If you have searched for "SCE question bank" you are at the point where you have decided to use one — now you need to decide which. This page helps you evaluate the options and make an informed choice.
What to look for in an SCE question bank
Not all question banks are equal. The features that differentiate a good SCE question bank from a mediocre one are as follows.
Guideline currency. The SCE tests current guidelines — ESC, NICE, BTS, BSR, BHIVA, KDIGO, EASL, and the relevant specialty society recommendations. A question bank that references outdated guidelines teaches you the wrong answers. Ask when the bank was last updated and which guideline versions it references.
Specialty-specific depth. The SCE tests specialist knowledge at consultant level, not general medicine applied to a specialty. A question bank that recycles MRCP questions with a specialty label is not adequate. Look for content mapped to the JRCPTB specialty curriculum.
Adaptive learning. An algorithm that tracks your performance and adjusts question selection to target your weakest topics makes your revision time measurably more efficient. This matters because most registrars have limited protected study time.
Question volume. Research suggests that candidates who complete 800 or more practice questions consistently outperform those who complete fewer. Your question bank should have enough questions to support three to four months of daily practice without exhaustion.
Mock exams. The SCE is a six-hour exam — two papers of 100 questions, three hours each. Practising under timed conditions before exam day is essential for building endurance and time management skills.
Mobile access. Most registrars revise in short windows between clinical commitments. A native mobile app with offline access transforms dead time into revision time.
The market in 2026
StudyPRN covers all 13 specialties with per-specialty pricing (£79 to £199 for three months). Named consultant authors. No adaptive learning, no mobile app. Question counts range from 448 to 888 per specialty.
Pastest covers some SCE specialties with moderate depth. Established platform. No adaptive learning. Per-exam pricing.
BMJ OnExamination covers some specialties, often available through institutional subscriptions. Lower question counts for SCE-specific content.
iatroX covers all 13 specialties with over 1,500 questions per specialty. Adaptive learning, spaced repetition, full mock exams, mobile app (iOS and Android). Single subscription at £29 per month or £99 per year covering all specialties plus every other exam on the platform.
The value comparison
For a single SCE specialty with three months of access: StudyPRN costs £79 to £199, Pastest costs £60 to £150, and iatroX costs £87 (three months at £29/month) or £99 for a full year including all 13 specialties.
If you need only one specialty and value named consultant authorship above all else, StudyPRN is defensible. For every other consideration — adaptive learning, question volume, mobile access, cross-specialty access, and price — iatroX is the stronger choice.