Beyond Borders

Beyond Borders: Chandigarh Gastroenterologist Dr. Gurbilas P. Singh Co-Authors Landmark MRCP PACES Guide Launched at Royal College of Physicians, London

Chandigarh/London, 17 September 2026:
A new book aimed at helping doctors, particularly International Medical Graduates (IMGs), prepare for the MRCP PACES clinical examination has been formally launched at the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), London, with Dr. Gurbilas P. Singh, a Chandigarh-based gastroenterologist and UK-trained physician, emerging as one of the key figures behind the initiative.

Titled Beyond Borders: MRCP PACES – Definitive Guide for Part 2 Clinical Exams for International Graduates, the book has been authored by Dr. Gurbilas P. Singh and Dr. R. Mathialagan, with contributions from Dr. Ranjandayalan and Dr. Rajkulasingham.

The book seeks to address a longstanding challenge faced by doctors trained outside the UK who aspire to progress through postgraduate medical training and examinations in Britain. Drawing on the authors' experience as clinicians, educators and mentors, it provides structured, examination-focused guidance across the different components of the MRCP PACES examination.

For Dr. Gurbilas P. Singh, the project has a particularly personal significance. A gastroenterologist practising in Chandigarh and trained in the UK, Dr. Singh has spent years working with and mentoring doctors preparing for postgraduate examinations. His own journey between India and the UK has given him first-hand insight into the challenges faced by International Medical Graduates adapting to the clinical, communication and examination expectations of the UK system.

The launch at the Royal College of Physicians brought together senior figures from medicine, postgraduate education and professional organisations, as well as doctors at different stages of their careers.

Dr. R. Mathialagan opened the event and introduced the book, acknowledging the contribution of his fellow authors and colleagues. He described the book as a collaborative effort intended to provide candidates with practical and examination-focused guidance across the PACES curriculum.

Dr. Mumtaz Patel, President of the Royal College of Physicians and Chief Guest at the event, spoke about differential attainment in MRCP PACES and the importance of recognising and addressing differences in examination outcomes between UK-trained and internationally trained candidates.

For Indian doctors, the issue has particular relevance. Thousands of Indian medical graduates and physicians pursue postgraduate qualifications and careers in the UK, making examinations such as MRCP an important part of their professional journey.

The event also featured Professor N. Sriharan, who shared his own journey as an International Medical Graduate, from his early career to becoming a research scholar and mentor to doctors he has supported over the years.

Dr. Joydeep Grover, President of the British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (BAPIO), spoke about the challenges faced by IMGs and the organisation's continuing commitment to their educational and professional development.

The occasion was further supported by Dame Parvin Kumar, whose presence added significance to the launch. She is the famous author of Kumar and Clarke, a text book for the medical graduates used globally.

Dr. Rasha Mukhtar, Senior Examiner at the Royal College of Physicians, highlighted the breadth of the book's coverage and its relevance not only to IMGs but also to UK medical graduates and other candidates preparing for PACES.

During the panel discussion, Dr. Gurbilas P. Singh spoke about the gap he and his fellow authors had identified in existing PACES preparation resources, particularly for International Medical Graduates.

He also engaged directly with doctors in the audience about their experiences of preparing for and undertaking the examination.

For Dr. Singh, the book represents an extension of his work as a clinician and mentor.

His professional journey — from medical training in India to specialist clinical training and experience in the UK, and subsequently to his practice as a gastroenterologist in Chandigarh — has placed him at the intersection of two medical education systems.

That perspective is central to Beyond Borders. Rather than presenting PACES simply as another postgraduate examination, the book aims to help doctors understand the clinical approach, communication skills, examination structure and professional expectations required to navigate the assessment successfully.

## A resource with particular relevance for Indian doctors

The launch is particularly significant for the Indian medical community. The UK remains an important destination for Indian doctors seeking postgraduate training, specialist experience and international clinical careers. For many of these doctors, the MRCP examinations represent a major milestone in their professional journey.

Dr. Singh's own India-UK medical journey gives Beyond Borders a distinctive perspective for this audience.

The book is designed around the practical realities faced by candidates who may be highly experienced clinicians in their home countries but are unfamiliar with the specific format and expectations of a UK postgraduate clinical examination.

It therefore seeks to bridge more than an examination gap — it aims to bridge differences in clinical culture, communication styles and examination expectations.

## From Chandigarh to the Royal College of Physicians

For Dr. Gurbilas P. Singh, the launch represents an important milestone in a journey that connects his professional experiences in India and the UK.

Now practising as a gastroenterologist in *Chandigarh*, Dr. Singh brings together his clinical experience, UK training and longstanding involvement in mentoring doctors preparing for MRCP PACES.

The launch of Beyond Borders at the Royal College of Physicians therefore marked more than the publication of another examination guide. It highlighted the contribution that doctors with experience across healthcare systems can make to medical education and to the professional development of the next generation of physicians.

As increasing numbers of Indian doctors seek postgraduate opportunities in the UK and other international healthcare systems, resources developed from the perspective of those who have themselves made that transition may have particular value.

Beyond Borders

Beyond Borders: MRCP PACES – Definitive Guide for Part 2 Clinical Exams for International Graduates is ultimately rooted in the authors' clinical and educational experience.

For Dr. Gurbilas P. Singh, it brings together two parts of his professional identity — a UK-trained physician with experience of the British postgraduate examination system and a practising gastroenterologist and mentor based in Chandigarh.

The book's central message is reflected in its title: that geographical boundaries should not become barriers to professional growth.

From India to the UK and from the examination hall to clinical practice, Beyond Borders aims to provide doctors with a structured resource to help them navigate one of the important milestones in postgraduate medical training.