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North Thames Part 2B FRCR. Rapid reporting self assessment CD-ROM. Ed by E A Dick, 2000 (REMEDICA Publishing, London), £25.00 ISBN 1-901346-13-7

The rapid reporting section of the FRCR 2B examination has had its fair share of casualties since it was introduced in autumn 1998. It tests candidates' ability to identify simple plain film abnormalities that might be encountered in an A&E or GP reporting pile. Abnormalities are generally straightforward and the pass mark is high, being estimated at 26 or 27 out of 30 films. As in all exams, experience and technique are ofparamount importance, so the more practice packets that can be attempted the better. My colleagues and I used this CD-ROM in our own preparation for FRCR 2B, in addition to real film packets prepared by local Consultants and Specialist Registrars.

The CD-ROM consists of 10 "packets" of varying difficulty giving a total of 300 films. There is a useful introduction in which the authors give detailed advice on technique for this part of the exam. A blank answer sheet can be printed that mimics the Royal College's. there is a built in timer to enable each "packet" to be attempted in near exam conditions. Each film can be magnified before proceeding to the next film. After attempting all the films it is possible to view them one more time. The answers can be reviewed with reference to the original film to complete the learning experience.

With a few exceptions, the packets are representative of the sort of films encountered in the real exam. As such they provide useful practice, particularly with regard to timing.

The major weakness of this CD-ROM is poor image quality. A significant proportion of films are virtually non-diagnostic because of too high contrast or too low resolution. Many images are pixilated, especially when enlarged. This CD-ROM only uses 134 MB, leaving plenty of disc space for higher resolution images. It is true that larger image files would take longer to load, but most modern PCs should easily cope with this. Films are reproduced on a mixture of white and black backgrounds, those on a black background being much easier to view.

Another minor quibble is that answers to questions 6–8 in Packet 6 have become jumbled.

In conclusion, this CD-ROM fills a gap in the FRCR 2B revision market, but its usefulness is hampered by poor image quality.

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