The MSCP exam at a glance
| Credential | Menopause Society Certified Practitioner (MSCP), known as NCMP until 2023 |
|---|---|
| Offered by | The Menopause Society, formerly the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) |
| Who can take it | Licensed healthcare professionals, who submit a copy of their current license with the application |
| Format | 100 multiple-choice questions, each with three options (A, B and C) and one best answer |
| Time | 2 hours, or about 72 seconds per question |
| Delivery | Online, with a live remote proctor |
| 2026 testing windows | June 1–30 and October 1–31 |
| 2026 deadlines | May 1 for June and August 31 for October, with full payment |
| 2026 fee | $400 for Menopause Society members and $725 for non-members |
| Credential lasts | 3 years, renewable by re-examination or continuing education |
When to take it: dates and deadlines
The exam is offered in two one-month testing windows each year, in June and October. You apply for a window rather than a specific date, and the handbook explains how to book your session within it.
For 2026, applications were due by May 1 for the June window and by August 31 for the October window. The Society accepts applications year-round, but each one needs full payment by its window's deadline. The 2027 dates will appear in the 2027 candidate handbook, which has usually been published in December. If the pattern holds, June 2027 candidates should aim to apply by about May 1 and to start studying by early March.
What it costs
In 2026 the exam costs $400 for members of The Menopause Society and $725 for non-members. If you're not a member, check the current membership price before you apply. Joining first may cost less than the $325 difference.
Who is eligible
Any licensed healthcare professional can take the exam. That includes physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, registered nurses, certified nurse-midwives and pharmacists. There's no requirement for a set number of hours in menopause practice. The exam is pitched at a clinician who manages midlife women, though, so candidates who don't prescribe should still expect detailed questions on hormone and nonhormone treatment.
The format, and what it means for you
The format shapes how the questions feel, so it's worth understanding before you start practicing.
- Three options instead of four or five. A blind guess is right a third of the time, which makes the questions look easier than they are. In practice, both wrong answers are usually close to right, so you have to know exactly why each one is wrong.
- One best answer. Two options are often defensible. The question asks for the most appropriate choice for this patient right now, which is frequently the step that has to come first.
- About 72 seconds a question. Quick recall questions buy you time for longer case vignettes. Practicing timed sets makes the pace feel normal by exam day.
- Remote proctoring. You'll need a private room, a computer with a webcam and a stable connection, and photo ID. The handbook lists the exact requirements. Run the platform's system check a few days ahead rather than minutes before.
What the exam covers: the content outline
The candidate handbook divides the exam into five domains and 33 sub-topics, each with its own weight. On a 100-question exam, each percentage point is roughly one question.
| Domain and sub-topic | Share of exam |
|---|---|
| Physiology & Pathophysiology of Menopause | 19% |
| Definition and demographics | 5% |
| STRAW+10 staging | 4% |
| Physiology | 5% |
| Premature/POI/surgical menopause | 5% |
| Menopause Symptoms & Concerns | 20% |
| Weight issues | 2% |
| Hair changes | 1% |
| Sleep changes | 2% |
| Sexual health | 2% |
| Breast symptoms | 2% |
| Abnormal uterine bleeding | 2% |
| Arthralgia | 1% |
| Vasomotor symptoms | 2% |
| Genitourinary syndrome of menopause | 2% |
| Pelvic floor disorders | 2% |
| Cognitive and mood changes | 2% |
| Health Disorders in Midlife | 21% |
| Thyroid disorders | 2% |
| Headache | 2% |
| Dementia | 1% |
| Depression and anxiety | 2% |
| Cardiovascular health | 3% |
| Thromboembolic disorders | 3% |
| Glucose intolerance | 2% |
| Gallbladder disease | 1% |
| Cancer | 3% |
| Osteoporosis/low bone mass | 2% |
| Treatment Options | 21% |
| Hormone therapy | 7% |
| Nonhormone options | 5% |
| Over-the-counter options | 5% |
| Complementary and alternative medicine | 4% |
| Preventive Care & Counseling | 19% |
| Immunizations | 4% |
| Sexually transmitted infections | 5% |
| Psychosocial issues | 5% |
| Diet and exercise | 5% |
A few things stand out. Hormone therapy is the largest single sub-topic, yet at 7% it amounts to only about seven questions. That is fewer than over-the-counter and complementary therapies combined. Preventive care makes up nearly a fifth of the exam, covering vaccines, sexually transmitted infections, psychosocial screening, and diet and exercise. The prep guide shows how to turn these weights into a study plan.
How hard is the MSCP exam?
We haven't found a published pass rate, but the main challenge is clear: the exam is broad rather than deep. Its 33 sub-topics run from STRAW+10 staging to shingles vaccination to intimate partner violence, and few clinicians see all of that in daily practice. If you already focus on menopause care, your likeliest gaps are in preventive and primary care. If you're a generalist, they're more often in hormone therapy products and doses, and in staging.
How to prepare
The Society doesn't publish an official study guide or endorse prep courses. It points candidates to its textbook, Menopause Practice: A Clinician's Guide, and to its position statements. Most candidates pair that reading with a question bank, such as the Menopause QBank MSCP question bank. It also includes the High-Yield Study Guide, a condensed review of the most-tested material organized by the five domains. To get a feel for the format first, try the free MSCP practice questions, and see the MSCP exam prep guide for how to plan your preparation.
After you pass: keeping the credential
The MSCP credential lasts three years. To renew it, you either pass the exam again or submit continuing education credits in midlife women's health, as described on the Society's certification maintenance page. Certified practitioners can also be listed in the Society's public directory of MSCP clinicians.
Is this the same as the NAMS exam?
Yes. NAMS became The Menopause Society in 2023, and the NCMP credential became the MSCP at the same time, so it's the same exam from the same organization. Here's what changed, and what didn't.
1,300+ questions weighted to this content outline
Get 1,000 practice questions by domain, three full-length timed mock exams, rationales for every answer, and the High-Yield Study Guide, backed by a pass-or-refund guarantee.
See the full question bankOne-time purchase · No subscription · Pass-or-refund guarantee