Blog / Eligibility and screening questions

Exam questions on NHS applications: when you can say yes

By the Health Job Scout team · 4 min read · Fact-checked 22 October 2026

Some applications ask early on: "Have you passed MRCP(UK) Part 1?" It's a tiny box with a lot riding on it. Say yes to something that isn't true, and you have put a false statement on a form you've signed. Say no when you could have explained, and you may be filtered out for no good reason. This post is about getting that one answer right. MRCP is the example, but the same thinking applies to other postgraduate exams.

What "passed" means

If the question asks whether you have passed an exam, it means you hold a result saying you passed. The following don't count:

• You have booked the exam.
• You have sat it and are waiting for the result.
• You expect to pass, or your practice scores are good.
• You passed one section of a multi-part exam and the question is about another.

Keep your result confirmation somewhere you can find it. If you are ever asked to show it, whether at shortlisting, interview or pre-employment checks, you want to be able to do that on the same day.

What MRCP(UK) Part 1 is

MRCP(UK) says Part 1 is the entry-level exam, open to doctors with at least 12 months of postgraduate experience in medical employment. It's the first step in a sequence that leads to the full diploma. That matters, because some posts ask for more than Part 1.

Part 1 or the full diploma?

Read the person specification for the exact requirement. As an example, the 2026 person specification for Internal Medicine Training CT3 lists the following as essential: MRCP(UK) Part 1 at the time of application and the full MRCP(UK) diploma by the offer date. Other routes, such as eligibility for the specialist register, are also listed. A yes to a "Part 1" question might get you through the first screen and still leave a later requirement to meet. Know which one you are being asked about.

If you have sat the exam but have no result yet

The honest answer is no, for now. That feels harsh, but there are sensible things to do about it:

• If the form has a free-text box, say that you have sat the exam, give the date, and say when your result is due.
• If it doesn't, email the contact on the advert before the closing date. Ask whether a result due before the closing date, or before the start date, can be considered. Some employers will tell you; some won't. Keep the answer.
• If the application closes before your result arrives and the employer can't be flexible, you've missed that round, but the next one will ask the same question and you'll be able to answer yes.

"Or equivalent"

Some questions say "or equivalent". The employer decides what counts. We can't give you a general list, and we'd distrust anyone who does. Say exactly which exam you passed, who ran it and when, and ask whether it meets the requirement.

Why it matters

The GMC's Good medical practice (2024) expects doctors to be honest and accurate in the information they give. An application is information you are signing for, and an exam result is easy for an employer to check. We explain the wider picture in our post on answering pre-screening questions honestly.

A simple routine

• Read the question twice, then read the person specification.
• Match your answer to a result you could show today.
• If the answer is not yet, say so, and explain if the form lets you.
• If you are unsure what the question means, ask first and keep the reply.

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