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MRCP SCE in Endocrinology and Diabetes

• March 16, 2022

This Blog outlines everything you need to know about the MRCP SCE Examination in Endocrinology and Diabetes!

It is firstly important to note that the Royal College of Physicians SCE certificates are not something that you can use for your GMC registration. However, having an SCE certification on your CV is extremely valuable and will definitely attract prospective NHS employers. Additionally, the SCE certifications will also benefit any Doctor who is planning on becoming a Consultant and progressing through the CESR route.

What are the entry requirements?

There are no official entry requirements for the SCE in Endocrinology and Diabetes. That said, a UK Trainee will normally sit the SCE in Endocrinology and Diabetes in their penultimate year of training.

How much is the exam?

The cost of the SCE exam if you're in the UK is £665 and if you're sitting it overseas is £883. Candidates who have requests to transfer from a UK centre to an international centre will then be liable for the difference between the two fees, £168.00.

Where can I sit it?

UK: There are 137 different SCE Test Centers within the UK, which applicants choose from when booking the examination. The test centre bookings operate on a first come first serve basis so the RCP recommend booking earlier to get your preferred location.

International: Candidates are given a choice of regions from which to select, and are then asked to nominate a particular city in that region as the desired location for their test. You will receive a confirmation of your final test centre via email at least three weeks before the date of the examination.

What is assessed?

Candidates are tested on a wide range of common and important disorders as set out in the syllabus of the curriculum.

The SCE in Endocrinology and Diabetes exam comprises of 200 questions and the composition of the paper is as follows:

Topic	Number of Questions
Diabetes mellitus (diagnosis and general management, delivery of diabetes care)	28
Diabetic emergencies and management during acute illness/surgery	12
Complications of diabetes	28
Hypothalamus and pituitary	20
Thyroid	36
Adrenal	20
Gonads	20
Parathyroid/calcium	16
Other	20
Total	200
Renal Medicine	10
Respiratory Medicine	20
Others (Allergy/Clinical Genetics/Dermatology/Immunology/Psychiatry/Risk Management/Patient Safety/Public Health)	22

 

How do I best prepare?

Preparation for the SCE requires a wide breadth of knowledge around the curriculum and should involve reading of textbooks, journals and guidelines. Experience of the MRCP(UK) examination provides an excellent background to the format of the examination.

Suggested sources and reading are listed below:

Textbooks

• Oxford Handbook of Endocrinology and Diabetes 2nd Edition 2009 (H Turner, J Wass)
• Oxford Textbook of Endocrinology and Diabetes 2nd Edition 2011 (J Wass, P Stewart)
• Williams Textbook of Endocrinology 12th Edition 2011 (S Melmed et al)
• Textbook of Diabetes 4th Edition 2010 (R Holt et al)

Journals

• Clinical Endocrinology
• Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
• European Journal of Endocrinology
• Nature Reviews Endocrinology
• Diabetic Medicine
• Diabetologia
• Diabetes Care
• British Medical Journal
• Lancet
• New England Journal of Medicine

Guidelines

• National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE)
• Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN)
• British Thyroid Association (BTA)
• Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guidelines
• Joint British Diabetes Society Guidelines
• International Association of the Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups
• Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) Guidelines

Conferences

• Association of British Clinical Diabetologists
• Diabetes UK
• Society for Endocrinology - Clinical Update Meeting and BES Meeting
• European Society of Endocrinology (ESE)
• European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD)
• US Endocrine Society
• American Diabetes Association (ADA)

Online Resources

• Endotext
• UpToDate
• Endobible
• Diabetesbible

How can we help?

Specialty Certificate Examinations (SCE) look fantastic on your CV and will certainly help you stand out when applying for NHS jobs. If you have your MRCP and you’re now looking at sitting your SCE, or if you have already completed your SCE and you’re ready to begin your job search in the NHS then we can certainly help. We have a fantastic Medicine team at BDI Resourcing, who are experts at finding positions for Doctors in Medicine specialties. Do get in touch and send your CV to: [email protected]