100+ Free RANZCP MCQ Exam Practice Questions
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Key Facts: RANZCP MCQ Exam Exam
140 MCQs
Single Best Answer and Extended Matching Questions worth 1 mark each
RANZCP - Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) Exam
2 CAPs
Two Critical Analysis Problems worth 40 marks in total
RANZCP - Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) Exam
190 minutes
Total time for the MCQs and Critical Analysis Problems combined
RANZCP - Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) Exam
Computer-based
MCQ Exam delivered at Pearson VUE testing centres
RANZCP - Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) Exam
Twice a year
MCQ Exam held in March and September each year
RANZCP - Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) Exam
No fixed pass mark
Standard set after psychometric review of each sitting
RANZCP - MCQ Examination Policy and Procedure
End of Stage 3
Exam set at the standard expected at the end of Stage 3 of training
RANZCP - Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) Exam
100
Free original single-best-answer practice questions here
OpenExamPrep
The RANZCP MCQ Examination is the computer-based written multiple-choice exam in the College's psychiatry Fellowship Program, sat at Pearson VUE centres. It contains 140 MCQs (Single Best Answer and Extended Matching Questions) worth 1 mark each plus two Critical Analysis Problems worth 40 marks, with 190 minutes to complete the whole paper. It is set at the end-of-Stage-3 standard and samples Stage 1 and Stage 2 knowledge across neuroscience, pharmacotherapy, psychopathology, research methods and psychotherapy. There is no fixed published pass mark; the standard is set after psychometric review. This 100-question bank gives original single-best-answer practice across the core psychiatry domains; the separate essay-based MEQ paper is out of scope.
Sample RANZCP MCQ Exam Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to test your RANZCP MCQ Exam exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1A patient believes that a television newsreader is sending personal messages directed specifically at them through ordinary broadcasts. This experience is best described as:
2A patient describes hearing two or more voices discussing them in the third person, commenting on their actions as they occur. In descriptive psychopathology this is classically termed:
3A patient's speech shifts rapidly between loosely connected topics, with the listener able to follow the chain of associations even though the conversation drifts far from the original point. This thought-form abnormality is best described as:
4A patient repeatedly imitates the examiner's movements and gestures without being asked to do so. This sign is termed:
5On mental state examination, a patient reports a pervasive low mood, anhedonia and early morning wakening. Which symptom is most specific to the 'melancholic' or somatic depressive subtype?
6According to DSM-5-TR, the minimum duration of continuously elevated or irritable mood and increased activity required to diagnose a manic episode (in the absence of hospitalisation) is:
7A 28-year-old develops a depressive episode with marked guilt and mood-congruent delusions of having committed a terrible sin. The single most effective treatment for severe psychotic depression that is unresponsive or where rapid response is needed is:
8Which feature most strongly suggests a bipolar rather than a unipolar course in a patient presenting with a first depressive episode?
9A patient with panic disorder asks how panic attacks differ from generalised anxiety. The defining feature of a panic attack is:
10First-line psychological treatment with the strongest evidence base for obsessive-compulsive disorder is:
About the RANZCP MCQ Exam Exam
The RANZCP Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) Examination is a computer-based summative written assessment in the RANZCP Fellowship Program, undertaken at Pearson VUE testing centres in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. It comprises 140 MCQs (Single Best Answer and Extended Matching Questions) worth 1 mark each plus two Critical Analysis Problems worth 40 marks, completed in 190 minutes. The exam is set at the standard expected at the end of Stage 3 and samples foundational knowledge from the Stage 1 and Stage 2 syllabuses, including neuroscience, pharmacotherapy, experimental design and critical analysis, history and philosophy of psychiatry, common psychiatric presentations and the principles of key psychotherapies. Candidates must pass it before starting a Certificate of Advanced Training. The separate Modified Essay Questions (MEQ) paper is a distinct, non-MCQ assessment and is not covered by this question bank.
Assessment
140 multiple choice questions (Single Best Answer and Extended Matching Questions, option lists A to J) worth 1 mark each, plus two Critical Analysis Problems (CAPs) worth 40 marks in total, for 180 marks overall.
Time Limit
190 minutes in total for the 140 MCQs and the two Critical Analysis Problems combined.
