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[ Home ](https://mdster.com) 2. [ Blog ](https://mdster.com/blog) 3. [ Study Tips ](https://mdster.com/blog?category=study-tips) 4. College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (FCPS Part II (Psychiatry)) Study Plan [ Study Tips ](https://mdster.com/blog?category=study-tips) College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (FCPS Part II (Psychiatry)) Study Plan ==================================================================================== A practical, exam-focused guide to written papers, TOACS, long cases, short cases, and viva preparation for busy psychiatry residents. [ MDster Editorial Team ](https://mdster.com/about) · Jun 13, 2026 · 5 min read · 27 [ Reviewed by Dr. Ali Ragab, MBBCH, MSc, MCAI ](https://mdster.com/medical-reviewers/dr-ali-ragab) [Editorial Policy](https://mdster.com/editorial-policy) | [Corrections Policy](https://mdster.com/corrections) [ Study Tips ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=study-tips) [ Psychiatry ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=psychiatry) [ CPSP ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=cpsp) [ FCPS Part II ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=fcps-part-ii) [ TOACS ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=toacs) ![College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (FCPS Part II (Psychiatry)) Study Plan](https://mdster.com/storage/blog/images/college-of-physicians-and-surgeons-pakistan-fcps-part-ii-psychiatry-study-plan.jpg) Share this article Share this post On this page 1. [ Start With the Exam Tasks, Not the Textbook ](#start-with-the-exam-tasks-not-the-textbook) 2. [ Use a 12-Week Study Schedule Template ](#use-a-12-week-study-schedule-template) 3. [ Study Every Topic as a Case ](#study-every-topic-as-a-case) 4. [ Convert Knowledge Into Written Marks ](#convert-knowledge-into-written-marks) 5. [ Train TOACS Like a Performance Exam ](#train-toacs-like-a-performance-exam) 6. [ Practise Long and Short Cases With Examiner Language ](#practise-long-and-short-cases-with-examiner-language) 7. [ Use Resources Strategically ](#use-resources-strategically) 8. [ Common Pitfalls to Avoid ](#common-pitfalls-to-avoid) 9. [ Key Takeaways: What to Do This Week ](#key-takeaways-what-to-do-this-week) 10. [ Frequently Asked Questions ](#blog-faqs) 11. [ References ](#references-heading) On this page 1. [ Start With the Exam Tasks, Not the Textbook ](#start-with-the-exam-tasks-not-the-textbook) 2. [ Use a 12-Week Study Schedule Template ](#use-a-12-week-study-schedule-template) 3. [ Study Every Topic as a Case ](#study-every-topic-as-a-case) 4. [ Convert Knowledge Into Written Marks ](#convert-knowledge-into-written-marks) 5. [ Train TOACS Like a Performance Exam ](#train-toacs-like-a-performance-exam) 6. [ Practise Long and Short Cases With Examiner Language ](#practise-long-and-short-cases-with-examiner-language) 7. [ Use Resources Strategically ](#use-resources-strategically) 8. [ Common Pitfalls to Avoid ](#common-pitfalls-to-avoid) 9. [ Key Takeaways: What to Do This Week ](#key-takeaways-what-to-do-this-week) 10. [ Frequently Asked Questions ](#blog-faqs) 11. [ References ](#references-heading) Many FCPS Part II Psychiatry candidates read hard but practise too late. The mistake is treating this like Part I: more notes, more books, more passive revision. Part II rewards consultant-level reasoning, structured communication, risk assessment, and management under observation. Start With the Exam Tasks, Not the Textbook ------------------------------------------- As of June 2026, prepare for a written stage followed by clinical and oral assessment under CPSP regulations. Your preparation should cover short written answers, single-best style questions where applicable, TOACS, long case, short cases, and viva-style discussion. Always confirm the latest paper format from your CPSP notice because formats can be updated. For Psychiatry, your daily study should answer three examiner questions: - Can you identify psychopathology accurately? - Can you justify diagnosis and differential diagnosis? - Can you produce a safe, practical biopsychosocial management plan? > **Pro Tip:** In Part II, a correct diagnosis without risk assessment, capacity consideration, family involvement, and follow-up planning often sounds unfinished. Use a 12-Week Study Schedule Template ------------------------------------- PhaseWeeksMain targetBaseline audit1Review CPSP syllabus, list weak topics, attempt one mixed mockCore adult psychiatry2–5Psychosis, mood disorders, anxiety/OCD, personality, substance useSubspecialty psychiatry6–8Child, geriatric, liaison, forensic, neuropsychiatry, emergenciesExam conversion9–10Timed SAQs/SEQs, MCQ blocks, TOACS circuits, case presentationsFinal rehearsal11–12Full mocks, viva drills, error-log revision, documentation check Use mornings or post-call low-energy time for flashcards and MCQs. Reserve your best 60–90 minutes for case-based writing or supervised clinical practice. Do not wait until after the written paper to practise clinical skills; TOACS and short-case habits take weeks to become automatic. Study Every Topic as a Case --------------------------- Do not revise schizophrenia as a chapter. Revise it as a patient: first episode psychosis, relapse from non-adherence, clozapine candidate, catatonia, postpartum psychosis, substance-induced psychosis, or psychosis with epilepsy. For every major disorder, build a one-page case template: 1. Key history points and mental state findings 2. ICD/DSM diagnostic anchors without over-reciting criteria 3. Differentials and red flags 4. Suicide, violence, neglect, safeguarding, and capacity risks 5. Investigations, including medical mimics and medication monitoring 6. Acute, maintenance, psychological, family, and rehabilitation plan Prioritise topics that repeatedly appear in real clinical psychiatry: mood disorders, psychosis, substance use, delirium and dementia, suicide risk, psychiatric emergencies, psychopharmacology, ECT, child development, forensic assessments, and consultation-liaison scenarios. Convert Knowledge Into Written Marks ------------------------------------ For SAQ/SEQ-style preparation, train yourself to write in examiner-friendly headings. Avoid