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MRCS Part A Syllabus
Royal College of Surgeons of England. The complete MRCS Part A outline — 6 subjects, 61 chapters and 236 topics — laid out so you can see exactly what has to be covered and tick each item off as you go.
MRCS Part A subjects
Each subject below has its own page with the full chapter → topic → sub-topic tree and a set of real exam-style flashcards.
10 chapters · 36 topics · 102 sub-topics
Physiology10 chapters · 43 topics · 105 sub-topics
Pathology19 chapters · 72 topics · 173 sub-topics
Microbiology9 chapters · 35 topics · 111 sub-topics
Pharmacology8 chapters · 30 topics · 97 sub-topics
Principles of Surgery-in-General5 chapters · 20 topics · 69 sub-topics
MRCS Part A flashcard decks
315 question-and-answer cards across 6 decks, written against this syllabus. Preview any deck free.
How to work through the MRCS Part A syllabus
The outline on this page is arranged the way the syllabus itself is: subject, then chapter, then topic, then sub-topic. That last level is what most study plans skip, and it is where coverage actually goes wrong — a chapter marked "done" often has three sub-topics inside it that were never touched.
Weight your plan accordingly: Pathology carries 72 topics while Principles of Surgery-in-General carries 20. Giving both the same number of weeks is the most common planning mistake for MRCS Part A.
The ~310 hour estimate above is a first pass only: roughly 45 minutes per topic plus 12 minutes per sub-topic. Revision cycles, past papers and mocks sit on top of that number.
MRCS Part A syllabus FAQ
What subjects are in the MRCS Part A syllabus?
MRCS Part A covers 6 subjects: Anatomy, Physiology, Pathology, Microbiology, Pharmacology and Principles of Surgery-in-General. Together they contain 61 chapters and 236 named topics.
How much do you have to study for MRCS Part A?
The full MRCS Part A outline breaks down into 61 chapters, 236 topics and 657 sub-topics. Pathology is the largest single subject with 72 topics across 19 chapters.
How long does it take to cover the whole MRCS Part A syllabus?
Roughly 310 hours for one full pass. That estimate allows about 45 minutes per topic plus 12 minutes per sub-topic, so it is first-pass coverage — revision, past papers and mock tests sit on top of it. At 3 hours a day that is about 15 weeks.
Are there MRCS Part A flashcards?
Yes — 315 question-and-answer flashcards across 6 decks, one per subject, written against this syllabus. A sample of every deck is readable on this site for free, and the complete decks are in the Examius app.
Is this MRCS Part A syllabus free to use?
Yes. Every page here is free to read, and importing the MRCS Part A syllabus into the Examius app to tick off topics as you finish them is free too. No account is needed to start.
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