How Many Questions Should You Complete Before MRCS Part A?
When preparing for the MRCS Part A examination, question banks become an integral part of your preparation. Some often wonder how many questions they need to complete before taking the MRCS Part A; however, there is no magic number that needs to be reached. In reality, the syllabus coverage, and ensuring that you have targeted your weak areas matter more than the number of questions you cover.
In this blog, we will run through a realistic target and plan that you can follow in your preparation leading up to the MRCS Part A examination.
Key takeaways
- There is no magic number of questions to complete: aim to cover the whole syllabus-mapped bank and ensure that you master your weak areas
- Candidates usually complete a full bank of around 3,000 SBAs once, followed by a targeted second pass
- The quality of your revision matters more than the raw volume of questions you complete
The short answer
There is no set number of required questions that need to be completed. A good target would be roughly 3,000 SBAs at least once, and a second pass that aims to target your weak areas. The main goal ultimately, is full syllabus coverage and improvement over time.
Some candidates might need to do fewer second-pass questions if they are consistently scoring well, and others may feel the need to complete more questions to target their weak areas.
What MRCS Part A actually involves
| Feature | Detail |
| Format | Two papers, single best answer (SBA) MCQs, sat on one day (about 5 hours total) |
| Paper 1 | Applied Basic Science — 180 questions, 3 hours |
| Paper 2 | Principles of Surgery in General — 120 questions, 2 hours |
| Total questions | 300 |
| Scoring | Marks from both papers are combined; you must reach a minimum standard in each paper and meet the combined pass mark |
| Pass mark | Set by the Angoff method for each sitting, so it varies — there is no fixed percentage |
| Sittings | Three per year — January, April and September |
The table above provides a rough outline of what the MRCS Part A involves. The exam is 300 questions in total, divided into 2 papers, Applied Basic Sciences (180 questions) and Principles of Surgery (120 questions). It is important to ensure that your revision covers the full syllabus across the two papers. The pass mark is set by the Angoff method and differs each sitting, hence, you should aim to perform above the borderline in both papers.
How many questions for MRCS Part A is enough?
The practical goal is not the raw count of questions completed, but rather, the coverage of the full syllabus and mastery of weak areas. In the table below, we outline 3 stages of revision that you can use as a guide for your revision. During the first pass, the aim is to go through a syllabus-mapped once, and to learn from every explanation; a complete bank is roughly about 3,000 SBAs. Your second pass should be more targeted. At this stage, you should re-attempt topics that need improvement, and go through any flagged or guessed questions. This is about 1,000-2,000 questions, depending on how strongly you are performing. Finally, in the run-in stage, you should be doing timed-full mocks as well as review of weak areas using spaced-repetition. Aim to complete 2-4 mocks, which is about 600-1,200 questions.
It is important to note that these numbers should just be used as a guide. Candidates that are scoring strongly on their first pass would need fewer second pass questions, in comparison to other candidates that feel less confident.
| Stage | What you are doing | Rough volume |
| First pass | Work through a full syllabus-mapped bank once, learning from every explanation | About 3,000 SBAs (a complete bank) |
| Second pass | Re-attempt weak topics, flagged questions and anything you guessed | 1,000–2,000+ targeted |
| Run-in | Timed full mocks plus spaced-repetition review of persistent gaps | 2–4 mocks (about 600–1,200) |
Why quality beats quantity
The quality of the revision takes priority over the raw volume questions you do. Taking time to read over the full explanation for every question – whether right or wrong, understanding your weak areas, and doing timed blocks in order to build stamina, would be an effective approach to take when preparing for the MRCS Part A.
As an example, a proper revision of a missed physiology question could lead you to study the linked physiology, mechanisms and any other associated traps, and hence, protecting you from making a similar mistake later on.
Two common mistakes that candidates make whilst preparing for this examination is, firstly, rushing through questions, without understanding why an answer to a question is right or wrong, and secondly, re-doing topics that you feel strong on already.
Signs you’re ready for MRCS Part A
Below is a checklist you can use to estimate your readiness for the exam. Your readiness is not about the amount of questions you have done, but rather if you feel confident and comfortable when answering questions that cover both your weak areas, and your strong ones.
☐ Coverage of the full syllabus at least once, including your weak areas
☐ Mocks scores are consistently above the borderline for both Paper 1 and 2
☐ Your weak areas score is similar to your strong areas
☐ You are answering questions at the pace of the exam without rushing, this is roughly about a minute per SBA
☐ When doing spaced-repetition reviews, they are roughly correct
A simple MRCS Part A revision plan
Here we provide a simple revision plan that you can use, and tailor to your study schedule.
First pass: Complete the full bank, going through every topic, and making sure that you read the explanations of the answers, whether it was right, or wrong.
Second pass: This should be a more targeted revision. Go through the topics you have scored weakly on, or that you feel the need to improve, as well as any flagged questions.
Mocks & spaced repetition: Complete timed mocks in the final 3-4 weeks leading up to the examination, along with a daily spaced repetition review.
Final week: Keep your routine steady, and sort logistics. Do not attempt to re-learn the syllabus again. Do light reviews, whilst focusing on the high-yield topics, and consolidating any weaknesses that you might still have.
Common pitfalls in MRCS Part A question practice
Here are some common pitfalls, and how to avoid them when doing the MRCS Part A question practice:
- Trying to reach a golden number of questions, instead of focusing on your understanding: do not chase question count, review every explanation thoroughly and make sure you understand why the question is correct or incorrect.
- Only practising your strong topics: do not neglect your weaknesses, you should filter them and target them until you score in a similar range as your strong topics.
- Completing untimed practices only: you should train yourself to answer questions at an exam level pace by adding timed blocks and full mocks.
- Doing passive revision: use active recall by doing questions, and targeting your weak areas, as well as spaced repetition to help you remember the content.
Key takeaways and next steps
A golden number of questions to complete when preparing for the MRCS Part A does not exist, the key is, covering the whole syllabus, whilst mastering your weak areas, and doing timed-mocks to judge your readiness for the exam. A good place to be is consistently scoring strongly, improvement of your weak areas, as well as doing full timed-mocks at an exam pace, without rushing.
A practical next step is to begin with an MRCS Part A question bank, and tracking your weak areas, whilst thoroughly revising the reasonings of the answers, rather than rushing through the questions.