RCPsych Preparation curriculum
Everything you study on the RCPsych (Royal College of Psychiatrists) Certification Course, in the order you study it. 6 chapters, 23 lessons and roughly 17 hours of guided study, finishing with full timed mock exams in your student area.
Chapters and lessons
- 01
Orientation and diagnostic
Before teaching starts you sit a short diagnostic mock for RCPsych Preparation, meet your tutor and receive a personalised study timetable built around your sitting date.
- How the exam is built and markedLesson30 min
A clear map of the RCPsych Preparation format: sections, question styles, timing and how marks are awarded.
- Diagnostic mock testDrill45 min
A scored diagnostic in the student area that highlights your strongest and weakest topics.
- Building your study timetableWorkshop25 min
Turn your diagnostic report into a realistic weekly plan that fits around clinical shifts or study.
By the end of this chapter: Know your starting score, your weakest topics and exactly what to study in week one.
- 02
Paper A foundations
Neuroscience, classification, psychopharmacology and psychological processes, taught in short focused modules with weekly quizzes.
- Paper A foundations: core conceptsLesson45 min
A structured walk through the examinable core of paper a foundations, with the definitions, mechanisms and guidelines examiners expect you to quote accurately.
- Paper A foundations: applied casesWorkshop50 min
Case-based teaching that turns paper a foundations theory into clinical or exam decisions, including the reasoning steps that earn marks and the traps that lose them.
- Paper A foundations: question drillingDrill40 min
Timed question practice on paper a foundations, with worked explanations for every option so you learn why the wrong answers are wrong.
- Paper A foundations: recall and consolidationReview30 min
Spaced-recall summaries, flashcard sets and a short checkpoint quiz that confirms paper a foundations is retained before you move on.
By the end of this chapter: Confidently explain the foundations of paper a foundations and pass the chapter checkpoint quiz.
- 03
Paper B critical review
Applied research methods, statistical interpretation and evidence appraisal, with worked examples from recent past papers.
- Paper B critical review: core conceptsLesson45 min
A structured walk through the examinable core of paper b critical review, with the definitions, mechanisms and guidelines examiners expect you to quote accurately.
- Paper B critical review: applied casesWorkshop50 min
Case-based teaching that turns paper b critical review theory into clinical or exam decisions, including the reasoning steps that earn marks and the traps that lose them.
- Paper B critical review: question drillingDrill40 min
Timed question practice on paper b critical review, with worked explanations for every option so you learn why the wrong answers are wrong.
- Paper B critical review: recall and consolidationReview30 min
Spaced-recall summaries, flashcard sets and a short checkpoint quiz that confirms paper b critical review is retained before you move on.
By the end of this chapter: Apply paper b critical review to unseen cases and justify your answer the way examiners expect.
- 04
CASC clinical stations
Structured role-play practice for history-taking, communication and management scenarios, with peer feedback from tutors.
- CASC clinical stations: core conceptsLesson45 min
A structured walk through the examinable core of casc clinical stations, with the definitions, mechanisms and guidelines examiners expect you to quote accurately.
- CASC clinical stations: applied casesWorkshop50 min
Case-based teaching that turns casc clinical stations theory into clinical or exam decisions, including the reasoning steps that earn marks and the traps that lose them.
- CASC clinical stations: question drillingDrill40 min
Timed question practice on casc clinical stations, with worked explanations for every option so you learn why the wrong answers are wrong.
- CASC clinical stations: recall and consolidationReview30 min
Spaced-recall summaries, flashcard sets and a short checkpoint quiz that confirms casc clinical stations is retained before you move on.
By the end of this chapter: Apply casc clinical stations to unseen cases and justify your answer the way examiners expect.
- 05
Mock examinations
Two full-length written mocks and one CASC circuit before your sitting, with individualised feedback reports.
- Mock examinations: core conceptsLesson45 min
A structured walk through the examinable core of mock examinations, with the definitions, mechanisms and guidelines examiners expect you to quote accurately.
- Mock examinations: applied casesWorkshop50 min
Case-based teaching that turns mock examinations theory into clinical or exam decisions, including the reasoning steps that earn marks and the traps that lose them.
- Mock examinations: question drillingDrill40 min
Timed question practice on mock examinations, with worked explanations for every option so you learn why the wrong answers are wrong.
- Mock examinations: recall and consolidationReview30 min
Spaced-recall summaries, flashcard sets and a short checkpoint quiz that confirms mock examinations is retained before you move on.
By the end of this chapter: Answer full exam-standard questions on mock examinations within the real time limit.
- 06
Final revision and mock exams
The closing block is pure exam rehearsal: full timed mocks for RCPsych Preparation, score-report reviews with a tutor, and a targeted plan for the last two weeks.
- Full timed mock examDrill120 min
A complete mock under exam conditions in the student area, marked instantly with explanations.
- Score report reviewWorkshop45 min
A tutor-led review of your mock report, converting weak topics into a short revision list.
- High-yield final sweepReview60 min
A rapid pass over the facts, algorithms and phrases that appear most often in the real paper.
- Exam-day strategyLesson25 min
Pacing, flagging, guessing policy and nerves management for the day itself.
By the end of this chapter: Sit full mocks at or above the pass threshold and walk in with a written exam-day plan.
Study resources included
Blueprint-mapped revision notes
Every chapter condensed to high-yield notes mapped to the published Royal College blueprint, updated each sitting.
Specialty question bank with explanations
Exam-style single-best-answer and extended-matching questions with full reasoning for each option.
Weekly live case tutorial
Small-group clinical reasoning sessions with a clinician who has passed the same examination.
Guideline update tracker
A rolling list of NICE, Royal College and specialty guideline changes that affect answers this sitting.
Suggested study plan
| Stage | Focus |
|---|---|
| Weeks 1-2 | Diagnostic mock, timetable build and the first teaching block of RCPsych Preparation. |
| Weeks 3-6 | Core chapters with weekly question drilling and a checkpoint quiz per chapter. |
| Weeks 7-10 | Applied case workshops, weak-topic repair and half-length timed papers. |
| Final 2 weeks | Full timed mocks, score-report reviews and the high-yield final sweep. |
Important disclaimer
WispGold is an independent training provider. This curriculum is our own teaching plan, aligned with the published exam format, and is not endorsed by or affiliated with any examining body or regulator.