Further information on eligibility criteria is available in the Primary and Final FRCA selection and appointment of examiners regulations.  

Selection is based on eligibility, the number of examiners retiring, as well as geographical distribution, numbers from individual hospitals, subspecialty interests, clinical and basic science examiners, representation of teaching and district general hospitals and experience.  The College does not discriminate on grounds of protected characteristics.

If your application is successful, you should expect to attend:

  • compulsory training day in October (Primary) or November (Final)
  • sim-man training in March (Primary board only).

As an examiner you can expect to complete a term of at least six years and will be engaged to work at the College two-to-three times a year. If you are recruited to the Primary board, you will normally be required to attend two out-of-the three Primary OSCE/SOE exams. These run from Monday to Friday. Final examiners are expected to attend both SOE exams and two Constructed Response Question standard checking online meetings. Examiners do not attend written examinations.

A full job description is available and all new examiners will be subject to a probationary period. 

Insider's View 

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. Two changes to the Final FRCA exam were agreed:

  1. changes to the structure and format of the SOE from December 2018, and
  2. 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 planned for 2021.

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.

The number of examining days for both parts is not expected to exceed five days at each sitting. Primary examiners; normally are not expected to participate in more than two examinations per year. Final examiners are expected to make themselves available for both Final SOE examinations and in addition, attend a post standard setting meeting following the Final Written exams (September and March).

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. The exam board make every effort to hold meeting during exam week but additional attendance may be required.

Therefore, after successful completion of the probationary year, examiners should be prepared to commit at least 12 days per academic year to examination and core group activities, as well as some additional work in their own time, such as question writing and marking of exam papers.

The published Examinations Calendar provides the appropriate dates and may be accessed via the examinations pages.

Selection and appointment process

All details regarding selection and appointment can be found in the Primary and Final 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).

Vacancies

Examiners will be recruited to the Final and Primary examinations. Precise numbers of vacancies in each board are not known at this time but normally reflect the number of retirements from the current Boards of Examiners. Examiners may not always be allocated to their exam board preference at the first instance but can request to change to Final or Primary once they have completed their first (probationary) year.

Commitment

The Education, Training and Examinations Board (the 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 at the College. This includes principles of assessment and taking part in mock exams. This takes place on a Friday in October prior to the November sitting. New examiners who are unable to attend this training day will have their appointment deferred until the following year. Before examining independently, the examiner elect must observe the examination and will therefore be invited to visit the Primary OSCE/SOE at the May sitting. 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.

Please submit your completed application form below by
Thursday 30 September 2021.

Qualifications (including CCT if applicable) with dates

Please note that to ensure anonymity the details below are removed from application forms prior to being despatched to the examinations committee to carry out the scoring and selection process.

I am a Fellow of the College
I am in good standing with the College
I hold full registration, without limitation, with the GMC
If I am successful in my application, I would like to be considered for recruitment to:
Please note that the allocation of new examiners to examiner boards will depend on the requirement of the examination and the need to replace examiners retiring from both boards. Therefore, applicants may not be allocated to their preference in the first instance.

Current appointment (including date of appointment)

Previous relevant employment (consultant or SAS posts only, including locum posts)

Equal opportunities training (within the last three years)

Please provide date(s) and upload a copy of the certificate of completion below.

 

Allowed types: gif, jpg, png, bmp, txt, rtf, pdf, doc, docx, ppt, pptx, xls, xlsx
Allowed types: gif, jpg, png, bmp, txt, rtf, pdf, doc, docx, ppt, pptx, xls, xlsx

Publications

It is desirable that applicants are able to demonstrate the involvement in written and electronic publications that are of particular relevance to training/education and basic sciences of anaesthesia. To ensure anonymity please do not enter your name in the list of authors, the committee will presume you are involved in the publications listed. Please give details below:

 

Please provide the contact details of your clinical director and regional adviser, both of whom will be asked to provide structured references

I have read the person specification and job description and believe I meet the essential requirements for this role.

I have spoken with my trust regarding applying for this role and I would be able to commit to 11 days or more per academic year.

I confirm that I do not have any restrictions or warnings against me practising medicine within the UK.
Please sign above using your mouse or finger (if using a touchscreen device).
I am interested in the Member Engagement Panel*:
*The Membership Engagement Panel is an online virtual panel of membership that receive surveys and opportunities to share feedback to the College and help us shape future strategy and work.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

We have a strong commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion within the College, and these principles are embedded into our values and the way we work. It is for this reason that we are working hard to create and foster the proper representation of ethnic minority, gender and other groups that share protected characteristics in the work of the College and wider specialty. In order to achieve this we are conducting wide-ranging projects to obtain the necessary data to underpin a strategic, supportive and open approach to EDI.

To help us do this, we encourage you to complete the following questionnaire on ethnicity, diversity and inclusion as this data will help us:
  • develop a more detailed picture of our membership profile so we can consider and address areas of under-representation
  • better understand the needs of our Fellows, Members and stakeholders
  • inform strategic planning and policy reform to improve equality, diversity and representation across our work
  • assess the impact of our initiatives and;
  • promote, develop and foster positive relations between different groups.
In line with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the College will always keep your information safe and stored appropriately. Please see our Privacy Policy for further details. You can request for your data to be deleted if you change your mind.

The College is determined to create a more inclusive environment at all levels where differences are valued and respected.

PLEASE NOTE: If you have provided the below information previously and your details have not changed, you are not required to complete this form.

Ethnic groups are based on the Census 2021 categories
If you are considering how to answer, use the sex recorded on your birth certificate or Gender Recognition Certificate.
Do you consider yourself to have a disability according to the terms given in the Equality Act 2010?
The Equality Act 2010 protects people with disabilities. The Equality Act 2010 defines a person as disabled if they have a physical or mental impairment, which has a substantial and long term (ie has lasted or is expected to last at least 12 months) and adverse effect on the person's ability to carry out normal day to day activities.
Do you have carer responsibilities?
Is English your first language?

Confirmation

Data Protection Statement

The Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA) is fully committed to the principles of data protection, as set out in the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The RCoA relies on legitimate interests as the lawful basis for processing of personal data. We process and maintain personal data about you so that we can manage your membership, provide you with appropriate products and services and share information with you about RCoA activities.

We will only use your information for the purposes as described and will not pass on your details to other third parties unless you have given us consent to do so.

We use appropriate organisational and technical measures to ensure that your data are secure and protected from loss, misuse and unauthorised access or alteration.

You have the right to ask for a copy of the information we hold about you and to have any inaccuracies in your information corrected. If you have any questions about data protection or require further information, please email dpo@rcoa.ac.uk