Exam guide
The MRCOG Part 1 and Part 2, explained
Part 1 basic science, Part 2 clinical management — single best answer, and extended matching from Part 2 onward. Set by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
Last checked 15 August 2026. Confirm current fees, dates and the live syllabus on the RCOG's own site before booking.
How the exam is structured
MRCOG is sat as 2 separate stages, each its own sitting — not one combined exam.
Part 1
| Papers | Paper 1; Paper 2 |
|---|---|
| Questions | 200 across 2 papers |
| Time | 300 minutes total (150 min for Paper 1, 150 min for Paper 2) |
| Question types | 100 SBA; 100 SBA |
Part 2
| Papers | Paper 1; Paper 2 |
|---|---|
| Questions | 200 across 2 papers |
| Time | 360 minutes total (180 min for Paper 1, 180 min for Paper 2) |
| Question types | 50 SBA + 50 EMQ; 50 SBA + 50 EMQ |
| Options per SBA/MCQ | 5 (A–E) |
|---|---|
| Sittings per year | 2 |
| Set by | Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists |
Where the marks are
Most candidates revise every domain evenly by accident, which spends most of their time on a fraction of the paper. A SpecialityMCQ session is built to the weights below, then tilted toward whichever domain is currently costing you marks.
-
Maternal Medicine
-
Antenatal Care
-
Gynaecological Problems
-
Management of Labour
-
Management of Delivery
-
Postpartum Problems
-
Gynaecological Oncology
-
Urogynaecology & Pelvic Floor
The RCOG's own 2019 syllabus names these Part 2 Knowledge Areas but publishes no percentage weighting for either part. The domains shown are the syllabus's own structure; the percentages are SpecialityMCQ's derivation from typical clinical emphasis, not college-published figures — treat as indicative.
A sample question
Written in-house to the MRCOG style and answered against a named, current source — not claimed to be from a past paper. It plays exactly as it would in the app.
A 29-year-old primigravida at 34 weeks' gestation is admitted with a blood pressure of 168/112 mmHg, 3+ proteinuria on urinalysis, and visual disturbance. Intravenous magnesium sulfate is started for seizure prophylaxis. Which of the following should be checked most frequently at the bedside to detect early magnesium toxicity?
- Source
- Hypertension in pregnancy: diagnosis and management (NICE, 2023) — Care during magnesium sulfate treatment for severe pre-eclampsia and eclampsia
- Checked
- Read against this source on 12 Aug 2026. If the guidance changes, the question comes back for another read before it is shown again.
Where this answer comes from
TAKEAWAY
Deep tendon reflexes are lost before respiratory depression develops as the serum magnesium level rises, which is why they are the bedside sign checked most often — hourly, alongside respiratory rate and urine output, rather than waiting on a lab result.
Why A is right
Loss of the patellar reflex is the earliest clinical sign of rising magnesium levels, preceding respiratory depression, which is why it is checked most frequently at the bedside.
Respiratory depression is monitored too, but it is a later sign of toxicity than loss of reflexes — relying on it alone would miss the earlier warning.
Urine output is monitored because reduced renal clearance raises magnesium levels, but it is not itself a sign of toxicity — it is a risk factor for developing it.
Routine hourly serum levels are not required for uncomplicated administration; clinical monitoring (reflexes, respiratory rate, urine output) is the standard, with levels reserved for toxicity concerns or renal impairment.
Continuous fetal monitoring is appropriate in severe pre-eclampsia, but it does not detect maternal magnesium toxicity, which is what the question asks about.
You just answered one. Five a day are free.
Start freeA real question, written in-house to this exam's style, shown exactly as it would play in the app.
Where SpecialityMCQ fits
SpecialityMCQ's MRCOG bank grows toward the weights above, written as single best answer and extended matching items set in UK NHS practice. Sessions balance every domain, then tilt toward whichever is currently costing you marks. Anything you miss returns on a spacing curve until it sticks, and every answer names the source it rests on and the date that source was last read.
New questions a day are free, with no card required, and the review deck is free for good.
Questions about the MRCOG exam
What is the MRCOG Part 1 and Part 2?
MRCOG Part 1 and Part 2 is set by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. Part 1 basic science, Part 2 clinical management — single best answer, and extended matching from Part 2 onward.
How is the MRCOG exam structured across its stages?
MRCOG is sat as 2 separate stages, not one combined exam: Part 1: 200 questions across 2 papers (300 minutes); Part 2: 200 questions across 2 papers (360 minutes). Each with 5 options per single-best-answer item.
What does the MRCOG blueprint cover?
The chart on this page shows the highest-weighted domains. The RCOG's own 2019 syllabus names these Part 2 Knowledge Areas but publishes no percentage weighting for either part. The domains shown are the syllabus's own structure; the percentages are SpecialityMCQ's derivation from typical clinical emphasis, not college-published figures — treat as indicative.
Does the MRCOG exam include extended matching questions (EMQ)?
Yes. Alongside single best answer items, part of the MRCOG exam uses extended matching questions: a themed option list shared by several stems. SpecialityMCQ practises these in the same layout, with the option list beside the stem rather than folded into a single-best-answer format.
How many times a year can I sit MRCOG?
2 sittings a year, per the RCOG's own published exam calendar. Confirm current dates and fees on the college's own site before booking.
Is SpecialityMCQ affiliated with the RCOG?
No. SpecialityMCQ is an independent revision tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or accredited by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
Sitting a different exam? SpecialityMCQ also covers MRCS Part A , MRCPCH Foundation of Practice and Theory and Science , MRCPsych Paper A and Paper B and MRCEM Primary and MRCEM SBA , each with its own guide.
SpecialityMCQ is an independent revision tool. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or accredited by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, or any other exam authority. This page summarises the college's own published exam information for candidates and is not a substitute for it. Always confirm current syllabus, fees and dates on the college's own site before applying.