Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) overview

These pages are designed to provide more detailed information on the Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) assessments.

There are two parts to the assessment. Both are designed to assess essential competences and are based around clinical scenarios. Applicants will first be asked to complete a professional dilemmas (PD) paper followed by a clinical problem solving (CPS) paper.

Results from the CPS paper are scored between bands 1-5. The PD paper is a pass or fail.

Applicants must pass the PD paper and score a band 3 or higher to progress on the programme.

The banding awarded for those passing will help inform the decision about the length of any period of clinical supervision on the programme.

Those scoring a band 2 will be permitted one further attempt at the assessments after six months.

Those scoring band 1 will be permitted one further attempt at the assessments after 12 months and will be required to reapply for the programme to arrange the resit.

For all applicants a maximum of two attempts at the assessments are permitted within a 5-year period.

The two papers of the MCQ assessment (Professional Dilemmas and Clinical Problem-Solving) can be taken separately. The results are valid for 12 months for each paper.

Assessments are available at locations throughout the UK and in approved sites worldwide. There are now eight sittings throughout the year and dates are listed below.

• Thursday 18 and Friday 19 September 2025

Approved MCQ registration forms must be submitted from the local educational lead/ office by 18 August 2025

• Thursday 6 and Friday 7 November 2025

Approved MCQ registration forms must be submitted from the local educational lead/ office by 7 October 2025

• Thursday 8 and Friday 9 January 2026

Approved MCQ registration forms must be submitted from the local educational lead/ office by 10 December 2025

• Thursday 19 and Friday 20 February 2026

Approved MCQ registration forms must be submitted from the local educational lead/ office by 19 January 2026

• Wednesday 1 and Thursday 2 April 2026

Approved MCQ registration forms must be submitted from the local educational lead/ office by 2 March 2026

• Thursday 14 and Friday 15 May 2026

Approved MCQ registration forms must be submitted from the local educational lead/ office by 15 April 2026

• Thursday 25 and Friday 26 June 2026

Approved MCQ registration forms must be submitted from the local educational lead/ office by 26 May 2026

• Thursday 6 and Friday 7 August 2026

Approved MCQ registration forms must be submitted from the local educational lead/ office by 7 July 2026

• Thursday 17 and Friday 18 September 2026

Approved MCQ registration forms must be submitted from the local educational lead/ office by 18 August 2026

• Thursday 5 and Friday 6 November 2026

Approved MCQ registration forms must be submitted from the local educational lead/ office by 4 Ocotber 2026

Registration to take MCQ

MCQ assessment is an online assessment delivered by Pearson VUE. If you have any queries regarding booking process please contact the Pearson VUE support team:

Once registration for the programme is approved, booking instructions for the MCQs will be released to candidates.

Upon receiving the approved MCQ assessment form, the NRO creates and releases the MCQ booking instructions email to candidates, where candidates makes the booking for the assessment.

Results

We aim to release the results to candidates within 10 working days. Please do not contact us before then to request your results.

Resitting

If you are unsuccessful at the assessments scoring a band 2 and would like to re-take the assessments, you may do so after six months.

Applicants for the GP International Induction Programme should contact us via [email protected] to request to re-take the assessments after six months.

Applicants for the GP Return to Practice Programme should liaise with their respective local lead and submit the approved MCQ assessment registration form below.

If you are unsuccessful at the assessments scoring a band 1 and would like to re-take the assessments, you may do so after 12 months. You will first need to submit a new application to join the programme.

Scoring and banding

The minimum passing score is 42.

2. Results for the Professional Dilemmas (SJT) MCQ will be given as
   • Fail which is Bands 1 or 2
   • Pass which is Bands 3 to 5

3. Results for the Clinical Problem Solving MCQ paper will continue to be reported as bands 1 to 5 (Fail = 1 and 2, Pass = Bands 3, 4 and 5)

4. Candidates who score a band 3 in the CPS MCQ and a pass in the PD (SJT) MCQ may be asked to complete a recommended minimum of 6 months (whole time equivalent) of supervised clinical sessions in General Practice

5. All Candidates (IELTS 7.5 and above) who score a band 4 or 5 in the CPS MCQ and a pass in the PD (SJT) MCQ may be asked to complete a recommended minimum induction of 3 months (band 4) or one month (band 5)

6. The number of questions in the CPS MCQ paper has been increased from 86 to 88 and to allow for this the time allocated for the paper has been increased from 65 to 67 minutes