The SPMM Course (Superego, Psyche and Mind Media) has been the premium MRCPsych preparation provider for years. iatroX is the newer challenger offering adaptive learning at a fraction of the price. This comparison is designed to help psychiatry trainees make an informed decision based on what each platform actually delivers rather than brand reputation alone.
What SPMM offers
SPMM provides comprehensive MRCPsych preparation through a course-based model that combines question banks, detailed notes, video lectures, and structured revision programmes. The content is authoritative — written by experienced psychiatrists and psychopharmacologists — and the notes in particular are well-regarded for their depth and clarity. Many trainees describe the SPMM notes as the single most useful Paper A resource they used.
The Paper A course covers psychopharmacology at a depth that matches Stahl's, alongside neuroscience, psychology, genetics, and statistics. The Paper B course covers clinical management across all subspecialties with case-based learning. Both courses include question banks with explanations.
SPMM also offers CASC preparation resources, making it a one-stop shop for the entire MRCPsych examination pathway.
What SPMM costs
This is where the calculus changes. SPMM packages are priced at a premium, typically running to several hundred pounds depending on the package and access duration. The exact pricing varies by what you include — the full Paper A course with notes, videos, and question bank costs more than the question bank alone. Some packages bundle Paper A and Paper B together at a reduced rate, but the total investment is still substantial relative to a trainee salary.
For CT1 to CT3 psychiatry trainees — who are among the lowest-paid doctors in postgraduate training — the SPMM price is a genuine barrier. Many trainees report delaying their purchase, sharing login credentials with colleagues, or opting for cheaper alternatives and supplementing with free resources.
What iatroX offers
iatroX provides dedicated question banks for MRCPsych Paper A and Paper B, each containing over 1,500 questions. Both banks include SBA and EMQ formats, replicating the real exam structure. EMQ sets are grouped by clinical theme with shared option lists, exactly as they appear in the exam.
The Paper A bank is weighted to the sciences curriculum — approximately 25 per cent psychopharmacology, with neuroscience, psychology, genetics, and statistics making up the remainder. Questions reference Stahl's, the Maudsley Prescribing Guidelines, the Oxford Textbook of Psychiatry, and ICD-11 classification.
The Paper B bank covers clinical psychiatry across all subspecialties — general adult, old age, child and adolescent, forensic, liaison, perinatal, intellectual disability, and substance misuse. Questions reference NICE mental health guidelines, BAP guidelines, the Maudsley Prescribing Guidelines, and the Mental Health Act 1983.
The adaptive algorithm tracks your performance across all content domains within each paper and adjusts question selection to target your weakest areas. If your psychopharmacology is strong but your statistics is weak, the Paper A bank shifts emphasis accordingly. If your general adult psychiatry is solid but your forensic knowledge is thin, the Paper B bank responds.
The spaced repetition layer schedules review of previously answered questions at intervals calibrated for long-term retention — essential for Paper A sciences content that is easily forgotten if not revisited.
Full mock exams simulate the 150-question, three-hour format for both papers. The mobile app supports offline revision. A performance dashboard shows topic-level accuracy heatmaps.
All of this costs £29 per month or £99 per year. The subscription includes every other exam on the platform — MRCP, SCE, MRCPCH, FRCA, and everything else.
The trade-offs
SPMM offers structured learning — notes, videos, and a guided revision pathway — that iatroX does not. If you learn best from structured courses with a clear progression through the material, SPMM provides that scaffolding. The SPMM notes are genuinely excellent and there is no equivalent on iatroX (or most other platforms).
iatroX offers adaptive technology — an algorithm that personalises your revision in real time — that SPMM does not. If you learn best from active recall with intelligent question selection, iatroX provides that. The adaptive algorithm is not a gimmick — it is a meaningful efficiency gain when you have limited revision time and a broad syllabus to cover.
The question volume comparison favours iatroX. Over 1,500 questions per paper with dedicated EMQ sets provides more practice material than most candidates can complete in a typical revision period.
The price comparison is not close. Three months of iatroX costs £87. Three months of SPMM costs several hundred pounds. For a CT2 trainee earning a basic salary, this difference is material.
Can you use both?
Yes, and some trainees do. A practical approach is to use SPMM notes as your primary reading resource for Paper A sciences content, then use iatroX as your primary question bank for active recall, gap identification, and exam technique. This combination gives you the best of both — SPMM's excellent notes and iatroX's adaptive question practice — at a lower total cost than SPMM alone.
The verdict
If your budget is unconstrained and you want a structured course with video lectures and comprehensive notes, SPMM remains the premium option. The notes alone are worth the investment for many candidates.
If you want the most efficient question bank with adaptive learning, EMQ format practice, and a price that does not require a financial sacrifice, iatroX is the stronger choice. The adaptive algorithm, spaced repetition, and mobile app represent a fundamentally different approach to revision — one that is more aligned with how modern trainees study and how cognitive science says learning works.
If you can afford both, use SPMM notes plus iatroX questions. If you can afford only one, iatroX gives you more practice material, better technology, and broader exam coverage at a lower price.