PACES Examination
The MRCP Part 2 Clinical Examination, also referred to as the Practical Assessment of Clinical Examination Skills (PACES), serves as an assessment tool aimed at appraising the clinical knowledge and aptitude of trainee physicians aspiring to pursue advanced specialist training, specifically ST3. To be eligible for PACES, candidates must have successfully passed the MRCP Part 1 written examination within the preceding 7 years. The examination is meticulously structured to establish stringent benchmarks, ensuring candidates possess a diverse skill set and are capable of delivering superior patient care.
Throughout the examination, candidates are evaluated on their proficiency in executing essential clinical competencies. Comprising five clinical stations, each station features either actual patients presenting with specific conditions or trained individuals serving as surrogates. At every station, two independent examiners closely observe and assess the candidate’s performance.
PACES Exam Application Dates
Please refer to the table below for the application dates for the 2024 exam diets:
Diet Dates Applications Open Applications Close Assessment Period
2024/01 9th October 2023 16th October 2023 January – March
2024/02 19th February 2024 26th February 2024 Early June – August
2024/03 17th June 2024 24th June 2024 September – Early December
MRCP PACES Exam Cost
The application fee for the PACES Exam ranges from £1,202 to £1,278.
PACES Exam Centers in India
There are 9 centers in India for the PACES Exam, the highest among all countries except the UK:
Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, New Delhi, Pondicherry, Pune, and Thiruvananthapuram.
PACES Exam Format
The new format of the PACES exam was introduced from the third Diet of 2023:
– It is a half-day examination.
– It takes place in a hospital or clinical skills center.
– Candidates are assessed for seven core skills.
– There will be eight patient interactions.
– Each candidate is assessed by two independent examiners.
– Candidates will be evaluated at all five clinical stations.
– Candidates can start with any station and move to the next station every 20 minutes until completing all 5 stations. They can take a 5-minute break after completing each station. The total time is 125 minutes, including 5 minutes between each station.
Skills Assessed in PACES Exam
Here are the 7 core skills assessed during the PACES Clinical interaction:
Clinical Skill Descriptor
A Physical Examination
B Identification of Physical Signs
C Clinical Communication
D Differential Diagnosis
E Clinical Judgment
F Management of Patients’ Concerns
G Maintenance of Patient Welfare
Different combinations of skills are evaluated at each encounter, as outlined in the table below:
Station Encounter Skills Assessed
1 Communication C, E, F, G
Respiratory Examination A, B, D, E, G
2 Consultation All seven
3 Cardiovascular Examination A, B, D, E, G
Nervous System Examination A, B, D, E, G
4 Communication C, E, F, G
Abdominal Examination A, B, D, E, G
5 Consultation All seven
Patient Encounters
An encounter refers to an interaction with a patient or dummy. Stations 2 and 5 entail one encounter, while stations 1, 3, and 4 involve two encounters each. Consequently,
there are a total of eight encounters throughout the exam organized into stations:
Station Encounter Duration of Encounter Download Sample Scenarios Interaction
1 Communication 10 minutes – 2 patients
Respiratory Examination 10 minutes –
2 Consultation 20 minutes Example Consultation Scenarios 1 patient
3 Cardiovascular Examination 10 minutes – 2 patients
Neurological Examination 10 minutes –
4 Communication 10 minutes Example Communication Scenarios 2 patients
Abdominal Examination 10 minutes –
5 Consultation 20 minutes Example Consultation Scenarios 1 patient
Total Time 100 minutes – –
