Responsibilities of the MRCOG Part 2 Question Writer and Course Faculty Task and Finish Group include producing new questions for Events/eLearning courses, reviewing and updating existing questions and acting as course faculty for at least one MRCOG Part 2 course per year.
The MRCOG Part 2 Question Writing and Course Faculty Task and Finish Group is responsible for ensuring high quality up-to-date questions are used in RCOG Events and eLearning content. The Group will meet regularly throughout the year, remotely and occasionally in person. The role will involve both writing new questions and reviewing existing questions to ensure clinical accuracy. Members of this group will also support the MRCOG Part 2 revision courses by acting as course faculty across the four courses held annually.
Group members may also contribute to defining the strategic direction of the MRCOG Part 2 online resource, ensuring it meets the needs of candidates preparing for the examination, and will assist in ensuring the online resource adheres to quality assurance standards.
Attendance at the next in-person meeting for the group on Wednesday 21 May is encouraged.
The Task and Finish group is expected to run for two years and members will be appointed by application.
UK O&G consultants and senior SAS doctors* are eligible to apply for this position.
Please see the role description, person specifications, task template and other information at the bottom of the page.
For this role, we are looking for question writers who have a genuine enthusiasm for ensuring that the MRCOG Part 2 questions provided within the RCOG revision resources are as clinically accurate and up-to-date as possible for candidates revising for the exams.
In return we are able to offer:
- comprehensive question writing training in a supportive environment
- question writing experience which can be used as evidence for The doctor is effective as a teacher and supervisor of healthcare professionals CiP in the Core Curriculum or to gain CPD points
- experience that will support applications for MRCOG question writing sub-committees
- experience that will support applications for the MRCOG Part 3 examiner role
- experience of acting as faculty on RCOG courses
- engagement with the College and an opportunity to support learners on their journey to MRCOG.
*A minimum of twelve years of medical work (either as a continuous period or in aggregate) since obtaining a primary medical qualification, of which a minimum of six years should have been in O&G. Equivalent years’ experience in O&G from other medical grades, including from overseas, will also be accepted.
How to apply
To apply, please complete the form via the button below. Once completed, you will be asked to share a CV and supporting statement with us.
Please note that as part of your application you are required to write and submit three SBA questions. See section called ‘Task Information’ for further details on this.
Should you have any additional enquiries please email elearning@rcog.org.uk.
Application deadline: Friday 11 April 2025
Task information
To ensure that we are able to choose dedicated question writers with enthusiasm and the correct skillset we are using a question-writing task to help judge the applicants in a fair and transparent way.
The task is to write three SBAs on three different exam topics using the provided SBA template below. You can use any element of the syllabus that you are familiar with for this task.
A guidance video on how to write a good SBA question is available on the RCOG Learning platform. Please email elearning@rcog.org.uk for access to the video and ensure you have watched the video before writing your questions.
Examples of SBA questions can also be found here.
Please email elearning@rcog.org.uk if you have any further questions relating to this task.
N.B. Please note that by submitting these questions as part of your application you agree that they may be used for future training opportunities or in RCOG educational resources.
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Role description
MRCOG Part 2 Question Writer and Course Faculty (Consultant/senior SAS doctor*)
*A minimum of twelve years of medical work (either as a continuous period or in aggregate) since obtaining a primary medical qualification, of which a minimum of six years should have been in O&G. Equivalent years’ experience in O&G from other medical grades, including from overseas, will also be accepted.
- Chair of MRCOG Part 2 Question Writing and Course Faculty Task and Finish group, RCOG
- Course conveners, MRCOG Part 2 revision courses
- Vice President for Education, Education Board, RCOG
The group commenced in September 2024 and is expected to run for two years.
- Attend meetings regularly. If more than two meetings within a 12-month period are missed without providing notice to the eLearning team, you must write to the Chair to explain your absence, and may be removed from the Group at the Chair’s discretion. Attendance at the in-person meeting in May 2025 is encouraged.
- Produce three new questions per month prior to online meetings and submit them in advance of the meeting. Annually, question-writing performance will be reviewed by the Chair, should there be concerns about the number of questions submitted/the quality of the questions the question writer may be removed at the Chair’s discretion.
- Reviewing previously written questions, providing a recommendation of whether they should be removed or updated. Updating as necessary.
- Edit questions in the meeting/remotely or review other members’ questions prior to meetings.
- Blueprinting questions to the MRCOG Part 2 syllabus or otherwise contributing to the strategic direction of the Part 2 online resource.
- Act as course faculty for at least one Part 2 course per year. This will be a minimum commitment of one day a year and course dates will be provided at least 8 weeks in advance. This activity it intended to enhance question writing experience as faculty need to be able to actively explain answers to candidates on the course.
- Be involved in training sessions for themselves or new question writers as required.
- Recommend books and references for use by the Group in formulating new questions.
The successful candidate will work closely with all other members of the Question Writing and Course Faculty Task and Finish Group and the Chair to ensure that the quality of questions used in RCOG eLearning and Events content are maintained.
There will be a minimum of eight meetings per year, of which members will be expected to attend at least six meetings unless prior notice is given. The majority of meetings will be held remotely via Microsoft Teams and will last for one hour.
This role reflects the present requirements of the post. As duties and responsibilities change and develop the role description will be reviewed and be subject to amendments in consultation with the post holder.
The role description will be re-evaluated at the end of the term.
