About MRCPsych eLearning

MRCPsych eLearning provides online learning resources to support resident doctors in psychiatry in preparing for the membership examinations for the Royal College of Psychiatrists (MRCPsych).

The examinations currently consist of two theory papers and the practical Clinical Assessment of Skills and Competencies (CASC). Theory Paper A focuses on the scientific and theoretical basis of psychiatry, while Paper B assesses critical review and the clinical topics in psychiatry.

Our MRCPsych eLearning area covers several resources which candidates might find helpful in preparing for the written components of the MRCPsych exams, including:

Paper A revision

Our Paper A resources (formerly Trainees Online [TrOn]):

• comprise modules specifically designed to support revision with topics drawn from the basic science subject areas of the exam syllabus

• are mapped to the Paper A syllabus to help structure your revision

• are FREE to access for all College members – just log in with your College details (not OpenAthens) to access the modules.

Paper B revision

Our Paper B resources:

• comprise modules from CPD eLearning that have been identified and mapped to the Paper B syllabus — while intended primarily to support consultant psychiatrists in their ongoing clinical education, many of our CPD eLearning modules are relevant to the clinical components of the Paper B syllabus; although these are not specifically designed for Paper B revision in the way that Paper A modules are, these may be helpful to candidates preparing for this paper

• are available via subscription to CPD eLearning, with discounted rates for members.

Other resources

Our Other resources section offers signposting to additional materials relevant to your revision for the MRCPsych exams.

Our Paper A revision materials (formerly Trainees Online [TrOn]) were launched in 2014 as the online learning resource to support resident doctors in psychiatry in preparing for the MRCPsych Paper A examination. There are over 50 modules on Basic Sciences.

The content of the learning modules is screened by the College Examinations Panels, to ensure that material meets the expectations of the relevant Membership Examinations. It should be noted that modules include specific ‘Key Reading’ lists, and an examination-level understanding of a given topic should only be expected in association with this further reading.

Our Paper A revision modules have been mapped to the MRCPsych syllabus, 1-5 (inclusive). You can access this here: Paper A mapping.

Our Paper A revision modules (formerly Trainees Online [TrOn]) are free to access for anyone registered with the College as a resident doctor, member, affiliate, Student Associate or Foundation Doctor Associate – just log in with your College details to access the modules. If you are an institutional subscriber, you will need to log in with a College account, not via OpenAthens.

If you are not registered with the College you will need to subscribe to our ‘MRCPsych eLearning - Paper A revision’ resources via the Subscribe page.

CPD eLearning is intended primarily to support consultant psychiatrists in their ongoing clinical education; however, many of the modules are relevant to the clinical components of the Paper B syllabus.

These relevant modules have been identified and mapped to the Paper B syllabus, as presented in our Paper B mapping.

Although these are not specifically designed for Paper B revision in the way that Paper A-related modules are, these may be helpful to candidates preparing for this paper.

To access these resources you will need a subscription to CPD eLearning; subscriptions are available at a discounted rate for members, please see our Subscribe page to begin learning.

Candidates interested in further reading, including clinical topics not covered by existing CPD modules, are directed to the Exams reading list.

MRCPsych eLearning provides online learning resources to support resident doctors in psychiatry in preparing for the membership examinations for the Royal College of Psychiatrists (MRCPsych).

Paper A revision resources (formerly known as Trainees Online [TrOn]) are online learning resources that aim to support learners who are preparing for the MRCPsych Paper A examination. These are College publications created to supplement existing provisions such as contact with clinical and education supervisors, teaching by senior staff in mental health services, and attendance at the local MRCPsych course.

This reliable revision aid, produced by higher specialist trainees and junior consultants who have recent knowledge of the examinations themselves, is endorsed by the College and freely available to anyone registered with the College. Modules covering the whole of the basic sciences syllabus are currently in production. Each module includes three items of ‘Key Reading’; the module content plus this added reading is judged to be sufficient coverage for the purposes of the Membership exams.

Our Paper A revision modules offer unique alignment with the MRCPsych syllabus, having been developed in consultation with the College Examinations Department. The Dean and the Chief Examiner of the College have both been crucial to the development of these resources and influence them directly through the Advisory Board, with additional input from resident doctors and other College stakeholders.

