Becoming a FRCA examiner
Applications to FRCA examinership
The College invites applications to the FRCA Board of Examiner Anaesthetists once a year. Examiners are recruited to Primary or Final examinations depending on the requirements of each board.
The application window for examiner recruitment 2023–2024 is now closed.
Recruitment for 2024-2025 will open mid year 2023.
To check whether you are eligible, please read the Person Specification before submitting your application form. CVs are not required.
Further information on eligibility criteria is available in the FRCA selection and appointment of examiners regulations.
Selection is based on eligibility, the number of examiners retiring, as well as geographical distribution, numbers from individual hospitals, subspecialty interests, clinical and basic science examiners, representation of teaching and district general hospitals and experience. The College does not discriminate on grounds of protected characteristics.
As an examiner you can expect to complete a term of at least six years and will be engaged to work at the College two-to-three times a year. You will be required to attend 10 days of exams, which run from Monday to Friday.
A full job description is available and all new examiners will be subject to a probationary period.
Insider's View
- An Insider’s View: why become a College FRCA Examiner – read an interview with Dr Jason Walker from the July 2020 issue of the College Bulletin here.
Update: work for wider NHS England
A letter signed by Amanda Pritchard, NHSE CEO, has been sent to NHS organisations in England about the release of doctors for work for the wider NHS, including college activity. The letter writes to encourage NHS organisations and their Board to look favourably on requests from doctors wishing to undertake national or regional work for the wider benefit of the public and of health services.
Simply put, becoming an examiner has been the single most satisfying and rewarding role I’ve ever undertaken. It has involved a lot of commitment and hard work but as a result I’ve gained a huge amount of personal and professional satisfaction, and equally rewarding has been the knowledge that I’m helping the next generation of anaesthetists.