Person specification
Essential
- MRCOG Part 3 or equivalent
- Currently practising in the UK as an O&G consultant or senior SAS doctor*, or within three years of retirement
- Registered with a licence to practise with GMC or Irish Medical Council, in good standing
- Generalist with a special interest, or specialist with broad-based generalist background
- Evidence of equal opportunities and diversity training within previous three years
- Knowledge of the RCOG curricula and MRCOG syllabus
Desirable
- Active or previous participation in assessment and writing of relevant types of examination questions
- Involvement in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, specialist training, educational supervision and assessment roles
*A minimum of twelve years of medical work (either as a continuous period or in aggregate) since obtaining a primary medical qualification, of which a minimum of six years should have been in O&G. Equivalent years’ experience in O&G from other medical grades, including from overseas, will also be accepted.
Essential
- Able to maintain confidentiality and security
- Retired Fellow/Member applicants must be within three years of retirement
- Punctuality and ability to complete tasks by prescribed deadlines
- Ability to attend monthly remote meetings and occasional in-person meetings at the RCOG
CPD information
The RCOG CPD Framework can be found here.
Committee Chair/Member/Course Convenors and Organisers
If within your committee role or work as course convenor or organiser you gain knowledge which enhances patient care or leadership and technical skills (including for example, giving presentations, teaching sessions or mock examining) credits can be claimed as an ‘Experiential Learning Event’.
Free selection of CPD credits is available for all participants. Reflection is required to claim credits for an Experiential Learning Event. In addition 1 or 2 credits are claimable for an action following the learning (1 credit for a simple action, 2 credits for a complex action). To claim credits for an action, the individual needs to demonstrate how they have applied their learning to their practice, the service they provide and/or the potential impact of the learning.
Suggested number of CPD credits for the following activities:
1 credit per hour in the national/international category for giving teaching sessions or leading a workshop on a course
5 credits in the national/international category for giving a formal presentation on a course
1 credit per hour in the national/international category for mock examining
A maximum of 25 credits in each five-year cycle applies for all presentations/teachings sessions given at national/international courses or conferences, and for formal and mock examining.
Terms of reference
Authority
The MRCOG Part 2 Question Writing and Course Faculty Group Task and Finish Group commenced in September 2024 and meets remotely once per month, plus biannual in-person meetings at the RCOG. The Group is expected to run for two years.
This Task and Finish Group is established by and reports to the Education Board.
Purpose
The Task and Finish Group exists to support the generation of high quality up-to-date revision questions to support candidates sitting the MRCOG Part 2. They will also act as course faculty for the MRCOG Part 2 courses run by the College, supporting delegates attending these courses and assisting with teaching on the day.
Key tasks for the Task and Finish Group include:
- generating new Part 2 questions for RCOG Events/eLearning courses
- reviewing and updating existing Part 2 questions to ensure clinical accuracy of all practice questions offered by the RCOG in its revision materials
- ensuring the question bank is blueprinted to the syllabus or otherwise defined strategic requirements
- acting as course faculty to support the Part 2 courses run by the College.
In line with regulations and other governing documents, and legal and regulatory requirements.
No delegated financial authority.
Mr Sean Hughes, FRCOG
- eLearning Manager
- Events Coordinator
- A minimum of 20 members all who must have passed their MRCOG Part 2, including UK Trainees, Fellows and Members (FRCOG, MRCOG and retired), and SAS/LE doctors who are working at an equivalent level.
The Education Team will provide secretarial support for the group but RCOG staff are not required to attend question-writing meetings.
The eLearning Manager or their nominee shall act as the secretary of the MRCOG Part 2 Question Writing and Course Faculty Task and Finish Group and will provide support with organising meetings, sending out questions to review prior to meetings, and booking rooms/catering when the group is meeting face-to-face.
The secretary shall keep a record of the names of those present and in attendance and the number of successful questions submitted by each group member, following updates from the Chair.
An update will be provided at each Education Board meeting outlining the number of question writing meetings held, the number of questions produced and the percentage of the group aims that have been achieved.
All administration related to the Task and Finish Group to be:
- stored according to the Education department filing structure and guidance
- accessible for editing by the group
- treated as confidential (not to be shared outside the agreed circulation list) unless directed by the Chair.
The Chair may nominate a group member to lead the meeting in their absence. A minimum of four members or appropriate representatives to be present at each meeting.
The MRCOG Part 2 Question Writing and Course Faculty Task and Finish Group shall meet monthly, remotely, with flexibility. Members will be expected to attend the majority of these meetings.
Members are required to produce three questions per month for review at monthly panel meetings.
Members are required to participate in a feedback exercise on questions written by other members of the Task and Finish Group to ensure that high-quality questions are produced.
Members are required to act as course faculty for at least one MRCOG Part 2 course per year.
Notice of each in-person meeting, including location/time/date agreed, is provided to the group with reasonable notice to enable group members to attend. Monthly meetings will be carried out remotely and will be scheduled by nominated group leads, with consideration given to flexibility and group members’ existing commitments.
The MRCOG Part 2 Question Writing and Course Faculty Task and Finish Group will report to Education Board on the number of meetings held, the total number of questions produced and the percentage of group aims that have been achieved.
The MRCOG Part 2 Question Writing and Course Faculty Task and Finish Group shall annually review its terms of reference to ensure it is operating at maximum effectiveness and recommend any changes it considers necessary to Education Board.
The outputs of the group will be evaluated using:
- number of new questions reviewed and accepted
- number of existing questions reviewed
- feedback from exam candidates
- usage data and user feedback from RCOG Learning resources
- delegate feedback from courses.
Volunteering with the RCOG is a rich and rewarding experience which offers a range of professional and personal benefits:
- Professional recognition
- Build networks and friendships
- Career development
- Make meaningful change
- Wellbeing