Our Paper B mapping of relevant CPD eLearning modules supports those preparing for the MRCPsych Paper B examination. While intended primarily to support consultant psychiatrists in their ongoing clinical education, many of our CPD eLearning modules are relevant to the clinical components of the Paper B syllabus and have been identified and mapped accordingly. Although these are not specifically designed for Paper B revision in the way that Paper A modules are, these may be helpful to candidates preparing for this paper and they are available via subscription to CPD eLearning, with discounted rates for members. Resident doctors are provided with information about MRCPsych eLearning revision resources directly from the College, as well as through publicity in the BJPsych and at events such as the International Congress. We also hope that trainers, course leaders and tutors will encourage resident doctors to consider using these learning resources when preparing for the MRCPsych.

On the following pages there are suggestions for how you might use MRCPsych eLearning in both training and teaching, if you are:

Clinical and educational supervisors

There are several ways in which MRCPsych eLearning materials can be harnessed to support the supervision process:

• modules can be used to guide resident doctors preparing for membership examinations and be considered alongside the MRCPsych syllabus
• resident doctors can document learning as they progress through modules, providing material for discussion
• learning in clinical environments can be aligned with coverage of the syllabus, helping resident doctors to link theory with practice and scaffold knowledge as it develops.

We hope that trainers will encourage resident doctors to consider using these learning resources when preparing for the MRCPsych. 

MRCPsych course leaders and tutors

MRCPsych eLearning provides useful resources for MRCPsych course organisers and tutors, as well as resident doctors.

All Paper A revision modules are written by resident doctors in higher training with successful experience of the exams. Their content is tailored carefully to the needs of Pre-Membership Resident Doctors and aligned closely to the MRCPsych syllabus. Paper A revision modules are a great way of keeping up-to-date with the requirements and expectations of the syllabus, and of getting an insight into how resident doctors learn for the exams.

Paper A revision modules are accessible to anyone registered with the College. The login details for this resource are the same as College user details.

If you are a course tutor but not a College member, or a course organiser who would like your tutors to have access to the Paper A resources, please get in touch. We will be very happy to arrange access.

Our Paper B mapping of relevant CPD eLearning modules supports those preparing for the MRCPsych Paper B examination. While intended primarily to support consultant psychiatrists in their ongoing clinical education, many of our CPD eLearning modules are relevant to the clinical components of the Paper B syllabus and have been identified and mapped accordingly.

Although these are not specifically designed for Paper B revision in the way that Paper A modules are, these may be helpful to candidates preparing for this paper and they are available via subscription to CPD eLearning, with discounted rates for members. The mapping is free to access.

Core psychiatry course facilitators

MRCPsych eLearning provides useful resources to help resident doctors prepare for exams independently, but these resources also have the potential to transform the teaching and delivery of your core psychiatry course. This page offers some suggestions of how to combine MRCPsych eLearning revision resources with your teaching and how to make this 'blended learning' approach work well for you and your trainees.

What is blended learning?

Why is MRCPsych eLearning a useful way to provide a digital element to my teaching?

When should I ask trainees to do MRCPsych eLearning revision modules?

How could I use MRCPsych eLearning resources with my course design?

• The flipped classroom
• Team based learning
• Problem based learning
• Trainee led model
• Signposting

How can I make blended learning as effective as possible?

How can I access MRCPsych eLearning resources?

References

What is blended learning?

Blended learning is the combination of face-to-face teaching with material delivered digitally, for example through eLearning or an online forum. The idea is that this can offer students the best of both worlds, with the opportunity for learning at a pace and time suited to the individual using the online material and the opportunity to interact with others, ask questions and apply knowledge in the classroom environment. Indeed, one meta-analysis of 45 studies demonstrated that blended learning students achieved better results than those taught using traditional methods or eLearning alone (Means et al, 2013).

Why is MRCPsych eLearning a useful way to provide a digital element to my teaching?

MRCPsych eLearning Paper A modules are mapped to the MRCPsych syllabus, so they are likely to be well aligned to the syllabus for your core psychiatry course. Modules are written by resident doctors for resident doctors and are reviewed by experts to ensure accuracy. They are freely available to all pre-membership psychiatric trainees (PMPTs, and other members) of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Therefore core trainees can access them already for free. This means you avoid the costs of setting up a digital learning environment.

