Examinations Committee

The Exam Committee is responsible for the management and development of the FSRH’s Membership Exams (MFSRH).

This consists of three parts:

  • The Part 1 Exam (SBA)
  • The Evidence Based Commentary (EBC)
  • The Part 2 Exam (CRQ, EMQ and OSCE).

The Exam Committee meets in person 3 times a year and comprises of Doctors who have previously undertaken the MFSRH.

The FSRH’s Community Sexual and Reproductive Health Specialty (CSRH) trainees take the Membership Exam as part of their training, but the exam is open to all registered medical practitioners.

Achievements in 2018

  • Successfully recruited to Chair post-September 2018

Goals for 2019

  • To support the assessments component of the curriculum review project with a potential re-design of the MFSRH. 
  • CAG submission to GMC on domain marking the OSCE component. 
  • Transition to a new exam management software - trial run in April / June. 
  • You Said / We Did – Lessons from the 2018 Exams– Achieving recommendations from the report.
  • Finalise SOP and policies that govern the exam – clear cut definitions, better archiving and file management.
  • Provide strategic support in the designing the annual examiners training conference. 
  • Recruitment of Education Development Officer - induction, identification of their operating remit.
Dr Theresa Laverty
“Working on the Exam Committee is an opportunity to learn from colleagues, share ideas, experiences and keep updated”

In 2018, The Exam Committee plans to start-up a review project to ensure the exam is suitable and sustainable, and to improve the question bank including increasing the pool of question writers and reviewers, and finding suitable software/platform.

Dr Janice Allan
“I enjoy sitting on the Exam Committee because it gives me insight into how things are done differently in other services.” 

2019 Exam Committee Members

  • Dr Indhu Prabakar (Committee Chair)
  • Dr Gillian Robinson (Committee Vice Chair)
  • Dr Itty Samuel (EMQ Convenor)
  • Dr Janice Allan (OSCE Convenor)
  • Dr Theresa Laverty (OSCE Co-Convenor)
  • Dr Karin Piegsa (EBC Convenor)
  • Dr Amanda Smith (EBC Co-Convenor)
  • Dr Lesley Bacon (SBA Convenor)
  • Dr Liz Cockburn (SBA Co-Convenor)
  • Dr Sujit Mukhopadhyay (SBA Co-Convenor)
  • Dr Jane Thomas (CRQ Convenor)

FSRH Staff Member

  • Lorraine Back - edofficer1@fsrh.org
Dr Lesley Bacon
The Part One Examination ensures that our future consultants have a solid theoretical and scientific basis for their clinical work, the exam committee supports and strengthens this. (It also provides excellent revision and updating for the examiners!)”
Indhu Prabakar
Vice Chair of the Exam Committee and EMQ Convenor

Why did you join the Exam Committee?
The MFSRH is one of the few reputable qualifications available for sexual and reproductive health physicians around the world. Although the exam follows the English CSRH curriculum, it transpires into an undisputable quality standard for current day sexual health physicians. Joining the exam committee has put me in a situation to positively influence patients and clinicians, a highly rewarding dual gain.

How has being on the Exam Committee helped you professionally and personally?
Being in a situation to constantly review the question bank helps me to update myself in a timely way. Maintaining progress with the team via versatile methods of communication has made me take a big leap in my soft skills. I’ve grown as a more holistic professional with dependable people handling skills. Additionally, my involvement with the Faculty leaves me in a very advantageous position in meeting my CPD targets.

How does your work on the Exam Committee help FSRH achieve its wider organisational goals?
We would all agree that national professional examinations are designed to develop high calibre, competency based professionals to yield dependable physicians. Working for the exam committee thereby fits in directly with the vision of FSRH in marching ahead towards achieving a well-trained ‘vision-ready’ workforce.

What would you say to anyone thinking about applying to be on the Exam Committee?
It’s a great way to stay connected, both to your colleagues and the fast-growing developments in sexual health. You will soon realise that you master the art of discovering new guidelines, appraising information to high standards and balancing the use of such information in clinical practice. It could be challenging at times with regard to deadlines but rewards will be evident on your profile.

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Read about our current committee vacancies