elegant essays. Use compact headings such as diagnosis, differentials, assessment, risk, investigations, management, prognosis, and follow-up. Practise this drill three times weekly: - Pick one common topic, such as lithium toxicity or severe depression. - Spend 2 minutes outlining headings. - Spend 8–10 minutes writing a complete answer. - Compare against your own checklist and add missing points to an error log. For MCQ or single-best-answer practice, do timed mixed blocks. Review wrong answers by mechanism: misread stem, weak diagnostic criteria, drug adverse effect, legal/ethical confusion, or poor recall. Your error log should become your final revision book. Train TOACS Like a Performance Exam ----------------------------------- CPSP clinical guidance describes TOACS stations as observed or interactive and unobserved/static, often with short time limits. Practise stations in 4–8 minute bursts so your opening, task completion, and closing are automatic. High-yield TOACS station types include: - Suicide or violence risk assessment - Capacity and consent discussion - Psychoeducation for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, or OCD - Substance withdrawal assessment and management - Interpretation of rating scales, lab results, ECG, or drug adverse effects - Counselling about ECT, lithium, valproate, clozapine, or relapse prevention - Child, geriatric, or forensic scenario discussion Use a three-line station structure: identify the task, perform it safely, then summarise findings and plan. If stuck, verbalise your reasoning rather than going silent. Practise Long and Short Cases With Examiner Language ---------------------------------------------------- In the long case, examiners want organised clinical judgement, not a memorised lecture. Present the patient in a concise narrative: demographics, presenting problem, longitudinal course, risk, functional impact, diagnosis, differentials, and management priorities. For short cases, be precise and fast. If asked to assess a patient with suspected mania, do not wander through every psychiatric symptom. Demonstrate targeted history, mental state findings, risk to self or others, insight, substance use, medical causes, and immediate management. > **Pro Tip:** End every case with a management plan that is feasible in a Pakistani clinical setting: inpatient versus outpatient care, family engagement, psychoeducation, medication monitoring, psychological input, and follow-up. Use Resources Strategically --------------------------- Use one standard psychiatry textbook for depth, not five books for anxiety. Add national or institutional guidelines where available for local legal, ethical, and service-context questions. Your resource mix should include: - A question bank for timed MCQ practice and pattern recognition - Flashcards for diagnostic criteria, drug adverse effects, rating scales, and legal points - Peer study group for viva and TOACS rehearsal - Supervisor-led long case presentations every 1–2 weeks - Mock exams that reproduce timing, not just content Common Pitfalls to Avoid ------------------------ Do not postpone clinical practice until you pass theory. Do not ignore child, geriatric, forensic, and liaison psychiatry because adult ward cases feel more familiar. Do not give treatment plans without risk assessment, monitoring, family work, and follow-up. Also avoid overquoting criteria without clinical interpretation. Examiners are looking for safe independent practice, not textbook recitation. Key Takeaways: What to Do This Week ----------------------------------- - Download the latest CPSP notice and confirm your exam format. - Create a 12-week calendar with written, TOACS, and case-practice slots. - Start an error log divided into diagnosis, drugs, risk, law/ethics, and management. - Present one long case to a supervisor this week. - Run two 30-minute TOACS circuits with peers. - Write three timed SAQ/SEQ answers using headings only. The FCPS Part II Psychiatry exam is demanding because it tests the way you think, speak, prioritise, and manage risk. If your preparation mirrors the exam tasks from the beginning, you will walk in sounding less like a candidate and more like a safe future consultant psychiatrist. Frequently Asked Questions ---------------------------- ### When should I start practising TOACS for FCPS Part II Psychiatry? Start at least 8–12 weeks before the exam. TOACS performance depends on timing, communication, and structured task completion, not just knowledge. ### How is FCPS Part II Psychiatry different from Part I preparation? Part I is more knowledge-heavy. Part II requires applied clinical reasoning, risk assessment, management planning, case presentation, and viva performance. ### What should I include in every psychiatry long case presentation? Include presenting problem, longitudinal history, mental state, risk assessment, diagnosis, differentials, biopsychosocial formulation, investigations, and management plan. ### How should I revise psychopharmacology for this exam? Focus on clinical use: indications, contraindications, adverse effects, monitoring, interactions, pregnancy considerations, toxicity, and counselling points. References (3) ------------------ 1. 1. [ College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan: Clinical Guidelines for FCPS-II Psychiatry ](https://www.cpsp.edu.pk/files/guidelines/clinical/FCPS-IIB/Psychiatry.pdf) 2. 2. [ College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan: Examination Evaluation Methodology ](https://www.cpsp.edu.pk/examination.php) 3. 3. [ College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan: Clinical Guidelines Page ](https://www.cpsp.edu.pk/clinical-guideline) Next step Build momentum in Psychiatry with a focused study pathway ----------------------------------------------------------- - Exam‑style questions for Psychiatry - Smart review to target weak topics - Progress tracking that keeps you accountable [ Start your free trial ](https://mdster.com/user/dashboard) [ Explore Psychiatry ](https://mdster.com/speciality/psychiatry) [ View pricing ](https://mdster.com/pricing) [ Explore features ](https://mdster.com/features) No credit card required. Full access to all features\*. No commitment. 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