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Logo of Royal College of Surgeons, England

“MRCS is an entry level examination and it is not a registrable Postgraduate qualification,” reads the ad of PMDC in a national Pakistani newspaper. It further reads that “PMDC declines MRCS as additional postgraduate qualification in surgery.”

This is the first time that Pakistan’s regulatory authority has clarified this misconception and declined holders of MRCS diploma holders to practice as consultants in Pakistan.

“MRCS is an entry level examination and it is not a registrable Postgraduate qualification,”: What does General Medical Council (GMC), medical regulatory authority in UK and Northern Ireland says about this? 

According to GMC rules, “MRCS is an entry level qualification for surgical trainees in the UK and Ireland. It is a multi-part postgraduate medical examination consisting of both theory and practical assessments. Successful completion of the examination is required to enter ST3 or above training.” On the other hand, FRCS is an exit exam is run by the Intercollegiate Specialty Board and is normally taken at the end of speciality training. Attaining M.R.C.S. diploma does not give the doctor full right to practise as a surgeon. However, one can get registered in GMC on specialists register just by having MRCS diploma but to be registered on consultants register one has to have FRCS.

“PMDC declines MRCS as additional postgraduate qualification in surgery.”:  What does GMC say about this?

Contrary to PMDC statement GMC indeed puts MRCS under “Acceptable Postgraduate Qualifications” section.