Some paediatric trainees sit all three MRCPCH theory papers within two consecutive diets — FOP and TAS in one diet, AKP six months later. Others sit all three within a single academic year. This plan provides a structured 6-month approach for candidates preparing for multiple papers simultaneously.
The challenge
FOP, TAS, and AKP test fundamentally different content. FOP tests clinical paediatrics — pattern recognition, diagnosis, and evidence-based management. TAS tests underpinning sciences — pharmacology, genetics, physiology, pathology, and statistics. AKP tests advanced clinical application with a unique multi-select question format. Preparing for all three simultaneously requires structured separation of content domains to prevent interference.
Month 1 — Baseline and FOP foundation
Weeks 1 to 2: sit a baseline assessment for FOP (50 questions, untimed, all topics). Record your topic-level performance. Simultaneously sit a baseline for TAS (50 questions across pharmacology, genetics, physiology, pathology, statistics). These baselines identify your starting points for both papers.
Weeks 3 to 4: begin systematic FOP revision. Cover respiratory, cardiology, and gastroenterology — three of the largest FOP domains. Use the question bank in untimed mode. Read NICE paediatric guidelines for each topic as you encounter gaps. Target 20 to 25 FOP questions per day.
Month 2 — FOP continuation and TAS introduction
Weeks 5 to 6: continue FOP — neurology, infectious disease, and endocrinology. Simultaneously begin TAS pharmacology revision. TAS pharmacology accounts for roughly 14 per cent of the paper and is the domain where most candidates need the most work. Start with drug mechanism questions alongside your FOP clinical revision — the two domains complement each other (clinical management for FOP, underlying drug mechanisms for TAS).
Weeks 7 to 8: continue FOP — nephrology, haematology, neonatology. Simultaneously continue TAS — genetics and genomics. Target 15 FOP questions plus 10 TAS questions per day.
Month 3 — Complete FOP systematic coverage, deepen TAS
Weeks 9 to 10: complete FOP systematic coverage — safeguarding, emergency paediatrics, community health, remaining topics. Begin TAS physiology and pathology revision.
Weeks 11 to 12: shift emphasis toward TAS. Cover immunology, microbiology, biochemistry, and statistics. If your FOP baseline was strong, reduce FOP question volume to maintenance level (10 per day) and increase TAS volume. If FOP remains weak, maintain equal effort.
By the end of month 3, you should have completed systematic coverage of both FOP and TAS content.
Month 4 — FOP and TAS mock exams, begin AKP
Weeks 13 to 14: sit full mock exams for both FOP (95 questions, 2.5 hours) and TAS (95 questions, 2.5 hours). Analyse performance by topic. Identify weak areas for targeted revision.
Weeks 15 to 16: targeted FOP and TAS weak-area revision based on mock results. Simultaneously introduce AKP content — begin with standard SBA questions from the AKP bank to establish a baseline. The AKP tests advanced application, so your FOP knowledge provides the clinical foundation.
Month 5 — AKP focus with N-of-many practice
Weeks 17 to 18: shift primary focus to AKP. Begin practising N-of-many questions specifically — the multi-select format requires a different cognitive approach from standard SBA. Practise selecting exactly two or three correct answers from eight options, with all-or-nothing scoring. iatroX is the only platform that supports this format.
Weeks 19 to 20: continue AKP practice with increasing complexity. Integrate data interpretation questions — investigation panels, growth charts, drug charts. Maintain FOP and TAS with light revision (10 questions each per day) to prevent decay.
Month 6 — Mock exams and consolidation
Weeks 21 to 22: sit full mock exams for all three papers. Analyse performance across all topics and all papers. Identify final weak areas.
Weeks 23 to 24: targeted revision of weak areas only. Reduce question volume. Prioritise rest and sleep in the final week.
Daily question targets across the plan
Months 1 to 3: 25 to 35 questions per day total (split between FOP and TAS). Months 4 to 5: 30 to 40 questions per day (split across FOP, TAS, and AKP). Month 6: 15 to 20 questions per day (consolidation mode).
Total across 6 months: approximately 4,000 to 5,000 questions. With iatroX's banks containing 1,500-plus questions per paper, this volume is achievable without exhausting any single bank.
iatroX offers dedicated banks for FOP, TAS, and AKP with adaptive learning that tracks performance separately across each paper. The N-of-many format for AKP is supported. All three papers are included at £29 per month or £99 per year.