The MCQ has now become firmly established as an integral part of post-graduate psychiatric examinations. In my experience a number of trainees have particular difficulty with MCQ tests such that they find them threatening, and in some cases a repeated stumbling block to the advancement of their careers. A minority within this group may consider the MCQ test to lie in the realm of the arcane and mysterious and find themselves subject to repeated worry and frustration. While advice on techniques for answering is plentiful (sample textbooks and manuals on examination technique) I am not aware that there has been any focus to date on study technique. I would like to suggest a personal approach for MCQ study (based on successful application) which I believe fully integrates MCQ with general psychiatric study and emphasises the potential of ‘MCQ thinking’ in refining ones overall psychiatric knowledge.