Introduction                                                                                                                                    2

 

Implementation                                                                                                                3

 

Examinations                                                                                                                      3

 

Eligibility                                                                                                                                3 & 4

 

Exemption                                                                                                                           4

 

Application Procedure                                                                                                    5

 

Referrals and Guidance                                                                                                  5

 

Representation and Appeals                                                                                        6

 

Infringements                                                                                                                     6

 

Appendix 1                                                                                                                          7

Structure of the Examination – Primary Fellowship                                                 

 

Appendix 1B                                                                                                                       8

Marking System

 

Appendix 2                                                                                                                          9

Structure of the Examination – Final Fellowship                                                                  

 

Appendix 2B                                                                                                                       10

Marking System                                                                                                                 

 

 

These Regulations are also available on the College website:  http://www.coairl.org/

 

Application Forms for examinations can be obtained from:

 

Examinations Department

Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland

123 St. Stephen’s Green

Dublin 2

 

Examinations Telephone:                                                                        01 402 2221

Examinations Fax:                                                                                      01 402 2454

Examinations Email:                                                                                  ccarroll@rcsi.ie

 

 

 

 

The College of Anaesthetists RCSI Examination Regulations governs the content and conduct of the examination leading to the award of the Fellowship of the College of Anaesthetists RCSI.  They specify the requirement, which must be satisfied before a candidate is eligible to apply to take the examination.  They also specify the procedure to be followed in order to apply, limit the number of attempts and provide for guidance in the event of failure.  They describe the procedure to making representations and provide

sanctions for infringements.

 

 

1.         These regulations will come into force on 1st January 2003, and will be valid for 2 years.

 

 

2.         (a)      The Examination for the Fellowship of the College of Anaesthetists will

be in two parts, namely the Primary and Final Examinations.

           

(b)      Normally there will be two sittings of each part of the Examination in each academic year starting on 1st January 2003.  The Council may at any time decide subject to adequate notice, to adjust the number of sittings of either or both parts of the examination in any year.

 

3.         (a)      The Primary Examinations will consist of Multiple Choice Questions

(MCQ's), Oral and Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE).  Details of these are attached in Appendix 1.

 

(b)      The Final Examination will consist of Written, (multiple choice, essays and short answer questions), Oral and Clinical sections.  Details of these are found in Appendix 2.

 

 

4.         Primary Examination

 

            An individual is eligible to enter for the Primary Examination who:

 

(a)      Has, or is eligible for, full or limited registration with the Irish Medical Council or the General Medical Council (UK).

(b)      Has completed 12 months training in the Republic of Ireland or the United Kingdom in posts approved by the College of Anaesthetists, or the Royal College of Anaesthetists.

(c)       Is registered with the College of Anaesthetists, or the Royal College of Anaesthetists, as a postgraduate trainee in Anaesthetics.  Registration number will be requested on application form.

(d)      Complies with the requirements of these regulations in respect of application procedures and other matters.

 

5.         Final Examination

 

An individual is eligible to enter for the Final Examination leading to the Fellowship of the College of Anaesthetists who:

 

(a)      Has passed, or is exempt from, the Primary Fellowship Examination (see regulation 6).

(b)      Has, by a date not earlier than 5 years before the date of application to enter the examination, completed 30 months of training in the specialty of anaesthesia.  The specified period of training shall have been completed in posts approved by the College of Anaesthetists RCSI, Ireland or the Royal College of Anaesthetists, United Kingdom.  A period of up to 12 months may have been completed as an anaesthetic trainee in a recognised training programme overseas, to the satisfaction of the Examination Committee of the College of Anaesthetists, RCSI Ireland.

(c)       Is registered with the College of Anaesthetists or the Royal College of Anaesthetists as a postgraduate trainee in Anaesthesia.  Registration numbers will be requested on the application form.

(d)      Complies with the requirements of these regulations in respect of application procedures and other matters.

 

6.         Exemption

           

A candidate for the Final Fellowship examination shall be exempt from passing the Primary Examination and from such of the period of training prescribed in regulation 5 (b) who, within the 10 years preceeding the date of application.

 

(a)      Has passed the Part II Examination of the College of Anaesthetists RCSI, or the Part II of the Royal College of Anaesthetists.

 

(b)      Has obtained one of the following qualifications, any one of which shall also exempt the holder from the first 12 months of the 30 months training required by regulation 5 (b) provided that no candidate shall be entitled to more than one such exemption.

 

            (i)        The Fellowship of the Royal College of Anaesthetists

           

(ii)       The Fellowship of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists

 

(iii)      The Fellowship of the College of Anaesthetists of South Africa

 

(iv)      The Fellowship in Anaesthesia of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada

 

(v)       The Diplomate Certificate of the American Board of Anesthesiology

 

(vi)      The Diploma in Anaesthesiology of the European Academy

 

(vii)     The Fellowship in Anaesthesiology of the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan since April 1998.

 

(c)       Other degrees or qualifications as may be from time to time be approved by the Council of the College.

 

Application Procedures

 

7.         Dates of Examinations shall be published in the Examinations Calendar of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and copies may be obtained from the Examination Office, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, 123 St. Stephen's Green, Dublin 2, Ireland.

 

8.         Application forms for admission to the Examinations may be obtained from the Examinations Office.  Applications must reach the Examinations Office not before the conclusion of the previous examination and not after the published closing date for the relevant sitting.

 

9.         Application for admission must be accompanied by the appropriate fee and any certificates required and registration number on the application form.

