It is my pleasure to write my my previous experience to Chua page.

My name is Dr.SEDDIQU SALAHIM from YEMEN and I had 3 past FRCS attempts (Amman 2003,Glasgow 2005,Tripoly 2006) that ended in failure, BUT the 4th one yielded an excellent pass marks (New Delhi 2007).

From these experience, I come to the conclusion that FRCS exam is not a fair examination as many excellent ophthalmologic surgical candidates ended in  multi-failures, and others who are just growing non-surgical post-graduate ophthalmic students have passed the first attempt. I think there are 3 tracks in the exam; one is very straightforward
easy and simple leading to pass of many candidates having the chance to go through it.
 

The third track is more justifiable as it gives the most accurate way to recognize those candidates who have to pass and those who have to fail according to their knowledge and clinical performance.

The next is very difficult, spike-full track leading to failure of most of those who were pushed to go through it.

In my first attempt in Amman 2003, I failed to pass VIVA, and I thought that was due to lack of previous experience and I could not manage the exam as the DIRECTOR needed.

In my second attempt in Glasgow 2005, I failed in the clinical exam as I used the torch light instead of an accommodative target in cover test which was the last (7^th) case after excellent performance in the previous 6 cases. 

In my third attempt in Tripoli 2006, I failed in the clinical exam as the cases were very strange (e.g. a case with 3^rd nerve aberrant regeneration with right homonymous hemianopia and the patient was not well cooperative in the confrontation test), (another e.g. a case with bilateral partial O.N. atrophy given the possible D’DX and also reached the correct D’X which was Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy.

Although I had reached D’X in all the cases at the end, I ended in failure.

The fourth attempt in which I succeeded (Thanks for ALLAH), was in Delhi 2007, in which I was put in the justifiable track, so I could pass.

I think the COLLEGE MUST REVISE THE WAY BY WHICH THE EXAM IS PERFORMED AND TO GIVE THE BEST CANDIDATES THE CHANCE TO PASS ACCORDING TO THEIR PERFORMANCE and TO ABANDON THE RESTRICTED PERCENTAGE OF PASS NUMBERS.

Finally I found it a more correct way to describe my previous experience instead of just mentioning the cases and questions I faced, as I thought this may give the candidates applying for FRCS exam some guides of the tracks of it and t o believe that is not only their academic knowledge or exam performance which gives them the right to pass.

Best wishes for all future candidates.