100+ Free RCPSC Psychiatry Practice Questions
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Key Facts: RCPSC Psychiatry Exam
1 MCQ paper
Written component is a single paper of about 115-125 single-best-answer questions
RCPSC - Format of the Examination in Psychiatry
3 hours
The written MCQ paper is 3 hours
RCPSC - Format of the Examination in Psychiatry
70%
Pass score required for the written component
RCPSC - Format of the Examination in Psychiatry
C$5,130
2026 comprehensive objective exam fee covering written and applied components
RCPSC - Assessment and exam fees 2026
Decoupled
Passing the written but not the applied does not require retaking the written
RCPSC - Format of the Examination in Psychiatry
100
Free original single-best-answer practice questions here
OpenExamPrep
The Royal College Certification Examination in Psychiatry is Canada's national certifying exam for specialist Psychiatrists, administered by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. The written component is a single single-best-answer MCQ paper (~115-125 questions, 3 hours), and the applied component is a structured OSCE with 6 stations of 20 minutes each; the written must be passed before the applied. The pass score is 70% on the written component. 2026 registration is C$5,130 for the comprehensive objective exam (or C$2,565 per component), with a separate C$850 assessment fee. This 100-question bank provides original single-best-answer practice across the official blueprint, built on CANMAT and CPA guidelines.
Sample RCPSC Psychiatry Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to test your RCPSC Psychiatry exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1A 24-year-old male is brought to the emergency department by his family due to a 7-month history of progressive social withdrawal, poor personal hygiene, and belief that his thoughts are being broadcasted on television. For the past 6 weeks, he has also been hearing voices of two people commenting on his actions. What is the most likely diagnosis?
2A 32-year-old female presents with a 2-month history of depressed mood. She reports that her mood brightens significantly when she receives positive feedback at work. She also describes sleeping 11 hours per night, an increased appetite with a 12-lb weight gain, a heavy feeling in her limbs like lead, and a lifelong history of being extremely sensitive to interpersonal rejection. What specifier best describes her depressive episode?
3A 28-year-old male is admitted to the inpatient psychiatric unit after presenting with a 9-day period of decreased need for sleep, rapid pressured speech, grandiosity, and spending his entire savings on speculative real estate. He has no prior psychiatric history and no history of depressive episodes. What is the most appropriate diagnosis?
4A 35-year-old male reports recurrent, sudden episodes of intense fear accompanied by palpitations, sweating, shortness of breath, and a fear of dying. These episodes peak within 10 minutes. He now constantly worries about having another attack and has stopped driving on highways to avoid them. What is the most likely diagnosis?
5A 21-year-old female college student spends 3 hours every day checking that her door locks are secure and that the stove is turned off. She performs these actions in a specific sequence of five checks because she fears that her family will die in a fire if she fails to do so. She is distressed by these thoughts but cannot stop. What is the most likely diagnosis?
6A 40-year-old veteran presents to clinic 6 months after returning from deployment. He reports persistent intrusive memories of a combat event, avoidance of crowds and loud noises, emotional numbing, hypervigilance, and insomnia. What is the minimum duration of symptoms required to establish the diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)?
7A 23-year-old female presents with a history of unstable relationships, chronic feelings of emptiness, intense anger outbursts, impulsivity in spending, and recurrent non-suicidal self-injury (cutting) when she feels abandoned. What personality disorder is characterized by this clinical presentation?
8A 52-year-old male with a history of severe chronic alcohol use disorder is brought to the emergency department. He is confused, unable to walk without assistance due to a wide-based gait, and has bilateral horizontal nystagmus on eye exam. Which thiamine deficiency syndrome is described by this classic triad?
9A 9-year-old boy is brought to the clinic because of difficulty completing schoolwork, frequent daydreaming, losing his school materials, and inability to sit still in the classroom. These behaviors have been present since age 6 and are observed both at home and at school. What is the maximum age of onset of symptoms required by the DSM-5-TR to diagnose attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)?
10A 78-year-old female is evaluated for cognitive decline. Her daughter reports that the patient has become increasingly forgetful, but notes the symptoms began abruptly after the patient's spouse passed away 3 months ago. During the assessment, the patient makes poor effort on cognitive testing, frequently answering 'I don't know' to simple questions, and complains of feeling worthless and sad. What clinical feature most strongly distinguishes this presentation of depressive pseudodementia from true dementia?
