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MRCOG Part 3 Format: 14 Tasks and Structured Discussions

Specialty Exam Guides Obstetrics & Gynecology

MRCOG Part 3 Format: 14 Tasks and Structured Discussions

UK MRCOG Part 3 format explained: 14 tasks, 12-minute stations, structured discussions, simulated tasks, and what current candidates should expect.

  • Oral board prep
  • MRCOG Part 3
  • Obstetrics and Gynaecology
  • Clinical assessment
  • UK medical exams

If you're trying to pin down the MRCOG Part 3 format, strip it to the essentials: the Clinical Assessment is a 14-task circuit, and each task lasts 12 minutes including 2 minutes of reading time. The tasks are a mix of simulated encounters and structured discussions, so success depends on sounding clinically safe, clear, and decisive under pressure rather than delivering a polished lecture.

Why this matters

The common trainee error is to treat this exam as Part 2 spoken aloud. RCOG blueprints each task across several domains at once, with three or four domains sampled in every task, so you can lose marks by missing patient safety, failing to gather key information, or communicating poorly even if your factual knowledge is strong.

In other words, examiners are not waiting for a textbook monologue. They want to hear prioritisation, explanation, escalation, and judgement. Say what you would do first. Say who you would involve. Say what you would tell the patient or colleague.

MRCOG Part 3 format at a glance

The official format is one circuit of 14 tasks. RCOG describes two task types: simulated patient or colleague tasks, where you interact with a trained actor, and structured discussion tasks, where you speak directly with a clinical examiner who can prompt you or add new information as the case develops. A circuit may also include linked tasks, where the second task builds on the first, and there may be a writing task in some stations.

For current sittings, RCOG says Part 3 is held twice a year, in May and November. You must have passed MRCOG Part 2 and had your Assessment of Training approved before you can apply, so do not leave the AoT process until the last minute.

What a 12-minute task really feels like

In practice, the 2-minute reading time is where you decide what sort of station you are in. Is this mainly counselling, triage, escalation, prioritisation, or consent? If you can answer that before the bell, the rest of the station becomes much calmer.

A simple pacing rule works well:

  • first 30-60 seconds: introduce yourself, set the agenda, and show you understand the problem
  • middle 8-9 minutes: gather the missing information, explain your reasoning, and make a safe plan
  • final minute: summarise, check understanding, and close the loop with follow-up or safety-netting

What examiners are marking in every task

RCOG assesses MRCOG Part 3 through five domains: patient safety, communication with patients and their relatives, communication with colleagues, information gathering, and applied clinical knowledge. Each task samples three or four of these domains, which is why a good answer sounds integrated rather than compartmentalised.

A trained Clinical Examiner is present on all 14 tasks, and a trained Lay Examiner appears on four tasks to assess communication, patient safety, and information gathering from the patient perspective.

When a Lay Examiner is in the room, think less about sounding clever and more about sounding trustworthy. Avoid jargon. Chunk information. Acknowledge emotion. If you are recommending a plan, say why it matters to the woman in front of you.

The 14-task blueprint: where stations come from

This is the bit that confuses a lot of candidates. The current MRCOG syllabus describes 15 core Knowledge Areas being examined in 14 assessed tasks. Clinical skills is common to every task, and the remaining 14 Knowledge Areas are used to inform the station blueprint. The Part 3 syllabus page still directs candidates to the MRCOG Syllabus Curriculum 2019 and associated Knowledge Requirements pages for this content.

Those 14 blueprint areas are:

  • teaching and research
  • core surgical skills
  • postoperative care
  • antenatal care
  • maternal medicine
  • management of labour
  • management of delivery
  • postpartum problems
  • gynaecological problems
  • subfertility
  • sexual and reproductive health
  • early pregnancy care
  • gynaecological oncology
  • urogynaecology and pelvic floor problems

That list matters for revision planning, but you should not revise it as 14 sealed boxes. Clinical skills runs through the whole exam, so even a station rooted in oncology or early pregnancy care still rewards structure, empathy, safe escalation, and clear explanation.

