Before applying :

It is strongly suggested that you contact your country representatives before you apply for COSECSA training.

You must have read the regulations (MCS regulations here, FCS regulations here), meet the entry requirements as laid out in the regulations, and understand and agree to all regulations in these documents.

You must have a passport style photo ready to be uploaded (in .jpg or .png format).

You must have a scanned images of your medical degree and medical registration certificate ready to be uploaded (in .jpg .png or .pdf format).

If applicable, you must have a scanned image of any surgical qualifications you have (in .jpg .png or .pdf format).

If your application is accepted you will need to pay the programme entry fee before you are registered as a COSECSA candidate. This can be paid online or in cash to one of your country representatives. The programme entry fee is US$250 for MCS candidates and $300 for FCS candidates.

Exam year that you are eligible for :

As part of this process the secretariat records the date of registration of the candidate. COSECSA is now implementing a system whereby only a candidate’s experience post registration with COSECSA is considered. Therefore MCS candidates must register 2 years before their exam and FCS candidates must register 3 years before the exam. The exception to this is FCS Neurosurgery candidates who must register 4 years before the exam. The deadline for registration is the end of February for that calendar year’s experience to be counted towards their training period.

Example

A candidate for the 2017 MCS exam must register by end of February 2016. For the same exam date an FCS candidate (for all FCS programmes except for FCS Neurosurgery) must register by end of February 2015 and FCS Neurosurgery candidates must register by end of February 2014. For candidates registering from March 1st onward, the year in which they register will only be considered a partial year in terms of completing their training period. Therefore an MCS candidate registered in March 2016 will only be eligible to sit the MCS exam in 2018.

The only exceptions to the above are that candidates with an MMed (surgery) qualification may :

Sit the MCS immediately

Register for the FCS without sitting the MCS

Candidates with an MMed (surgery) qualification who can demonstrate evidence of at least three years of specialty training may sit the FCS exam in the year that they register.

Please click here to register for a COSECSA training programme