We also offer mapping to support preparation for Paper B, signposting our relevant CPD eLearning modules. While CPD eLearning is intended primarily to support consultant psychiatrists in their ongoing clinical education, many of our modules are relevant to the clinical components of the Paper B syllabus. These have been identified and mapped accordingly to support revision for Paper B.

These modules are not specifically designed for Paper B revision in the way that Paper A modules are, but still may be helpful to candidates preparing for this paper and they are available via subscription to CPD eLearning, with discounted rates for members. The mapping is free to access.

When should I ask trainees to do MRCPsych eLearning Paper A revision modules?

Resident doctors often use our Paper A modules after receiving teaching as a way of revising the material, but research suggests that there are significant benefits to 'flipping' the classroom and getting resident doctors to complete background learning before the face-to-face session (Levine et al, 2004; Mazur, 2009). Our Paper A revision modules provide a solid foundation on which to base further learning. Therefore completing a module before face-to-face teaching will ensure resident doctors have an understanding of the topic, freeing up face-to-face learning time for clarification, reinforcement and problem solving. This means resident doctors can attain higher-level learning outcomes, such as the application, analysis and appraisal of information, within the same amount of face-to-face time (Brame, 2013; Talbert, 2014).

How could I use MRCPsych eLearning Paper A revision modules with my course design?

There are a variety of methods for including MRCPsych eLearning resources in your core psychiatry course teaching. Your preference may depend on what fits best with the current course in your area, how you wish to introduce these resources into your course and your intended learning outcomes.

Here are a few suggestions:

The flipped classroom

The flipped classroom involves asking students to do some learning (read a paper, do a revision module, watch a video, etc.) prior to face-to-face teaching. This is one of the most straightforward and flexible ways to incorporate a digital element to a course that currently uses traditional teaching methods. How you use the face-to-face time is up to you, but the great thing is that resident doctors will have already gained the core knowledge relevant to the topic. This means that rather than having to deliver a lecture, you can design activities to reinforce and apply knowledge and meet higher-level learning objectives. Depending on the exercises you choose you can also help resident doctors to develop their communication, team-working, negotiation, presentation or decision-making skills.

For more information about flipped classrooms check out this article by Brame (2013) on the Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching website.

 

Team based learning (TBL)

TBL is a flipped classroom approach, again requiring resident doctors to do preparatory work to ensure they have the knowledge to apply in the classroom. TBL sessions may take place over a whole day or multiple shorter class meetings. The preparatory work is therefore typically greater than you might expect for a single teaching session, for example a number of revision modules or key reading chapters.

The face-to-face time then follows a set sequence, starting with a formative quiz answered first by individuals and then by facilitator chosen teams. The quiz helps the resident doctors to reflect on their learning and the facilitator to identify and explain poorly understood concepts in a mini-lecture.

After this, the main part of the session(s) involves students working in teams to apply their knowledge to an 'application exercise’. This is a complex problem which involves a significant decision, for example a clinical case, research problem or management issue. The different teams work simultaneously on the same problem(s) and each team feeds back and justifies their decision encouraging reflection on choices made. This approach aims to support not only learning but collaboration, reflection and communication skills (Parmelee et al, 2012).

For more information about TBL check out the TBL collaborative website.

Problem based learning (PBL)

PBL involves trainees working in a group on a particular case to identify and meet learning objectives. Resident doctors are given a clinical case presentation and work together to use their pre-existing knowledge to develop a hypothesis to explain the problem. They then identify what they still need to learn and how to go about this. Resident doctors then have time for private study using resources such as MRCPsych eLearning mapped modules and key readings to meet these learning objectives. The group then meets again to discuss their learning and update their hypotheses about their case based on this new information. In core training cases will likely be based on the core curriculum and MRCPsych syllabus. Our freely available Paper A modules are mapped to this syllabus and are therefore likely to support trainees in meeting such learning objectives. Our Paper B mapping also offers useful signposting to content to support revision for Paper B.

For more information about PBL check out this article by Wood (2003) in the BMJ.

Resident doctor led model

Peer teaching – where resident doctors teach each other – and near-peer teaching – where resident doctors are taught by others just above their training grade (Ten Cate & Durning, 2007) – are two teaching methods used in some core psychiatry courses. The flipped classroom model has been combined with peer teaching (McLaughlin et al, 2014) and is well matched to the flattened peer-teaching hierarchy as it relies on an individual facilitating face-to-face time as opposed to providing expertise. Following completion of background materials, face-to-face time may be used by the peer teacher to present and facilitate discussion of an element of the work of interest to them, for example its application to a clinical problem which they have experienced.

