The DFSRH exam has the thinnest revision resource ecosystem of any UK postgraduate assessment. No Passmedicine module. No Pastest section. No Quesmed coverage. No BMJ OnExamination bank. No AMBOSS content. The entire market for dedicated DFSRH question practice consists of two platforms: PasSRH and iatroX Boards. That is it.
This is not a market where you are choosing between ten options and need help narrowing down. This is a market where you are choosing between two — and each takes a fundamentally different approach to the same small exam.
What the DFSRH Actually Tests
The DFSRH (Diploma of the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare) — now officially called the DCSRH — is assessed through an Online Theory Assessment (OTA). The OTA consists of 64 SBA questions testing applied clinical knowledge across the DFSRH curriculum: contraception (all methods — combined hormonal, progestogen-only, LARC, emergency), UK Medical Eligibility Criteria for contraceptive use (UKMEC 2025), sexually transmitted infections (diagnosis and management), early pregnancy complications (ectopic, miscarriage), cervical screening, menstrual disorders, and sexual health promotion.
The exam is relatively short — 64 questions — but the content is dense and guideline-specific. FSRH guidelines (not NICE, not BNF) are the primary reference standard. Candidates who prepare using generic women's health resources without specific FSRH guideline alignment consistently underperform, because FSRH recommendations on quick-starting, bridging between methods, and UKMEC categorisation are not always identical to guidance found in other sources.
PasSRH: The DFSRH Specialist
PasSRH is the incumbent dedicated SRH revision platform. It provides over 800 questions covering all DFSRH curriculum areas — contraception, UKMEC 2025, STIs, early pregnancy, cervical screening, and related topics. Questions are mapped to FSRH guidelines specifically, which is the critical quality marker for a DFSRH Q-bank: the exam tests FSRH guideline knowledge, so questions must be written against FSRH guidance, not generic clinical reference.
PasSRH is the most commonly recommended resource in FSRH trainee forums and deanery resource lists. When candidates ask "what should I use for DFSRH revision?" in the SRH trainee WhatsApp groups, PasSRH is invariably the first answer. This community endorsement — earned over several years of field-tested results — is a genuine credential.
PasSRH pricing for the DCSRH bank is £59, and it also covers the MCSRH Part 1 (£59/3 months) and the recently launched MCSRH Part 2 (£59) for specialty trainees on the SRH training programme. This makes PasSRH the only platform covering the full SRH examination pathway from diploma through to membership.
The platform has recently updated its DCSRH content to reflect the UKMEC 2025 changes — a critical update given that the UKMEC is heavily tested and the 2025 revision introduced meaningful changes to eligibility criteria for several contraceptive methods.
What PasSRH does well: Dedicated SRH focus with FSRH guideline alignment. The questions are written specifically for the DFSRH/DCSRH exam format by practitioners working in SRH. The MCSRH coverage makes it the only platform serving SRH specialty trainees beyond the diploma level. Field-tested by hundreds of candidates with strong community recommendation. The UKMEC 2025 update demonstrates active content maintenance.
What PasSRH does not do: Adaptive learning — questions are static and do not adjust to your performance. No spaced repetition algorithm. No topic-level proficiency dashboard showing mastery by curriculum area. No AI explanations or guideline-grounded clinical AI. No mobile app mentioned. Single-specialty focus — after passing the DFSRH, the platform serves no purpose beyond MCSRH preparation (for those on the SRH training pathway).
iatroX Boards: DFSRH Within a Multi-Diploma Adaptive Platform
iatroX Boards provides 867 DFSRH questions with adaptive difficulty adjustment, built-in spaced repetition targeting weak curriculum areas, and a topic proficiency dashboard showing mastery across all DFSRH domains.
The adaptive engine analyses your performance after every question and serves the next question to target the specific DFSRH curriculum area where your proficiency is lowest. If your UKMEC knowledge is strong but your STI management is weak, the engine concentrates practice on STIs until the gap closes — then moves to your next weakest area. Over the 4-8 weeks most candidates spend preparing, this adaptive targeting means every question addresses your specific gap rather than rotating through content you already know.
