The RACP Divisional Written Examination sits once per year, typically in February. There is no second sitting. If you fail, you wait twelve months — making this one of the highest-stakes single-sitting exams in postgraduate medicine.
The February sitting
Both the Adult Medicine and Paediatrics and Child Health divisional written exams are held in February, usually across two days. Paper 1 and Paper 2 are sat on consecutive days. The exact dates are published by the RACP approximately six to nine months in advance.
The exam is delivered at supervised test centres across Australia and New Zealand, with some international centre availability for trainees based overseas.
Registration timeline
Registration typically opens in the second half of the preceding year — around August to October for the February sitting. The RACP requires confirmation of training status and supervisor approval before registration can be completed. Late registrations may be accepted with an additional fee, but availability is not guaranteed.
Fees are set by the RACP and vary by membership and training status. Check the RACP website for current pricing.
The 12-month preparation strategy
The February sitting date means your preparation cycle aligns with the Australian academic and training year. Most successful candidates describe a 12-month progressive revision strategy.
February to June (the year before your exam): low-intensity integration of question bank practice with clinical learning. Cover one subspecialty per fortnight. Use your performance data to identify early which areas need the most attention.
July to October: increase intensity. Systematic question bank practice across all subspecialties with targeted guideline reading from the Australian Therapeutic Guidelines for each topic area. Ensure EMQ format practice alongside SBAs.
November to January: peak intensity. Timed mock exams, weak-area revision, final guideline review. Sit at least two full mock exams under timed conditions to build endurance.
iatroX offers dedicated RACP Adult Medicine and RACP Paediatrics question banks with over 1,500 questions each in SBA and EMQ formats, framed in Australian clinical context. The adaptive algorithm tracks your performance across all subspecialties. All included at £29 per month or £99 per year.