Royal College Neurology Exam Guide
The Royal College Neurology certification exam has a written exam and an OSCE. This guide covers format, blueprint, and a 12-month prep plan built around localisation-first reasoning.
By Dr. E. Dubois · MD, FRCPC (Neurology)
Exam format
The Royal College Neurology certification exam has a written exam and an OSCE with standardised patients and data interpretation stations.
Both parts must be passed for certification. Most candidates write in the spring after PGY-5.
- Written exam: MCQs plus short-answer questions across the Neurology blueprint
- OSCE: 10–12 stations including patient interaction and image interpretation
The blueprint
The Royal College Neurology Objectives of Training cover cerebrovascular disease, epilepsy, movement disorders, neuromuscular disease, headache, multiple sclerosis, cognitive disorders, and neuro-critical care.
MDReview's Neurology bank emphasises localisation-first reasoning and image interpretation, mapped to every domain of the blueprint.
A 12-month prep plan
The plan below assumes 45–60 minutes of daily practice.
- Months 1–3: 30 vignettes per day, focus on stroke and epilepsy
- Months 4–6: 40 vignettes per day, add movement disorders and neuromuscular
- Months 7–9: 50 vignettes per day, mixed topics, add SAQ practice
- Months 10–11: OSCE station drills including image interpretation
- Month 12: full-length written mock and targeted review
Scoring
The written exam and OSCE are scored separately. Both must be passed for certification.
FAQ
Does MDReview include neuroimaging questions?
Yes. The Neurology bank includes vignettes with MRI, CT, and EEG interpretation where relevant.
How is the Neurology bank organised?
By topic, mapped to the Royal College Neurology Objectives of Training, with a localisation-first framework in every vignette.
Is there a mock exam?
Yes. The Neurology Exam-Year Pass includes a full-length timed mock written exam.
Ready to start practising?
MDReview turns this guide into daily practice: staff-authored vignettes, spaced repetition, and a full-length mock exam.