The DRCOG syllabus has 7 modules, but they are not equally weighted in the exam. Contraception and antenatal care generate more questions than postpartum care or early pregnancy. Within each module, certain topics recur across sittings while others appear infrequently. Targeting the high-yield areas first maximises your marks per hour of study.
Module 1: Fertility Regulation and Sexual Health (Approximately 20-25%)
The highest-weighted module. High-yield: UKMEC categories (especially Category 3/4 for CHC), emergency contraception eligibility, LARC counselling, STI management (chlamydia, gonorrhoea first-line treatment), cervical screening programme (HPV primary testing, management of abnormal results), quick-starting contraception, and missed pill rules.
Module 2: Unplanned Pregnancy (Approximately 5-8%)
High-yield: Ectopic pregnancy risk factors and management (methotrexate criteria, surgical vs medical), legal framework for abortion in England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland (different laws), gestational trophoblastic disease (molar pregnancy, hCG monitoring, referral).
Module 3: Antenatal Care (Approximately 20-25%)
The second highest-weighted module. High-yield: Pre-eclampsia (diagnostic criteria, management, magnesium sulfate, delivery timing), gestational diabetes (screening, OGTT thresholds, management — NICE NG3), rhesus disease (anti-D prophylaxis, Kleihauer test), antenatal screening (combined test, quadruple test, anomaly scan), VTE risk assessment in pregnancy, and medications in pregnancy (which drugs to stop, which to continue).
Module 4: Labour and Delivery (Approximately 15-20%)
High-yield: CTG interpretation (normal, suspicious, pathological — using RCOG classification), management of PPH (risk factors, active management of third stage, medical management — GTG 52), shoulder dystocia (McRoberts manoeuvre, Rubin manoeuvre), indications for caesarean section, and pre-term labour management (tocolysis, steroids, magnesium for neuroprotection).
Module 5: Postnatal Period (Approximately 5-8%)
High-yield: Postnatal VTE prophylaxis, breastfeeding and medication compatibility, postnatal depression screening and management, postpartum contraception (when to start each method after delivery).
Module 6: Gynaecology (Approximately 15-20%)
High-yield: Abnormal uterine bleeding (investigation and management by age group), endometriosis (diagnosis, medical and surgical management — GTG 71), fibroids (medical management, indications for surgery), menopause and HRT (NICE NG23), ovarian cysts (management pathway), urinary incontinence (stress vs urge, conservative management, referral criteria).
Module 7: Early Pregnancy (Approximately 5-10%)
High-yield: Miscarriage management (expectant, medical, surgical — NICE NG126), ectopic pregnancy (overlaps with Module 2), hyperemesis gravidarum management, pregnancy of unknown location (PUL) management protocol.
The Revision Priority
Highest priority (40+ hours): Module 1 (contraception/sexual health) and Module 3 (antenatal care). Together these constitute approximately 40-50% of the exam.
High priority (25-35 hours): Module 4 (labour/delivery) and Module 6 (gynaecology).
Standard priority (10-20 hours): Modules 2, 5, and 7.
The iatroX DRCOG Q-Bank with 600+ questions implements this prioritisation through adaptive spaced repetition — automatically allocating more practice to your weakest modules. Use it daily alongside PassMedicine for the combination that covers both precision and volume.