FRCR 2B rapid reporting - format, marking and how to prepare
Last updated: 25 June 2026
FRCR 2B rapid reporting - now called short case reporting - is 25 abnormal plain radiographs reported in a timed session, marked out of 125 (up to five marks each), double-marked and averaged. The pass mark is set for each sitting, so there is no fixed percentage to chase.
It is the component candidates worry about most: high-volume, time-pressured, and home of the old "sudden death" reputation. This guide sets out the current format, how it is actually marked, where marks are lost, and how to prepare - so a clean, correct report becomes automatic under the clock.
FRCR 2B rapid reporting at a glance
- 25 plain radiographs, and every case is abnormal.
- Marked out of 125 - up to 5 marks per case, no half marks.
- Double-marked by two examiners and averaged.
- Mostly chest and musculoskeletal, occasional abdomen; about a quarter paediatric.
- Pass mark set for each sitting - no fixed pass rate.
What is FRCR 2B rapid reporting?
Rapid reporting is the short case reporting component of the FRCR Part 2B. You are shown a series of plain radiographs and asked to report each one quickly and correctly. Every case is abnormal, so "no abnormality detected" is the wrong answer - the task is to find the finding, name it precisely, and report it safely, at pace.
The RCR updated the 2B in 2025 and now calls this component short case reporting, though most candidates and courses still say "rapid reporting". The skill it tests is the same: fast, accurate plain-film interpretation with a clean report.
FRCR 2B rapid reporting format
The current short case reporting format is straightforward to describe - and that clarity is exactly what makes it scoreable.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Cases | 25 plain radiographs, all abnormal |
| Time | One timed reporting session (about two hours - confirm current timing with the RCR) |
| Marks | Up to 5 per case, 125 total, no half marks |
| Marking | Two examiners, scores averaged |
| Case mix | Mostly chest and MSK, occasional abdomen; roughly 25% paediatric |
| Pass mark | Standardised for each sitting - no fixed percentage |
How FRCR 2B rapid reporting is marked
Each of the 25 cases is worth up to five marks, for 125 in total, with no half marks. Cases are marked by two examiners and the scores are averaged. The pass mark is then set for each sitting through a standardised process, based on the cases used.
The practical consequence: there is no magic percentage to aim for, and no single film that saves or sinks you. Consistency across all 25 is what passes - a steady, correct report on every case beats brilliance on a few and blanks on the rest.
Is there still a "sudden death" rule?
This is the question that causes the most anxiety, so it is worth being clear: under the current format, short case reporting is marked out of 125 with a pass mark set for each sitting. The older "sudden death" rapid-reporting format - where a small number of wrong calls could fail you outright - no longer applies.
A lot of older advice online still describes the sudden-death version. Don't prepare for a rule that has gone. Prepare to report every film cleanly, and always confirm the current arrangements on the RCR website.
Why candidates lose marks in rapid reporting
Marks tend to go in the same few places, and almost none of them are about rare diagnoses:
- Missing the abnormality on a film that looks normal at a glance - an incomplete search pattern.
- Seeing the finding but reporting it imprecisely or unsafely.
- Losing time - hesitating, rewriting, or leaving cases unanswered.
- Over-calling normal variants as pathology.
The films are common pathology shown clearly. Most lost marks come from an incomplete look or an unclear report, not from exotic cases.
How to prepare for FRCR 2B rapid reporting
Rapid reporting rewards a repeatable routine, so you are not improvising on each film. A reliable approach:
- One search pattern per film type - run the same systematic review on every chest, every limb, every time.
- Practise on volume, timed - large sets of abnormal films until the pace feels normal, not rushed.
- Name the finding in report-ready words - precise, safe phrasing that earns the marks.
- Decide and move on - bank time on easy films; do not rewrite.
- Rehearse the real interface - use the RCR demo site so the exam software is not a surprise.
Reporting has two parts. See also FRCR 2B long cases and how the 2B viva is marked.
FRCR 2B rapid reporting: quick answers
- How many cases are in FRCR 2B rapid reporting?
- 25 plain radiographs, and all of them are abnormal, so reporting no abnormality is the wrong answer.
- How is it marked?
- Up to five marks per case, 125 in total, with no half marks. Cases are double-marked and averaged, and the pass mark is set for each sitting.
- Is there still a sudden-death rule?
- Not in the current format - it is marked out of 125 with a pass mark set per sitting. Confirm current rules with the RCR.
- What does it cover?
- Mostly chest and musculoskeletal radiographs, with the occasional abdomen, and roughly a quarter paediatric.
- Can you prepare from outside the UK?
- Yes. It is plain-film interpretation - practise large sets of abnormal films against the clock and rehearse the RCR demo interface.
Report every film cleanly, at pace.
Tungsten People drills the search pattern and the report-ready words that rapid reporting rewards - abnormal cases across chest, MSK and abdomen, on your own schedule and in any timezone. You build the routine until a clear, correct report comes automatically under the clock.
See FRCR 2B prepSources
Exam structure and 2025 changes: RCR - FRCR Part 2B (Radiology). Marking: RCR - FRCR Part 2B scoring system. Always confirm the current format, timing and pass standard on the RCR website.