Infection

The College will offer the FRCPath Part 1 and Combined Infection Certificate Examination (CICE) from Autumn 2016 and twice-yearly thereafter in the Spring and Autumn.

This examination is designed to test the Combined Infection Training (CIT) component of the Medical Microbiology, Medical Virology and Infectious Diseases training curricula. Medically-qualified candidates are expected to have trained in a recognised Regional Specialist Training Programme in Combined Infection for a period of normally not less than 12 months.

Purpose

To act as an assessment of knowledge and understanding across the combined scientific and clinical basis of Medical Microbiology, Virology and Infectious Diseases.

Format

The examination comprises two papers each comprising 100 Single Best Answer (SBA) questions, designed to test both knowledge and understanding.

Curriculum

The examination will test core knowledge in Medical Microbiology, Virology and Infectious Diseases. The Combined Infection Training curriculum is common to each individual infection-related specialty training curriculum and is available on the Training and Education section of the College website.

Standards and marking

• Objective multiple-choice (MCQ) examination (two three-hour papers in SBA format) with computerised marking.
• Experienced cross-specialty examiner panel to map to the CIT curriculum.
• The pass mark is set by an objective procedure by an independently-chaired standard setting group where individual questions are reviewed to create a minimum standard using a modified Angoff process.
• Examination results and operation reviewed by examiners panel twice a year.