Ask iatroX provides instant guideline verification for the edge-case clinical scenarios that DFSRH questions love to test: "Can I prescribe the combined pill to a 38-year-old smoker with BMI 32?" / "What UKMEC category applies to desogestrel in a patient with current breast cancer?" / "What is the quick-starting protocol for the IUS when a patient presents on day 10 of her cycle?" These are the questions that distinguish a pass from a strong pass — and Ask iatroX provides the cited guideline answer in seconds.
A single iatroX Boards subscription (£29/month or £99/year) includes the DFSRH Q-bank alongside DRCOG (600+ questions), DGM (484 questions), DipIMC (700+ questions), FFICM (727 questions), DTM&H (600+ questions), and DCH. For GPs pursuing multiple diplomas — a common career strategy for portfolio GPs or those building enhanced service credentials — one subscription covers the entire diploma portfolio.
Beyond exam preparation, iatroX provides clinical tools directly relevant to SRH clinical practice: iatroX Calculators for BMI calculation (relevant to UKMEC categorisation), and the clinical AI for ongoing prescribing decision support in SRH consultations.
What iatroX Boards does well: Adaptive targeting of weak curriculum areas. Spaced repetition for long-term retention. Multi-diploma coverage in a single subscription. Clinical AI for guideline edge-case verification. Topic proficiency dashboard. Mobile app (iOS + Android). MHRA-registered.
What iatroX Boards does not do: MCSRH Part 1 or Part 2 content. If you are an SRH specialty trainee preparing for membership examinations, PasSRH is the only option. iatroX's DFSRH questions are mapped to the DFSRH/DCSRH curriculum but may not carry the same depth of FSRH trainee forum endorsement that PasSRH has built over several years.
Content Comparison
Both platforms cover the core DFSRH curriculum areas: all UKMEC categories across every contraceptive method, quick-starting rules and bridging protocols, emergency contraception (levonorgestrel, ulipristal, Cu-IUD — timing, eligibility, drug interactions), STI diagnosis and management (chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, HIV testing, partner notification), cervical screening programme, early pregnancy complications (ectopic, miscarriage, molar pregnancy), menstrual disorders, and sexual health promotion.
Question volume is comparable: PasSRH 800+ vs iatroX 867. The differentiator is not volume — it is whether the questions adapt to your performance profile (iatroX) or serve in a static rotation (PasSRH).
iatroX additionally provides: clinical AI for instant guideline queries, cross-references to NICE contraception guidance and BNF drug interactions, clinical calculators, and CPD logging. PasSRH additionally provides: MCSRH Part 1 and Part 2 content for specialty trainees.
Pricing
PasSRH: DCSRH bank £59. MCSRH Part 1 £59/3 months. MCSRH Part 2 £59. Each is a separate purchase.
iatroX Boards: £29/month or £99/year — includes all 7 diploma Q-banks (DFSRH + DRCOG + DGM + DipIMC + FFICM + DTM&H + DCH). The clinical AI, calculators, and Knowledge Centre are free regardless of subscription.
Value calculation: If you are sitting DFSRH only, PasSRH at £59 is a focused, lower-cost option. If you are sitting DFSRH plus one or more other diplomas (DRCOG and DGM are the most common companions for GP portfolio careers), iatroX Boards at £99/year covers all of them — making it more cost-effective than purchasing separate Q-banks for each exam.
Who Should Use Which
Sitting DFSRH only, wanting the most field-tested resource → PasSRH. It is focused, FSRH-guideline-aligned, and community-endorsed. If you want the safest single choice, PasSRH is it.
Sitting DFSRH only, wanting adaptive practice → iatroX Boards. The adaptive engine targets your weak areas specifically — and the clinical AI provides edge-case guideline verification that PasSRH does not offer.
Sitting DFSRH + DRCOG + DGM (common GP portfolio combination) → iatroX Boards. One subscription covers all three diplomas. Purchasing PasSRH (£59) + separate DRCOG and DGM Q-banks would cost significantly more.
SRH specialty trainee sitting MCSRH → PasSRH. It is the only platform with MCSRH Part 1 and Part 2 content. iatroX does not cover membership-level SRH examinations.
Want AI-assisted guideline queries for SRH clinical scenarios → Ask iatroX (free, regardless of subscription).