About the RCPSC Psychiatry Exam
The Royal College Certification Examination in Psychiatry is the national certifying exam for specialist Psychiatrists in Canada, administered by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. It assesses readiness to enter unsupervised specialist practice and consists of a written component (a single MCQ paper of about 115-125 single-best-answer questions, 3 hours) followed by an applied structured-oral (OSCE) component with 6 stations of 20 minutes each. The pass score is 70% for the written component. Most questions assess the Medical Expert role, with some assessing intrinsic CanMEDS roles, and content follows a blueprint covering all major psychiatric domains. The exam follows Canadian standards of care, drawing on DSM-5-TR, CANMAT guidelines, and Canadian provincial mental health legislation.
Assessment
Two-component exam. Written: a single MCQ paper (~115-125 single-best-answer questions, 3 hours). Applied: structured oral (OSCE) with 6 stations of 20 minutes each (2 hours). The written must be passed before the applied.
Time Limit
Written: 3 hours (single MCQ paper). Applied: 6 stations of 20 minutes each (2 hours).
Passing Score
70% for the written component, set by a standard-setting panel. Candidates pass the written component overall.
Exam Fee
2026 exam registration (CAD): comprehensive objective exam C$5,130 (written and applied together) or C$2,565 each component separately, plus a separate assessment-of-eligibility fee (e.g. C$850 for Canadian residency specialty training). All fees in Canadian dollars. (Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC))
RCPSC Psychiatry Exam Content Outline
Psychopathology and Phenomenology
Blueprint: Diagnostic criteria, clinical presentation, course, and epidemiology of psychiatric disorders across the lifespan, aligned with DSM-5-TR.
Biologic Therapies
Blueprint: Psychopharmacology (antidepressants, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, anxiolytics), pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and neuromodulation therapies like ECT and rTMS.
Consultation Liaison, Psychotherapies, Sciences, and Medicolegal
Blueprint: Consultation Liaison & Neurology (10%), psychotherapies (10%), basic/psychological sciences & investigations (10%), and medicolegal & intrinsic CanMEDS roles (10%).
How to Pass the RCPSC Psychiatry Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: 70% for the written component, set by a standard-setting panel. Candidates pass the written component overall.
- Assessment: Two-component exam. Written: a single MCQ paper (~115-125 single-best-answer questions, 3 hours). Applied: structured oral (OSCE) with 6 stations of 20 minutes each (2 hours). The written must be passed before the applied.
- Time limit: Written: 3 hours (single MCQ paper). Applied: 6 stations of 20 minutes each (2 hours).
- Exam fee: 2026 exam registration (CAD): comprehensive objective exam C$5,130 (written and applied together) or C$2,565 each component separately, plus a separate assessment-of-eligibility fee (e.g. C$850 for Canadian residency specialty training). All fees in Canadian dollars.
Keys to Passing
- Complete 500+ practice questions
- Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
- Focus on highest-weighted sections
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
RCPSC Psychiatry Study Tips from Top Performers
Frequently Asked Questions
How many questions are on the Royal College Psychiatry written exam?
The written component is a single paper of about 115-125 single-best-answer MCQs, taken over 3 hours.
What is the passing score for the Royal College Psychiatry exam?
The pass score is 70% for the written component, determined through a standard-setting process. You pass the written component overall.
Is the exam written-only or does it have an oral/OSCE component?
It has two components. The written MCQ component comes first, and only candidates who pass it are invited to the applied OSCE component.
How much does the Royal College Psychiatry exam cost?
For 2026, the comprehensive objective exam (written and applied) costs C$5,130, or C$2,565 per component if registered separately. A separate assessment-of-eligibility fee of C$850 also applies for Canadian residency specialty training. All fees are in Canadian dollars.
What guidelines does the exam follow?
The exam follows Canadian standards of care, drawing on DSM-5-TR, Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT) guidelines, Canadian Psychiatric Association (CPA) statements, provincial mental health acts, and standard psychiatric textbooks.
Are these official Royal College practice questions?
No. These are original OpenExamPrep questions modelled on the official blueprint and single-best-answer format. The Royal College provides its own exam format info separately on royalcollege.ca.