The Diploma of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists is the most popular women's health qualification among UK GPs. It is achievable, respected, and genuinely useful — both for clinical confidence and career development. With 120 SBAs in 3 hours across 7 syllabus modules, the DRCOG rewards systematic, guideline-aligned preparation.
This guide covers everything you need: the format, the syllabus, the resources, the study plan, and the adaptive approach that makes the revision work around your clinical schedule.
DRCOG Exam Format and Key Facts (2026)
120 single best answer questions. Each worth 2 marks. 3-hour examination at Pearson VUE centres across the UK and Ireland. Held twice yearly: March and October. Fee: £476 for UK candidates. No prerequisites — any GMC-registered doctor can sit the exam. Pass mark set using modified Angoff standard-setting (varies by paper difficulty). No negative marking.
The exam tests clinical problem-solving in obstetrics, gynaecology, and sexual and reproductive health at a level appropriate for a competent GP working in the UK.
DRCOG Syllabus — The 7 Modules
Module 1: Fertility regulation and sexual health assessment. Contraception (all methods), UKMEC categories, emergency contraception, STI management, cervical screening, HPV vaccination. The highest-weighted module — expect 20-25% of questions here. Key guidelines: FSRH UKMEC summary table, BASHH STI guidelines, NHS cervical screening pathway.
Module 2: Subfertility and unplanned pregnancy. Causes and investigation of subfertility, assisted reproduction basics, pregnancy options counselling, abortion (legal framework, medical and surgical methods), ectopic pregnancy, gestational trophoblastic disease.
Module 3: Antenatal care. Booking investigations, screening (combined test, anomaly scan), gestational diabetes (NICE NG3), pre-eclampsia (NICE NG133), rhesus disease, infections in pregnancy, medications in pregnancy. The second highest-weighted module. Key guidelines: NICE NG201 (antenatal care).
Module 4: Intrapartum care. Normal labour, CTG interpretation, induction of labour, operative delivery (forceps, ventouse), caesarean section, shoulder dystocia, cord prolapse, PPH. Key guidelines: RCOG GTG 52 (PPH), GTG 26 (operative vaginal delivery), GTG 54 (induction).
Module 5: Postpartum problems. Postnatal care, VTE prophylaxis, breastfeeding, postnatal depression, postpartum contraception. Key guideline: NICE NG194.
Module 6: Gynaecological problems. Abnormal uterine bleeding, fibroids, endometriosis, ovarian pathology, pelvic organ prolapse, urinary incontinence, menopause and HRT, infertility. Key guidelines: NICE NG88, NG23, RCOG GTG 71.
Module 7: Sexual health. STI management, vaginal discharge assessment, HIV testing, partner notification. Overlaps with Module 1 — the sexual health content is tested from both the contraception and the clinical management perspectives.
Best Resources for DRCOG Revision in 2026
RCOG Revision Resource
The RCOG's own Q-bank: 140 SBAs written by DRCOG committee members and faculty clinicians. This is the closest approximation to real exam question style and difficulty. Essential for format familiarisation. Limitations: only 140 questions — insufficient as a sole resource.
Passmedicine DRCOG
Over 1,000 SBA questions mapped to the 7 syllabus modules. Peer comparison shows your ranking against other current candidates. Extensive teaching notes. Affordable (approximately £25-50 for 3-6 months). Limitations: no adaptive engine, no NICE guidelines integration. Best for: building raw question volume and peer benchmarking.
The Susan Ward Revision Guide
"The DRCOG Revision Guide" by Susan Ward (Vice President of Education at the RCOG). Over 400 practice questions with detailed answer discussions. The third edition (2021) aligns with the current exam format. Useful as a companion text but not a standalone resource.
iatroX DRCOG Adaptive Q-Bank
iatroX Boards provides 600+ adaptive SBA questions mapped to the DRCOG syllabus — the largest adaptive bank for DRCOG outside the RCOG's own static resource.
True adaptive sequencing. The algorithm identifies your weakest modules — whether that is contraception/UKMEC, antenatal care, or gynaecology — and serves targeted questions to close those gaps. This is not random question selection; it is dynamic precision targeting based on your performance data.
NICE/RCOG/FSRH guidelines integration. Every explanation is grounded in current guideline text with citations. When a Green Top guideline updates or the FSRH revises the UKMEC table, iatroX's explanations reflect the current recommendation.
Performance dashboard. Topic-level proficiency across all 7 modules. See exactly where you are weak before exam day — not after.
Mobile app. iOS and Android. Revise between consultations on your O&G placement. 15 questions on the commute. The 10-minute habit that compounds over 12 weeks.
Pricing. A single iatroX Boards subscription provides access to the DRCOG Q-bank alongside other specialty Q-banks (DFSRH, DGM, DipIMC, FFICM, DTM&H). Significantly cheaper than the exam fee itself.
DRCOG Revision Strategy — A 12-Week Plan
Weeks 1-2: Syllabus mapping. Complete 50-100 mixed questions on iatroX to establish your baseline weak modules. Begin reading the FSRH UKMEC summary table.
Weeks 3-6: Systematic module-by-module revision. Use iatroX adaptive sets for targeted practice (30-40 questions daily) + Passmedicine for supplementary volume. Read the essential Green Top Guidelines (GTG 52, 26, 37, 63, 17, 54, 71). Read NICE NG201, NG133, NG3, NG126.
Weeks 7-9: Mixed-topic sessions simulating exam conditions. Increase daily question volume. Complete the RCOG revision resource (140 questions) under timed conditions.
Weeks 10-11: Full timed mock exams (120 questions, 3 hours). Analyse results by module. Target remaining weak areas using iatroX performance dashboard.
Week 12: Guidelines review (UKMEC table, most commonly tested Green Tops). Light question reinforcement. Rest before exam.
The Guidelines You Must Know for DRCOG
FSRH UKMEC. Memorise the Category 3 and 4 entries for CHC — these are reliably tested in every sitting. Know the emergency contraception eligibility criteria. Know the quick-start rules.
RCOG Green Top Guidelines. GTG 52 (PPH — risk factors, active management, medical/surgical management), GTG 26 (operative vaginal delivery), GTG 37 (VTE in pregnancy), GTG 63 (antepartum haemorrhage), GTG 17 (ectopic pregnancy), GTG 54 (induction), GTG 71 (endometriosis). Read the full recommendations, not just the summaries.
NICE Guidelines. NG201 (antenatal care), NG133 (hypertension in pregnancy), NG3 (diabetes in pregnancy), NG126 (ectopic and miscarriage), NG194 (postnatal care), NG23 (menopause).
Ask iatroX provides instant access to all of these guidelines — NICE, RCOG, FSRH, and BASHH. When a Q-bank question references a guideline you have not read, the answer is available in seconds with a citation. This is the most efficient way to build guideline-aligned knowledge during Q-bank practice.
Top Tips from Doctors Who Have Passed
Do questions from day one — not after you have "finished" reading. The Q-bank is the learning tool, not the test tool.
Know the UKMEC table cold. It is reliably tested, and getting the categories wrong is the most common reason candidates fail questions they should get right.
Do not underestimate the sexual health module. Candidates consistently underperform here because they focus on obstetrics and gynaecology and skim STIs and contraception.
Use adaptive mode to find your actual weak modules rather than studying what feels comfortable. The iatroX performance dashboard shows you the truth about your preparation — not what you think you know, but what you actually know.
The DRCOG is achievable with the right approach and the right tools. Start with iatroX DRCOG bank.