Using both → PasSRH for the FSRH-guideline-specific question bank that the SRH community trusts. iatroX Boards for the adaptive engine that identifies and targets your weak areas. Combined cost: £59 (PasSRH) + £99/year (iatroX Boards) = £158 — and the iatroX subscription also covers your DRCOG, DGM, and any other diploma you pursue.
A 6-Week DFSRH Study Plan Using Both Platforms
The DFSRH OTA is 64 questions — a relatively short exam covering a focused curriculum. Most candidates prepare over 4 to 8 weeks alongside clinical work. Here is a 6-week plan using both platforms.
Week 1 — Contraception foundation. Read the FSRH guidelines on combined hormonal contraception, progestogen-only pills, and UKMEC 2025. Do 30 questions on PasSRH covering these methods. Do 30 adaptive questions on iatroX to identify weak areas within this domain.
Week 2 — LARC and emergency contraception. FSRH guidelines on IUS/IUD, implant, injectable. Emergency contraception guidelines (levonorgestrel, ulipristal, Cu-IUD — timing, eligibility, interactions). 30 PasSRH questions. 30 iatroX adaptive questions. Use Ask iatroX for any UKMEC edge cases that arise from wrong answers — "What UKMEC category applies to the Cu-IUD in a woman with Wilson's disease?"
Week 3 — Quick starting and bridging. The FSRH Quick Starting guideline is heavily tested and frequently misunderstood. When can you start contraception without waiting for the next period? What pregnancy test timing is required? What are the bridging protocols between methods? This is where PasSRH's FSRH-specific question alignment is strongest — the questions test the exact scenarios the exam presents. Supplement with iatroX adaptive targeting of weak sub-topics.
Week 4 — STIs and early pregnancy. Chlamydia (opportunistic screening, partner notification, treatment), gonorrhoea (dual therapy, resistance), syphilis (staging, serology interpretation), HIV testing indications. Early pregnancy: ectopic risk factors, miscarriage management options (expectant, medical, surgical), molar pregnancy. 30 questions per platform.
Week 5 — Cervical screening, menstrual disorders, miscellaneous. Cervical screening programme (ages, intervals, HPV primary screening, colposcopy referral criteria). Menstrual disorders (HMB investigation and management, NICE NG88). Sexual health promotion. Legal and ethical scenarios (Fraser/Gillick competence for under-16s, safeguarding). Use the iatroX performance dashboard to identify any remaining weak areas.
Week 6 — Mock conditions and weak area consolidation. Timed mock on PasSRH — simulate 64 questions under exam conditions. Review wrong answers with Ask iatroX for guideline verification. Target remaining weak areas using iatroX adaptive mode. Final UKMEC 2025 review — the eligibility criteria table is the single highest-yield topic to re-read in the final week.
Common DFSRH Revision Mistakes
Mistake 1: Relying on NICE contraception guidance instead of FSRH guidelines. The DFSRH tests FSRH guideline knowledge specifically. NICE CKS covers contraception but references FSRH — and the exam tests the FSRH source directly, including specific UKMEC categories and quick-starting protocols that NICE CKS summarises but does not detail.
Mistake 2: Under-revising UKMEC. The UKMEC table is the most densely tested content in the OTA. You need to know not just "which methods are safe" but the specific UKMEC category (1, 2, 3, or 4) for each method in each clinical scenario — and the 2025 update changed several categorisations. Candidates who memorise the 2016 table and miss the 2025 changes lose preventable marks.
Mistake 3: Ignoring legal and ethical content. Questions about Fraser/Gillick competence, safeguarding, confidentiality for under-16s, and consent for contraceptive procedures appear in every sitting. These are predictable marks that many candidates lose because they feel "less clinical" and receive less revision time.
The Bigger Picture
The DFSRH is one of the most commonly pursued GP diplomas — it opens doors to LARC fitting, implant insertion, coil services, and enhanced SRH contracts within PCNs. Many GPs combine the DFSRH with Letters of Competence (LoC) in subdermal implants and intrauterine techniques, which require the OTA pass as a prerequisite.
For the OTA pass itself, either PasSRH or iatroX Boards will prepare you. The choice depends on whether you value field-tested community endorsement (PasSRH) or adaptive AI-driven targeting (iatroX) — and whether you are sitting additional diplomas alongside the DFSRH.
Start at iatrox.com/boards or passrh.co.uk.