FRCR Part 1 Physics
First FRCR Physics exam: format, syllabus and how to prepare
On this page
In short: The First FRCR Physics module is a two hour computer based exam of 40 questions, each with five true or false statements, giving 200 marked items. Answers are marked correct or incorrect with no negative marking. This page explains what the module covers, how it is marked and how to prepare with a statement bank.
First FRCR Physics: the facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Format | 40 questions, each with five true or false statements (200 items) |
| Duration | 2 hours |
| Marking | One mark per correct statement, no negative marking |
| Delivery | On a workstation using the Speedwell platform |
| Sittings | Three a year, normally March, June and September |
| Pass mark | Set per sitting: modified Angoff before the exam, finalised afterwards by the Hofstee compromise method |
| Entry | Hold, or have held, a formal clinical radiology training post. No minimum training time. UK residents need Training Programme Director approval for each attempt |
| Attempts | Six attempts at any FRCR module; a seventh needs evidence of additional educational experience |
| Equipment | No calculator needed |
Exam facts on this page were checked against the Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) candidate guidance, exam dates pages and clinical radiology exam regulations on 23 September 2026. The RCR sets and runs the FRCR examinations. Confirm dates, fees and format on rcr.ac.uk before you book.
What the physics module tests
The RCR publishes the number of questions per topic. Seven of the eight areas carry six questions each; matter and radiation carries three.
| Topic | Questions (of 40) |
|---|---|
| Matter and radiation | 3 |
| Radiography and fluoroscopy | 6 |
| Radionuclide imaging | 6 |
| Radiation safety | 6 |
| Computed tomography | 6 |
| Magnetic resonance imaging | 6 |
| Ultrasound | 6 |
| Other | 1 |
Radiation safety questions are based on the Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017 (IRR17) and the Ionising Radiation (Medical Exposure) Regulations 2017 (IR(ME)R 2017). Syllabus sections 4.22 to 4.24, on molecular imaging, are not currently examined. Any number of the five statements in a question can be true, including all or none. Expect application, not recall. A typical stem describes a change in technique and asks which downstream effects are true.
Topic areas
- Matter and radiation: atomic structure, X-ray production, interactions with matter, attenuation, beam quality, filtration and half value layer
- Radiography and fluoroscopy: detectors, image quality, scatter, grids, automatic exposure control, dose in fluoroscopy
- CT: acquisition, reconstruction, windowing, artefacts, dose descriptors and dose reduction
- MRI: hardware, sequences, contrast mechanisms, artefacts and safety
- Ultrasound: transducers, resolution, Doppler, artefacts and safety indices
- Radionuclide imaging: decay, generators, gamma camera, SPECT and PET principles
- Radiation protection and legislation: dose quantities and units, biological effects, IR(ME)R and IRR duty holders, justification, optimisation, DRLs
How to prepare
- Read a concise text first. Farr's Physics for Medical Imaging and FRCR Physics Notes are the two most used. Understand the mechanism, then test it.
- Practise in the true or false format. The skill being tested is deciding whether a specific statement holds. Single best answer practice does not train this.
- Review explanations for every statement, including the ones you got right by instinct.
- Track by topic. Six of the eight topics carry equal weight, so a single weak area costs the same wherever it sits. Find yours early.
- Sit timed mocks. 200 items in 120 minutes is 36 seconds per statement.
Common questions
How many questions are in the FRCR Part 1 physics exam?
Forty questions, each with five true or false statements, so 200 marked items in two hours.
Is there negative marking in FRCR physics?
No. Each statement is marked correct or incorrect. Answer every statement.
Which topics carry the most marks in FRCR physics?
Radiography and fluoroscopy, radionuclide imaging, radiation safety, CT, MRI and ultrasound carry six questions each. Matter and radiation carries three and other topics one.
What is the pass mark for FRCR physics?
There is no fixed pass mark. The RCR sets a standard for each sitting by a modified Angoff method and confirms it after the exam with the Hofstee compromise method, so it changes with paper difficulty and cohort performance.
What is the pass rate for FRCR physics?
It varies a lot. RCR data for 2025: 71.1% of all candidates passed in March, 63.6% in June and 48.1% in September. UK first attempt candidates passed at 89.1% in March 2025.
Which book should I use for FRCR physics?
Farr's Physics for Medical Imaging is the reference text. FRCR Physics Notes is shorter and maps closely to the syllabus. Use one as your core read and a statement bank to test it.
When can I sit FRCR Part 1?
You must hold, or have held, a formal clinical radiology training post; there is no minimum time in post. UK residents need Training Programme Director approval for each attempt. Most UK registrars attempt both modules in their first or second year.
Practise the format
The Radiology Academy physics bank contains 3,400+ published true or false statements, maintained by clinical contributors, with worked explanations, tutor and timed exam modes, and topic level performance insights. Ten questions are free without a card.
Try 10 free questions