For Psychiatry trainees: 150 questions in three hours, 100 MCQs and 50 EMIs. From January 2027 Paper A follows the new syllabus across four domains. Psychology and human development is now the largest single domain (30–36%), with neuroscience and psychopharmacology together worth about half the paper. Every module is taught then tested, mapped to the 2027 syllabus.
| Component | Details | Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| Total items | 150 (100 MCQs + 50 EMIs), 1 mark each | Read every stem carefully |
| Duration | 3 hours | ~1 min 12 sec per item |
| 1. Psychology & Human Development | 30–36% (~45–54 items) | Largest domain: perception, learning, memory, social psychology, development |
| 2. Neuroscience | 22–28% (~33–42 items) | Neuroanatomy, neurochemistry, circuits, genetics, neurodegeneration |
| 3. Clinical Psychopharmacology | 22–28% (~33–42 items) | Pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, therapeutics, monitoring |
| 4. Classification & Assessment | 14–20% (~21–30 items) | Descriptive psychopathology, ICD-11/DSM-5, clinical assessment |
Members-only MCQs mapped to every syllabus code, with Complete Doctor Academy worked answers — the one-line rule, why each distractor is wrong, a memory hook and a reference. The Neuroscience modules are open to browse, and the first questions of every section are free. Subscribe to unlock the full bank.
Paper A assesses the scientific and theoretical basis of psychiatry across four domains. Every question in the exam is mapped to these sections, and so is our course.
| Domain | Range | Syllabus sections |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Psychology & Human Development | 30–36% | 1.1 Sensation & perception · 1.2 Awareness, sleep & consciousness · 1.3 Learning · 1.4 Memory · 1.5 Intelligence · 1.6 Thought & higher cortical functions · 1.7 Language · 1.8 Motivation · 1.9 Emotion · 1.10 Social psychology · 1.11 Concepts of human development · 1.12 Stages of human development |
| 2. Neuroscience | 22–28% | 2.1–2.2 Neuropsychology & cognitive assessment · 2.3 Basic techniques · 2.4 Cells · 2.5 Neurochemistry & neurophysiology · 2.6 Neuroanatomy · 2.7 Neural circuits · 2.8 Modulators, hormones & inflammation · 2.9 Genetics · 2.10 Neurodevelopment & neuroplasticity · 2.11 Neurobiology of syndromes · 2.12 Neurobiology of treatments · 2.13 Neurodegeneration |
| 3. Clinical Psychopharmacology | 22–28% | 3.1 General pharmacology · 3.2 Pharmacokinetics · 3.3 Pharmacodynamics · 3.4 Therapeutics |
| 4. Classification & Assessment in Psychiatry | 14–20% | 4.1 Descriptive psychopathology · 4.2 Classificatory systems · 4.3 Clinical assessment |
Official RCPsych Paper A calendar. Applications must be submitted no later than 3.30pm UK time on the last date of the application period. Sittings from April 2027 follow the 2027 syllabus. Always confirm on the RCPsych website before booking.
| Diet | Date of examination | Application period | Publication of results |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 12 November 2026 | 17 August – 27 August 2026 | 11 December 2026 |
| 1 | 07 April 2027 | 4 January – 15 January 2027 | 14 May 2027 |
| 2 | 08 July 2027 | 4 May – 17 May 2027 | 6 August 2027 |
| 3 | 10 November 2027 | 16 August – 27 August 2027 | 10 December 2027 |