Signposting

As you can see, many of these methods involve using MRCPsych eLearning resources before or during teaching sessions. We feel this is a very effective method as it frees up face-to-face time for more interactivity and knowledge application, aiding retention, allowing resident doctors to see the relevance to their clinical practice and work at the higher levels of Bloom’s taxonomy (Brame, 2013). Where you want to introduce such methods gradually you can still use our resources to check the level of your own teaching and to encourage resident doctors to revise classroom material.

How can I make blended learning as effective as possible?

There are a number of things to consider when introducing a blended learning approach to your core psychiatry teaching. Educators with experience introducing blended learning into their own educational environments highlight the importance of considering the following to get the most out of blended learning:

• Set learning objectives for each class – consider what you want your resident doctors to be able to do by the end of each session and choose your resources and activities to meet those objectives (Talbert, 2014)
• Ensure resident doctors can access the resources – this often refers to the ability of the resident doctor to access and use the resources but it is also important to consider when they will have time to do so (McLaughlin et al, 2014)
• Use classroom time to support active learning – it’s important to use activities that are student-centred, building upon prior learning and encouraging higher-level thinking. Reflective questioning, clinical problems, quizzes, student presentations and group tasks are all useful (DeLozier & Rhodes, 2016)

• Get course facilitators on board – classroom flipping only works well if facilitators consider what the resident doctors have been asked to learn in advance and adapt their teaching accordingly. Asking resident doctors to complete a learning module and then delivering a lecture on the same content will be frustrating for resident doctors (Godsk et al, 2013)
• Get resident doctors on board – one criticism of classroom flipping is that students may not do the preparatory work. This makes it very important that resident doctors know what is expected of them and what they need to do to prepare for the teaching session. Ensuring learning objectives are well aligned to their needs, professional practice and ambitions, encouraging opportunities for personal feedback from peers or the facilitator and brief formative tests are all useful motivators (Godsk et al, 2013; DeLozier & Rhodes, 2016).

How can I access MRCPsych eLearning resources?

If you are a member of the College you will already have access to our Paper A revision modules – just use your college username and password to log on. We know that many teachers on the core psychiatry course are not psychiatrists. If you teach but do not have access, then get in contact with the eLearning team.

Our mapping of relevant CPD eLearning materials to the clinical components of the Paper B syllabus is freely available on MRCPsych eLearning. Learners will need a subscription to CPD eLearning to access the CPD eLearning resources; prices are discounted for members. These modules are not specifically designed for Paper B revision in the way that Paper A modules are, but still may be helpful to candidates preparing for this paper.

References

Brame CJ (2013) Flipping the Classroom. Center for Teaching and Learning. [website]

Ten Cate O, Durning S (2007) Peer teaching in medical education: twelve reasons to move from theory to practice. Medical teacher, 29: 591–599. [abstract]

DeLozier SJ, Rhodes MG (2016) Flipped Classrooms: a Review of Key Ideas and Recommendations for Practice. Educational Psychology Review, 1–11. [abstract]

Godsk M, Hougaard RF, Büchert Lindberg A (2013) Teaching Online Teaching Online: Seven Pedagogical Principles for Teacher Training. E-Learn: World Conference on E-Learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, and Higher Education 95-104. [abstract]

Levine RE et al (2004) Transforming a Clinical Clerkship with Team Learning. Teaching and Learning in Medicine, 16: 270–275. [abstract]

Mazur E (2009) Farewell, Lecture? Science, 323: 50–51. [PDF]

McLaughlin JE et al (2014) The Flipped Classroom. Academic Medicine, 89: 236–243. [abstract]

Means B, Murphy R, Baki M (2013) The Effectiveness of Online and Blended Learning: A Meta-Analysis of the Empirical Literature. Teachers College Record, 115: 1–47. [PDF]

Parmelee D et al (2012) Team-based learning: A practical guide: AMEE Guide No. 65. Medical Teacher, 34: 275–287. [abstract]

Talbert R (2014) Creating learning objectives, flipped classroom style. The Chronicle of Higher Education. [website]

Wood DF (2003) What is problem based learning ? BMJ, 326: 328–330. [website]