 

10.       The fee payable for admission to each part shall be those fixed by the Council and published in the Examinations Calendar.  This should be paid by a cheque made payable to the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and drawn on an Irish clearing bank, or by banker's draft in Irish pounds or sterling, or by Euro-cheque.

 

Referrals and Guidance

 

11.       A candidate who is unsuccessful in an examination may, subject to the provisions of the regulations below, enter for the next or any subsequent sitting of that Examination.

 

            For the purpose of this Regulation, guidance may consist of:

 

(i)        Written communication with the candidate in which details of his/her performance may be divulged and discussed.

 

(ii)       Attendance at an interview arranged by the Chairman of the Examination Committee.

                       

 

            Representation and Appeals

 

12.       A candidate, or any person on behalf of that candidate, wishing to make representations in respect of the conduct of an examination or to appeal against any result, must address such representation or appeal to the Chairman of the Examination Committee, in writing, before the closing date of the next sitting in that part.  In no circumstances may such representations be addressed to an individual examiner.  Representations and appeals will be considered by the Council's Examination Committee.

 

            Infringements

 

13.       (a)      Candidates are not permitted to bring electronic recording devices, computers, or mobile telephones into the examinations.  Failure to comply with these regulations may result in disqualification from the whole of that examination sitting.

 

(b)      The College's Council may refuse to admit to an examination or proceed with the examination of any candidate who infringes any of the regulations, or who is considered by presiding examiner to be guilty of behaviour which prejudices the proper conduct and management for the examination or who has previously been found guilty of such behaviour.  If, in the opinion of the Council, any examination result has been secured by cheating, deception or fraud of any kind whatsoever, the Council may nullify the result of any qualifications resulting from it and withdraw any Diploma, Certificate or other award so obtained.

 

APPENDIX 1

 

Structure of the Examination

 

Primary Fellowship

 

 

There are 4 sections:

 

(a)      Multiple choice questions (MCQ) - 90 questions, 3 hours

This consists of approximately 30 questions in pharmacology, 30 questions in physiology and biochemistry, 20 questions in physics, clinical measurement, and 10 questions in clinical anaesthesia.

 

(b)      Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) - This consists of 14 stations (with 2 rest stations) in approximately 2 hours.  This may consist of stations in resuscitation, practical skills, anatomy including surface anatomy, history taking, physical examination, communication skills, interpretation of ECG, X-ray, biochemistry/haematology results, photographs, scans, charts, anaesthetic equipment, monitoring equipment, measuring equipment, clinical anaesthesia and statistics.

 

(c)       Viva examination in physiology - 25 minutes

 

(d)      Viva examination in pharmacology - 25 minutes

 

The viva’s will be structured.  They will be conducted over a 25 minutes period with two examiners in each subject.  Each viva will consist of 5 x 5 minute sections.

 

·        A candidate in the Primary Examination who does not attain the required standard in the MCQ will not be permitted to proceed with the remaining elements of the examination.

 

·        Please note that negative marking is applied in the MCQ.

APPENDIX 1B

 

 

MARKING SYSTEM

 

            A new close marking system will be introduced with grades A,B,C and D replacing       the previous 45-70 marking scale.

 

            A         -           Outstanding, potential medal winner

            B          -           Pass

            C         -           Marginal Fail

            D         -           Veto Fail

 

            The minimum grades necessary to pass the examination are:

 

            B,B,B,C

 

            Any candidate who obtains a D in any part of the examination will be an outright         fail.

 

 

APPENDIX 2

 

Structure of the Examination

 

Final Fellowship

 

 

There are 5 sections:

 

(a)      Multiple choice questions (MCQ) - 40 MCQ's in 90 minutes, comprising of questions on Anaesthesia, Pain Management, Intensive Care Medicine, General Medicine, Surgery and Anatomy related to Anaesthesia Practice.

 

(b)      Essay and Short Answer Question (E&SAQ) paper (all are compulsory) - 3 hours on the principles and practice of Clinical Anaesthesia, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine.

 

(c)       Clinical Care Examination (conducted in designated hospitals).  Following 30 minutes of examination including History taking, Physical Examination, Investigation and Provisional Diagnosis, the candidate is examined for the above and questioned on Clinical Anaesthesia for 30 minutes.

 

(d)      Viva 1 -Clinical Anaesthesia and Chronic Pain Management - 25 minutes.  A structured viva on clinical material provided, and on Clinical Anaesthesia and Chronic Pain Management unrelated to the clinical material.

 

(e)       Viva 2 - Intensive Care and Clinical Science - 25 minutes.  A structured viva relating to Intensive Care topics followed by application of Basic Sciences to Anaesthesia and Acute Pain Management topics.

 

·        A candidate in the Final examination who does not attain the required standard in the written sections will not be permitted to proceed with the remaining elements of the examination.

 

·        Please note that negative marking is applied in the MCQ.

 

 

APPENDIX 2B

 

Marking System

 

The College uses a four point close – marking system in the Final FCA RCSI examination, the marks being: -

 

7                    Outstanding Performance

 

6                    Pass

 

5                    Fail

 

4                    Veto (if a candidate failed to answer a compulsory question in

E&SAQ Paper)

 

The following criteria are required to pass the Final RCSI Examination

 

·        A total mark of 30 or more

 

And

 

·        A combined minimum mark of 18 in the Clinical and Viva sections of the Examination

 

And

 

·        A pass in four of the five sections of the Examination

 

Performance of borderline candidates is reviewed by all the Examiners before the Final marks are awarded.