MRCS Part B OSCE stations: what each one tests and how to practise

The MRCS Part B OSCE tests whether you can apply surgical knowledge and skills under time pressure. Knowing what each of the MRCS Part B OSCE stations is looking for, and practising each type the right way, makes a bigger difference than reading more. This guide goes through every station type and how to practise it.

Exam facts below come from the Royal College of Surgeons of England, checked on 12 November 2026. Always confirm details with your college before you apply.

The MRCS Part B OSCE stations at a glance

• 19 stations of 9 minutes each: 17 examined stations and 2 preparation stations, plus one or more rest stations.
• Stations are grouped into applied knowledge (anatomy, pathology and critical care) and applied skills (communication, physical examination and surgical skills).
• Each station is marked out of 20. Results give an overall, a knowledge and a skills outcome, so you need to be safe in both halves.
• You need a pass in MRCS Part A within the last seven years.

Applied anatomy stations

You are shown a prosection, a model, an image or a radiograph and asked to identify structures, then explain their relations, blood and nerve supply, and what happens when they are injured. Examiners move quickly from naming a structure to applying it to a patient.

How to practise: revise by region, and say your answers out loud. For each structure, have a short routine: what it is, where it is, its relations, its supply, and one clinical point. Practise with labelled images and cross-sections, not only with text.

Applied pathology stations

These start from a clinical scenario, a specimen or an investigation, and test the disease process: causes, how it develops, how it spreads, how it is classified and how that guides treatment.

How to practise: learn a fixed order for describing any condition, for example definition, causes, pathogenesis, features, investigations, staging and management. Practise explaining each step to a colleague as if they were the examiner.

Critical care and applied surgical science stations

Expect scenarios on the sick surgical patient: shock, sepsis, fluids and electrolytes, acid–base, respiratory failure, burns, trauma and perioperative care, with the physiology and pharmacology behind them.

How to practise: start every answer with an ABCDE approach, then explain the physiology behind your management. Practise interpreting blood gases, ECGs and chest X-rays, and be ready to calculate fluids and drug doses.

Communication stations

These include taking a focused history and giving information: explaining a diagnosis or procedure, discussing risks, breaking bad news, and handling an anxious or angry patient or relative. Some stations ask you to hand over or refer to a colleague.

How to practise: work with a colleague who plays the patient and gives honest feedback. Use a clear structure (introduce yourself, find out what they know, give information in small chunks and check understanding, then summarise and agree a plan). For referrals, use SBAR.

Physical examination and surgical skills stations

You examine a patient or a simulated patient, for example a hernia, a lump, a joint or the peripheral vascular system, then present your findings. Skills stations test basic surgical techniques such as suturing and knot tying, and safe practice in theatre.

How to practise: rehearse each examination routine until it is smooth, and finish with a short, confident summary and differential. Practise suturing and knots on a pad until you can do them calmly while talking.

An 8-week practice plan

• Weeks 1 to 3: knowledge first. Two anatomy regions and two pathology topics a day, plus one critical care scenario.
• Weeks 4 to 6: add skills. One examination routine, one communication station and one surgical skill a day, timed at 9 minutes.
• Weeks 7 and 8: mixed circuits. Practise moving straight from one station type to another, as you will on the day.

Upcoming MRCS Part B OSCE course dates

How Kung Medics can help

MRCS Part B OSCE Pro gives you 671 interactive stations online, covering every station type above, with model answers and the key points examiners look for. If you are starting from Part A, the MRCS Complete bundle adds our Part A question bank. For hands-on practice, join our 5-day MRCS Part B OSCE course in Manchester, and read our MRCS Part B OSCE preparation guide for the exam format.

Kung Medics is an independent training provider. It is not part of, or endorsed by, the Royal Colleges of Surgeons or the Intercollegiate Committee for Basic Surgical Examinations (ICBSE).