The FRCOphth Part 1 examination is a significant milestone for aspiring ophthalmologists. One of the most effective ways to succeed is by practicing with high-quality multiple-choice questions that mirror the actual exam. This article reviews three prominent question banks—EyeQ, eFRCOphth, and FRCOphthMCQ—to help you choose the best resource for mastering FRCOphth Part 1 questions and giving you the best chance of passing the FRCOphth Part 1 exam.
Having fortunately passed the FRCOphth part 1 in my first attempt, the aim herein is to detail exactly how I used one of the main foundational texts- ‘Clinical Optics’ by Elkington and Frank. Out of 174 multiple choice questions in the April 2022 FRCOphth Part 1 exam, 47 questions were dedicated to Optics; comprising the most number of questions of any topic. Optics generally has formed the majority of questions in previous sittings too, although since its conversion to a pure MCQ exam, there appears to be increasing emphasis in this area.
The FRCOphth Part 1 exam is the first of three fellowships exams completed during ophthalmology training. Despite this, it has one of the lowest pass rates at around 40% (April 2021). The exam consists of two papers, each containing 90 multiple-choice questions. Each paper lasts 2 hours with a 1-hour break in between. Due to the COVID pandemic, it is currently conducted as an online proctored examination. There are various opportunities to sit the exam throughout the year (January, April and October), with a maximum of 6 attempts allowed per candidate.