Surgical Education Blog
MRCS Part B preparation · Surgical pathology · Visual learning
12 articles.
Articles on MRCS Part B preparation, surgical pathology, visual learning in surgery, and the transition from emergency medicine into surgical training. Written by Dr. Ali Heidari from a practising-physician perspective.
Acute Abdomen: A Differential Diagnosis Framework for the MRCS
Acute abdominal pain is the most common presentation in emergency general surgery and one of the most heavily examined topics in MRCS Part B. The challenge is n...
Memorising the Cranial Nerves: A Visual Method That Actually Works
The cranial nerves appear in MRCS Part B almost every sitting. Pure memorisation rarely sticks under exam pressure. Here is a visual learning method that builds...
From Emergency Medicine to Surgery: Navigating the MRCS as a Busy Doctor
I passed MRCS Part A while working full-time as an emergency medicine physician. I am now preparing for Part B. The conventional wisdom about MRCS preparation i...
The 10 Most High-Yield Topics in MRCS Part B Surgical Pathology
Not all pathology topics carry equal weight in the MRCS Part B. Based on past paper analysis and the RCS examination blueprints, certain topics appear consisten...
Common Mistakes Candidates Make in MRCS Communication Stations
Communication stations are where MRCS Part B is most consistently failed by otherwise strong candidates. The clinical knowledge is rarely the problem. Here are ...
The MRCS Part B OSCE: What Examiners Actually Score You On
The MRCS Part B is an OSCE of 17 stations, each lasting 9 minutes. But knowing the structure is not the same as knowing what examiners are actually marking. Her...
How I Structure My MRCS Part B Surgical Pathology Revision
Surgical pathology is one of the most content-heavy sections of the MRCS Part B. With 22 major topics spanning cellular pathology, inflammation, neoplasia, immu...
The Anatomy of a Premium Surgeon Website
Over the past two years I have designed websites for surgeons across multiple specialties. In that process I developed a clear framework for what makes a medica...
Why Every Surgeon Needs a Premium Personal Website in 2025
Your patients Google you before they meet you. Your colleagues look you up before they refer. In 2025, your online presence is your first impression — and for m...
Surgical Site Infections — What MRCS Part B Examiners Want You to Know
Surgical site infection is one of the most heavily examined topics in MRCS Part B. The current NICE guideline NG125, last updated August 2020 and confirmed May ...
Trauma Primary Survey: The ABCDE Beyond the Textbook
Every MRCS candidate can recite the ABCDE. Few can perform it under pressure in a way that scores well. The 2025 ATLS 11th Edition update has formalised an impo...
Visual Learning in Surgery — Why Diagrams Beat Textbooks
The standard surgical textbook presents knowledge as dense paragraphs of text, occasionally interrupted by a diagram. This format was designed for print and ref...