Preparing for MRCPsych Paper B with Parsa Amin

I passed paper B using an online exam in October and thought I’d just share what I did while it’s still fresh in my brain so it can help a few. I had an extremely comfortable pass & this is what I did. 1. SPMM Qbank - as I meant to do this exam in March 2020 (Thanks COVID19)- I ended up doing the Qbank average 4 - 5 times. (I didn’t study between March 2020-May2020). I technically did 4 months before this exam knowledge from previous revision pre-March 2020. I used google/ NICE guidelines to read up on only topics I didn’t understand. Focus on EMI’s on SPMM the month before the exam - if you are scoring well, it shows you know your stuff. SPMM 13 timed mocks (they updated it to simulate a real exam, worth the price) - did only once- timed like in the exam situation, I sat them using the area I sat the actual exam. Cambridge Critical Appraisal course - I also did it twice as I was meant to take an exam in March. SPMM statistics videos - they are so good. I also did the SPMM paper B crash course in Feb 2020 - could have potentially skipped this. I did mrcpsychmentor only once - I really didn’t like it, so I avoided it I made my own flashcards with high yield materials only.

Logistics:

Please get an Ethernet cable for the exam - way too many people had terrible experiences because of the poor internet. The last thing you need.

Do a systems-test and ensure your workstations are neat.
Get a good laptop and ensure no firewall is blocking your connections.
Keep your home free from kids and noisemakers for the exam.
I have two kids ages 4 and 5 and a husband who is in the surgical specialty (always on call). Hence, I am time deficient.
I studied for a minimum of 30 minutes every morning before work, mostly around 1 hour.

I tried to meet with my zoom group for 1 hour in the evenings 2-3 times per week. It was good for specialization and practice when tired. We used to meet at around 9pm. I made this group motivate myself and my friends to study amidst a very depressing pandemic. I am part-time 80% - so I used to do 3-5 hours on my off days to get some solid hours in. I didn’t study on ANY weekends until exactly 3 weeks before the exam (even then I did only 4 hours maximum on weekends). But I was very regimental about the above routine - which is 30mins-1hour before work, whilst my brain is sharp. It really adds up. I took study leave before the exam, and that’s when it really all came together.

What I did not do

SPMM notes or notes of any sort
TrOn
Multiple banks

- I did SPMM and only x1 psych mentor and didn’t like it

Well done to everyone that passed and to those that didn’t ... It’s just an exam that says nothing about you as a doctor or psychiatrist. I wish you all the best for those that are taking this in November. I found this paper a LOT easier to study for than Paper A, which was plain bizarre. However, it was extremely challenging because of the mental toll of the pandemic & work pressures.

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