Specialty Certificate Examination in Geriatric Medicine revision



The purpose of the Specialty Certificate Examinations is to:

  • Ensure that certified specialists have sufficient knowledge of their specialty to practice competently as consultants
  • Complement NHS eportfolio assessments
  • Provide a national assessment to establish public confidence and the approval of regulatory bodies
  • Offer a challenge similar to sub-specialty certification examination in North America
  • This is now a necessary requirement for the award of a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT)
  • There are no entry requirements for the SCE in Geriatric Medicine, although candidates in UK training posts would normally take the SCE in their penultimate year of higher specialty training
  • If successful candidates may apply to the Joint Royal Colleges of Physicians’ Training Board (JRCPTB) for permission to use the post-nominal, MRCP(UK) Geriatric Medicine


The examination
  • The exam consists of two papers of 100 single-best-answer (one-from-five) questions
  • There is a time limit of 3 hours per paper
  • The exam is computer-based
  • Based on the geriatric medicine specialty curriculum (http://www.jrcptb.org.uk/documents/2010-geriatric-medicine-amendment-2013)


The distribution of the 200 questions adhere to the following blueprint: (https://www.mrcpuk.org/sites/default/files/documents/sce-geriatric-medicine-blueprint_1.pdf)
  • Basic science and gerontology (10-14 questions)
  • Geriatric assessment
  • --> Factors affecting health status (3 - 5)
  • --> Measurement of health status (1 - 3)
  • Acute illness (diagnosis and management) (26 - 50)
  • Chronic disease and disability (30 - 50)
  • Rehabilitation and multidisciplinary teamworking (6 – 10)
  • Planning transfers of care, including discharge (2 – 6)
  • Intermediate care and community practice (2 – 6)
  • Long term (continuing care) (1 – 3)
  • Falls (8 – 12)
  • Cognitive Impairment (Delirium and Dementia) (12 - 20)
  • Continence (8 - 12)
  • Poor mobility (2 – 6)
  • Nutrition (1 – 3)
  • Tissue viability (4 - 8)
  • Homeostasis (1 - 3)
  • Subspecialty topics
  • --> Palliative care (6 – 10)
  • --> Orthogeriatrics and osteoporosis (6 – 10)
  • --> Old age psychiatry (4 – 8)
  • --> Stroke care (12 - 16)


Useful resources
  • MRCP (UK) website
  • Preparing for the Geriatric Medicine Specialist Certificate Examination. Michael Vassallo, Clinical Lead for SCE in Geriatric Medicine. January 2012. British Geriatrics Society


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