The Royal College of General Practitioners
The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) is the academic organisation in the UK for general practitioners. Its aim is to encourage and maintain the highest standards of general medical practice and act as the ‘voice’ of general practitioners on education, training and standards issues.
The College’s new licensing qualification — the nMRCGP — is based on the curriculum developed by the College and approved by the Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board. The nMRCGP replaces Summative Assessment, the previous route to certification, and the College membership examination. It is a pre-requisite for a certificate of completion of training (CCT) allowing a doctor to enter independent general practice, and also confers eligibility for membership of the College.
There are three components to the nMRCGP: workplace-based assessment (WPBA), a Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA), and an Applied Knowledge Test (AKT).
Exam & Scheduling Information
Applied Knowledge Test (AKT)
The AKT is a summative assessment of the knowledge base that underpins independent general practice within the United Kingdom, and takes the form of a three-hour 200-item multiple-choice test. Approximately 80% of items are on clinical medicine, 10% on critical appraisal and evidence based clinical practice and 10% on health informatics and administrative issues.
The test will be available three times a year (January/February, April/May and October/November) at any Pearson VUE test centre in the UK. Candidates must register for the nMRCGP through the RCGP website, then apply to take the AKT, paying the appropriate fee, before booking a test centre with Pearson VUE.
Scheduling your test centre
Having booked for the AKT online via the RCGP website, you will have received an email confirming your application. This will also explain the next stage in the process, to book a specific test centre with Pearson VUE, which can be done online or over the telephone via the buttons below. Please allow two business days from the date of your application with the RCGP before scheduling your test centre.
Rescheduling or cancelling your test
The buttons above may also be utilised if you wish to reschedule your test (to a different time or a different test centre). However this must be completed within the test centre booking period as defined by RCGP.
Please note that any subsequent cancellation of your appointment must be effected through the RCGP.