Membership Categories

• Fellowship by Examination (overseas option available) – Doctors who have passed their FRCEM exam with the College.
• Fellowship by Examination (Non EMSR) – Doctors who have passed the FRCEM examination, post CCT who are no longer working in EM. They cannot be on the Emergency Medicine Specialist Register.
• Fellowship by Ad Eundem (overseas option is available) – This membership category is for doctors who have successfully completed an overseas EM examinations regarded as equivalent to FRCEM. From 1st April 2018, this will only be the FACEM. Prior to April 1st 2018 Australasian, North American, Hong Kong and Singapore qualifications are accepted.
• Honorary Fellows – Recognition of exceptional contribution to Emergency Medicine. Fellows cannot apply to become honorary fellows; they are nominated by a Fellow of the College and one other person who is not a Fellow of the College.
• Fellowship by Election – This membership category is no longer open
• Fellowship by Distinction – This membership category is no longer open.

Following changes to exams curriculum from August 2021 meaning trainees are able to complete FRCEM earlier in their career pathway. Following member feedback on this issue we have reviewed the membership subscriptions we charge for trainees who have achieved FRCEM to provide a reduction for members in this situation.

For trainees: For doctors still in training who have completed FRCEM a reduced fellowship subscription is available for up to three years or until they complete training and achieve CCT.

For non-trainees: For doctors not on a training pathway the reduced fellowship fee is available for up to three years or until they complete CESR.

• Membership by Examination (overseas option available) – Doctors who have passed their MRCEM examination.
• Membership by Examination (Training and Eportfolio) – Members by Examination in a recognised EM training program or those seeking to have access to eportfolio for the purposes of meeting training requirements.
• Membership by Examination (Non EM) – Doctors who have passed their MRCEM but are no longer working in EM – regardless of where they are based.

Membership by Election

From October 2022 for individuals working in a substantive post in EM satisfy either of the following:

• For Specialist grade doctors, fulfil the specialist grade criteria as defined in the National SAS Doctors contract
  • Shall have full registration and a Licence to Practice with the General Medical Council; and
  • Shall have completed a minimum of 12 years’ medical work (either continuous period or in aggregate) since obtaining a primary medical qualification of which a minimum of six years must have been in Emergency Medicine in a substantive SAS grade (including closed grades as Associate Specialist) in the UK. (for Medical Practitioners working less than full-time, the time requirements will be increased pro rata as defined by the Vice President (Membership)). Equivalent years’ experience from other emergency medicine grades including from overseas will also be considered (as defined by the Vice President (Membership)); and
  • Shall meet the criteria set out in the Specialist grade generic capabilities Framework.
• For Advanced Clinical Practitioners (ACPs)

Shall be a Credentialled Emergency Medicine ACP and have been working in UK Emergency Medicine as a Credentialled ACP for a minimum of 36 months (for such persons working less than full-time, the time requirements will be increased pro rata as defined by the Vice President.

• Associate Fellowship (overseas option available)–
• From 23 November 2017: Doctors working in a substantive post in Emergency Medicine in the United Kingdom or in a country recognised by the College as having a developed specialty of Emergency Medicine and who satisfy one of the following criteria: (1) Have worked in a substantive role in EM (equivalent to ST3 level/postgraduate doctor with three years’ experience) in the United Kingdom for at least 6 years with United Kingdom postgraduate qualifications MRCGP, FRCS, MRCS, MRCP, FRCP, FRCA or MRCPCH
  or
  (2) Have worked in a substantive role in EM equivalent to ST3 level/postgraduate doctor with three years’ experience) in the United Kingdom for at least 3 years with a recognised overseas postgraduate qualification in Emergency Medicine, or be on the General Medical Council specialist register for A&E medicine
  or
  (3) Have worked overseas in substantive posts for at least 6 years at a level equivalent to ST3 level/postgraduate doctor with three years’ experience in EM, and hold a recognised overseas postgraduate qualification in Emergency Medicine.
  Note: for Medical Practitioners working less than half-time, the time requirements will be increased by 1 year for each 10% below half-time. Applicants for Associate Fellowship will need to demonstrate an active contribution above and beyond straightforward service provision.
• Associate Fellowship (Training and Eportfolio) – Associate Fellows in a recognised EM training program or those seeking to have access to Eportfolio for the purposes of meeting training requirements.

• Associate Membership (overseas option is available) – Non-foundation Doctors.
• Associate Membership (Training and Eportfolio) – Doctors in a recognised EM training program or those seeking to have access to eportfolio for the purposes of meeting training requirements.
• Associate Membership (AOST) – Associate Member (Approved Overseas Training). This category is for Iceland and ROI EM trainees only
• Associate Membership (WLR) – Work, Learn, Return doctors. Generally from Overseas who wish to retrain in Emergency Medicine. Their employment grade may change to reflect a training grade
• Associate Membership (Foundation) – Foundation Year doctors
• Associate Membership (ACP) – Advanced Clinical Practitioners working or in training, in Emergency Medicine. UK and ROI only
• Associate Membership (PA) – Physicians Associates working, or in training, in Emergency Medicine. UK and ROI only
• Associate Membership (RHP) – Registered Healthcare Practitioners – Registered nurses, paramedics, physiotherapists, operating department practitioners, radiographers or pharmacists. UK and ROI only
• Associate Membership (Student) – For medical students

• Affiliate Membership (Overseas option is available) – Membership category for any individuals who are interested in the practice of EM but don’t fulfil any other category.

• The College considers, for the purposes of membership, a retired member to be ‘any member who is retired from NHS work and does not have a licence to practice‘.
• These Members and Fellows, may choose one of the following retired fellow options:
  (a) An annual reduced fee as a retired Fellow or
  (b) Pay a single ‘one-off’ life Fellowship fee
• An optimal subscription to the EMJ of £78.00 per annum is available in addition to these membership subscriptions.

From 2018 changes to the RCEM membership structure came into place affecting:

1. Physician Associates (PAs), nurses and other registered healthcare professionals
2. Senior doctors without MRCEM or FRCEM examination.

These changes were designed to improve the inclusivity of RCEM, reflect the makeup and team-based nature of the speciality, and also to further strengthen the College’s brand and position as the representative body for Emergency Medicine in the UK.

1. In response to ongoing changes in the EM workforce RCEM has led the way with our credentialing program for Advanced Clinical Practitioners (ACPs). Associate Membership of the College is now open to nurses, paramedics and other registered healthcare professionals living and working in the UK. Additionally Associate Membership is also open to PAs, either in training or fully qualified. This will give both groups access to eportfolio and other RCEM training resources, contributing to the College’s ability to train this valuable group of colleagues and further reinforces the fact that we all work in teams and not in isolation.
2. There is no doubt about the valuable contribution made by senior doctors choosing a long-term career in our speciality, but who do not qualify for membership or fellowship by examination. This should be recognised. At the same time the criteria for Associate Fellowship do not reflect the high standards that many of our colleagues achieve. The requirements for Associate Fellowship have therefore been changed to reflect this for all new applicants from 1st April 2018. Full details are outlined under the Associate Fellowship sub category above. This change does not affect existing Associate Fellows. As part of these changes senior colleagues with appropriate paediatric qualifications will be eligible. This change is designed to recognise the evolution of Paediatric Emergency Medicine as a speciality.
3. Additionally changes have been made to which overseas examinations are recognised as being equivalent to FRCEM. From April 2018 this will only be FACEM. This is relevant to colleagues seeking to join the College via the Fellowship ad Eundem route.