FCPS Part 1: the complete guide

What FCPS Part 1 is

The Fellowship of the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (FCPS) is the main specialist qualification in Pakistan. Part 1 is the entry exam. Passing it lets you register as a postgraduate trainee in a CPSP-accredited programme.

Eligibility

• MBBS (or BDS for dentistry) or equivalent, registered with PM&DC.
• A completed one-year house job in a recognised institution, before the exam (CPSP's syllabus documents mention completion at least two months before the exam date).
• Valid PM&DC registration.

If your permanent house job certificate or PM&DC registration is pending, CPSP can give provisional permission to sit, but your result is released only after you submit the permanent documents.

Pattern

Paper I covers anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pathology and microbiology, pharmacology, research and biostatistics, and behavioural sciences and ethics.

Specialty groups

CPSP holds Part 1 in 11 groups of disciplines: Medicine & Allied, Surgery & Allied, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Anaesthesia, Diagnostic Radiology, Ophthalmology, Otorhinolaryngology (ENT), Pathology, Psychiatry, Community Medicine and Dentistry. Paper I is the same for every group; Paper II follows your group, and your group decides which training programmes you can enter. Paediatrics and most medical specialties sit Medicine & Allied; most surgical specialties sit Surgery & Allied.

Schedule and fee

• CPSP now holds Part 1 four times a year. The 2027 sittings are 5 January, 6 April, 6 July and 5 October: see FCPS Part 1 dates 2026 and 2027.
• Apply on the CPSP ePortal, usually around two months before the exam.
• The fee has risen in recent years; a 2026 summary listed Rs 25,000 plus charges. Check the current fee on the portal.

Validity of a pass

• Start training within three years of passing to register directly with the Research and Training Monitoring Cell (RTMC).
• In specialties with an Intermediate Module (IMM), your Part 1 stays valid if you clear the IMM within six consecutive attempts, counted from the end of two years of training.
• In specialties without IMM, older rules apply (seven years for 4-year programmes, eight for 5-year programmes).

How to prepare

• Start with past-paper-style questions, not textbooks. The exam repeats concepts. Our FCPS-1 Prep bank turns the concepts behind more than 43,000 past-paper recalls into 4,500+ MCQs per specialty, Paper 1 and Paper 2.
• When a question exposes a gap, read that topic's chapter in the FCPS Part 1 textbook rather than a whole book.
• Physiology, anatomy and pathology carry the most weight in most groups.
• Make short notes from your mistakes and revise them weekly.
• Do full timed papers in the last month.

See our study plan and book list.

The FCPS pathway

1. Pass FCPS Part 1.
2. Get a training post in a CPSP-accredited unit.
3. Complete mandatory workshops (including research methodology, communication skills, BLS) in the first 18 months.
4. Pass the IMM after two years of training (in most clinical specialties).
5. Complete training (4 or 5 years), a dissertation or research article and logbook.
6. Pass FCPS Part 2 (theory and clinical/TOACS).

Studying during house job

Most people who clear FCPS Part 1 on the first or second attempt did some foundation work during the house job year. What works:

• Protect mornings on off days. Two focused hours before the house gets noisy beat four tired hours at night.
• Use short gaps on duty for 15–20 MCQs or one small topic.
• One primary resource plus past papers. Spreading across five books is the most common way to stay busy without finishing anything.
• Accept uneven months and restart quickly after a heavy unit.
• Revise in the last 4–6 weeks instead of reading new material.

More in studying for FCPS Part 1 during house job and the study plan.

Why people fail, and how to avoid it

The reasons are surprisingly consistent:

• Starting too late and rushing the last six weeks.
• Collecting every book and lecture series instead of finishing one set.
• Doing past papers without understanding why the wrong options are wrong.
• Leaving biochemistry, behavioural sciences and general pathology until the end.
• Sitting the exam tired and under-slept.

See common FCPS Part 1 mistakes and, if you have already had an attempt, what to do after failing.

High-yield guides by subject

Subject notes, chapter by CPSP syllabus point: anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pathology, pharmacology, biostatistics and behavioural sciences. For what comes up most, see the most repeated anatomy topics and the matching lists for each subject.

Study guides, based on about 23,000 recalled questions: anatomy, physiology, pathology, pharmacology and the subject weightage across past papers. Choosing a group? Read Medicine vs Surgery for Part 1.

Planning your preparation

How many hours a day · Starting with weak MBBS basics · The last 30 days · Exam day and CPSP hall rules · Realistic chances of a training seat

Practise

FCPS-1 Prep has a bank for each of four groups: [Surgery & Allied](/fcps/?bank=surg), [Medicine & Allied](/fcps/?bank=med), [Obstetrics & Gynaecology](/fcps/?bank=gyn) and [Diagnostic Radiology](/fcps/?bank=rad). Each holds Paper 1 plus that group's Paper 2, mapped to the CPSP syllabus, with an explanation for every option and timed mocks of 100 questions in 2 hours. Not sure yet? Try the sample Paper 2 surgery or Paper 2 medicine questions first.

Frequently asked questions