Current official blueprint and what may change

As of July 2026, the official Part 3 pages still point candidates to the current syllabus and knowledge requirement documents above. At the same time, RCOG has launched a Global Expansion and Sustainability Project, with phase 1 running through 2025-2026 and a future-facing, GMC-approved exam model planned for 2027. Prepare for the current 14-task format now, but check the awarding body again close to your sitting.

One practical caveat: the 2026 key dates page lists venue-based sittings in the UK and overseas, while the FAQ page also gives technical requirements for candidates taking the exam remotely through Osler Online. The safest interpretation is that delivery logistics may be sitting-specific, so verify your own diet rather than relying on hearsay.

How structured discussions and simulated tasks feel on the day

In a simulated patient or colleague task, the actor knows the backstory and may have scripted prompts. In a structured discussion task, the examiner has a set brief and can move the scenario on by adding information or directing you to the next problem. That means you need slightly different rhythms for the two task types.

A reliable frame for structured discussions

Structured discussions reward early prioritisation. If the stem is about collapse, sepsis, severe hypertension, or suspected malignancy, name the clinical priority early rather than circling around it.

A simple frame is:

  • state the immediate concern or working diagnosis
  • ask for or acknowledge the key missing data
  • outline the first-line management and escalation
  • explain the reasoning, alternatives, or risks
  • finish with communication, documentation, and follow-up

For example, if the examiner gives you a 34-week scenario with headache, visual disturbance, and severe hypertension, say your concern up front. Then move quickly to maternal stabilisation, senior help, fetal assessment, antihypertensive treatment, magnesium sulphate if indicated, and planning birth according to maternal and fetal status. You do not need a speech. You need a safe sequence.

A reliable frame for simulated tasks

Simulated tasks are where candidates often rush. Slow down enough to show you can build rapport and find out what matters to the patient or colleague.

A practical sequence is:

  • introduce yourself and confirm the agenda
  • explore the person's main concern, ideas, or expectations
  • explain the situation in plain English
  • recommend a plan with options where appropriate
  • check understanding, questions, and safety-netting

Imagine a woman with postmenopausal bleeding who is frightened that this means cancer. A strong candidate acknowledges the fear, explains that bleeding after the menopause needs investigation, outlines the likely next steps, and avoids false reassurance while still sounding calm and humane.

Common mistakes

  • treating the station as a lecture instead of a clinical interaction
  • giving a long differential without first identifying the immediate safety issue
  • missing the specific task in the stem, such as counselling, prioritisation, or escalation
  • failing to signpost when you are changing from assessment to explanation or management
  • speaking to a simulated patient as if they were a consultant viva examiner
  • forgetting to involve seniors, anaesthetics, neonatology, oncology, or other teams when the scenario clearly needs shared care
  • ending without a summary, safety-net, documentation point, or follow-up plan

Practice workflow

RCOG's current revision resources highlight two official prep tools: the Part 3 revision guide and the eLearning resource, which includes a 14-task circuit designed to reflect the Clinical Assessment format and marking. Use those to anchor your practice before you add any third-party courses or question banks.

A realistic weekly routine looks like this:

  • run two timed tasks on most weeks, not ten untimed ones on a Sunday
  • practise one structured discussion and one simulated encounter each session
  • keep the 2-minute reading time and 12-minute task limit strict
  • debrief every attempt with three questions: Was I safe? Was I clear? Did I actually answer the task?
  • keep an error log under the five domains, so patterns become obvious
  • use peer practice, consultant mocks, or AI role-play to increase reps, but always finish by comparing your answer with current RCOG guidance and local safe practice

If you are short of time, do not try to cover every topic equally every week. Pick three blueprint areas, then rehearse them through the Part 3 lens: first priority, key questions, explanation, escalation, and close.

Summary

  • MRCOG Part 3 is a 14-task circuit, and each task lasts 12 minutes including 2 minutes of reading time.
  • The two official task types are simulated patient or colleague encounters and structured discussions with a clinical examiner. Linked tasks and writing tasks may also appear.
  • Each task samples three or four of five domains: patient safety, communication with patients and their relatives, communication with colleagues, information gathering, and applied clinical knowledge.
  • Clinical skills is common to every station, while 14 other Knowledge Areas inform the task blueprint.
  • The current format remains the official one, but RCOG has signalled a future model planned for 2027, so check the latest candidate information before your own diet.

References

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