Passing Score
No fixed published pass mark. The College sets the standard after psychometric review of each sitting and reports a pass or fail outcome; the exam is set at the standard expected at the end of Stage 3.
Exam Fee
Set annually by the RANZCP and published in the College fee schedule; confirm the current MCQ exam fee with the College before applying, as fees are reviewed each year. (Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (delivered at Pearson VUE testing centres))
RANZCP MCQ Exam Exam Content Outline
Psychopathology and psychiatric presentations
Descriptive psychopathology and phenomenology, mental state examination, and diagnostic frameworks (DSM-5-TR and ICD-11). Practice covers disorders of thought, perception, mood, cognition and insight, and the recognition of common and complex presentations.
Mood, anxiety and psychotic disorders
Diagnosis, course and evidence-based management of major depressive, bipolar, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, trauma- and stressor-related, and schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, including treatment-resistance and relapse prevention.
Psychopharmacology and neuroscience
Mechanisms of action, indications, dosing, adverse effects, interactions and monitoring of antidepressants, antipsychotics, mood stabilisers and anxiolytics, alongside neuroanatomy, neurophysiology and neurochemistry underpinning psychiatric disorders.
Subspecialty psychiatry
Child and adolescent, old-age, addiction, neuropsychiatry, consultation-liaison and forensic psychiatry. Practice covers developmental disorders, dementia, substance use disorders, delirium and the interface of psychiatry with the law and physical illness.
Psychotherapy and personality
Principles and indications of key psychotherapies (cognitive behavioural, psychodynamic, interpersonal, dialectical behaviour and family therapies) and the classification, assessment and management of personality disorders.
Research methods and critical analysis
Study design, biostatistics, epidemiology and critical appraisal of evidence. This knowledge is tested through MCQs and the two Critical Analysis Problems, which require interpretation of published research.
Ethics, legislation and history of psychiatry
Medical ethics, capacity and informed consent, mental health and guardianship legislation in Australia and New Zealand, and the history and philosophy of psychiatry.
How to Pass the RANZCP MCQ Exam Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: No fixed published pass mark. The College sets the standard after psychometric review of each sitting and reports a pass or fail outcome; the exam is set at the standard expected at the end of Stage 3.
- Assessment: 140 multiple choice questions (Single Best Answer and Extended Matching Questions, option lists A to J) worth 1 mark each, plus two Critical Analysis Problems (CAPs) worth 40 marks in total, for 180 marks overall.
- Time limit: 190 minutes in total for the 140 MCQs and the two Critical Analysis Problems combined.
- Exam fee: Set annually by the RANZCP and published in the College fee schedule; confirm the current MCQ exam fee with the College before applying, as fees are reviewed each year.
Keys to Passing
- Complete 500+ practice questions
- Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
- Focus on highest-weighted sections
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
RANZCP MCQ Exam Study Tips from Top Performers
Frequently Asked Questions
How many questions are on the RANZCP MCQ Exam?
The MCQ Exam has 140 multiple choice questions (Single Best Answer and Extended Matching Questions) worth 1 mark each, plus two Critical Analysis Problems worth 40 marks in total. The whole paper is 190 minutes long.
Is the RANZCP MCQ Exam computer-based?
Yes. The MCQ Exam is a computer-based test undertaken at a Pearson VUE testing centre. It is a summative assessment and a requirement of the RANZCP Fellowship Program.
What is the pass mark for the RANZCP MCQ Exam?
The RANZCP does not publish a fixed numerical pass mark. The standard is set after psychometric review of each sitting, and results are reported as a pass or fail outcome rather than a raw percentage.
What topics does the MCQ Exam cover?
It samples Stage 1 and Stage 2 knowledge, including neuroscience, pharmacotherapy, experimental design and critical analysis, history and philosophy of psychiatry, common psychiatric presentations and the principles of key psychotherapies.
When can I sit the RANZCP MCQ Exam?
The MCQ Exam is held twice a year, in March and September. Trainees may apply after 6 months FTE training and should aim to pass by 36 months FTE training, before starting a Certificate of Advanced Training.
Does this practice bank include the essay (MEQ) paper?
No. This bank covers only the multiple-choice written exam. The Modified Essay Questions (MEQ) exam is a separate, essay-based assessment and is not covered here.