Covering MRCEM OSCE, FRCEM OSCE exams
MRCEM & FRCEM OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Exam) allocated candidates will be contacted by email to confirm the exam place, including full details of the location, date and time of the exam.
+ PreparationTo prepare for an OSCE, candidates should familiarise themselves with the domains that will be assessed. See further information on the curriculum, including details of the learning outcomes that will be assessed. Candidates may also find it useful to consult with relevant materials on RCEM Learning in preparation for their exam. Time management is a key component of the exam and candidates may wish to practice techniques.
A journal article will be released to all candidates via email four weeks before the start of the OSCE for the CLA station. It is the candidate’s responsibility to download the article from the link provided and read the article in advance of the examination.
The OSCE station will take the form of a guided conversation about the paper that will focus on your ability to critically appraise the article. Candidates will not be asked to summarise the paper and do not need to memorise it. In the OSCE circuit, there will be a reading station immediately before the critical appraisal station, where the paper will be available to re-familiarise with it. Both stations are of the standard eight minute duration, with a one minute lead in time to read the candidate instruction. During the station, the conversation will cover aspects of internal validity (does the research tell us what the authors say it tells us and has the research been conducted properly?) and external validity (does the research tell us what we need to know as clinicians and whether and how it could change practice?). There will be no expectation to carry out calculations in the station.
On the exam day, please ensure you leave plenty of time for your journey to the exam location at the start of the registration window. Any late candidates will not be permitted to take the exam if they arrive after the registration window closes.
Candidates may be allocated to a morning or afternoon place; the timeframes for both sessions can be seen below:
| AM Session | PM Session | Activity |
| 09:00 – 09:30 | 12:45 – 13:15 | Candidate Registration Window |
| 09:45 – 09:59 | 13:25 – 13:39 | Candidate Briefing |
| 10:00 – 12:42 | 13:40 – 16:22 | OSCE |
| 12:42 – 13:15 | 16:22 – 16:40 | Candidate Debriefing |
| 13:15 | 16:40 | End of Exam |
Morning exam session candidates will be required to remain in a supervised area following their exam whilst the afternoon session candidates register. Candidates will have access to their belongings during this time, but electronic devices will not be returned until this has finished.
Candidates must present valid ID when they arrive for their exam, matching the first and last name on their RCEM account. All electronic devices must be switched off and surrendered upon registration and will be returned at the end of the exam. During registration, candidates will be provided with a badge to wear throughout the exam, which should remain clearly visible. All belongings will be secured in the dedicated briefing room during the exam. Candidates are not required to bring any equipment, including stethoscopes. Any equipment requirement to complete a station will be made available.
Candidates are expected to adhere to a smart professional dress code and are welcome to wear scrubs if preferred. Limited changing facilities are available to change prior to the exam, during the registration window.
Each station has one minute reading time prior to entering the station room. A briefing sheet for each station will be available, providing the following details:
This provides all of the introductory guidance for the station and will direct candidates how to spend the station time. For example, if a station is 90% assessing practical skills, do not spend 5 minutes taking patient history.
OSCE stations will present scenarios that reflect real life practice and could be seen in any Emergency Department in the UK.
When entering stations, candidates should try to remain calm and behave as they would during a normal day at work, addressing patients and any other individuals professionally and with courtesy.
The FAQs cover the MRCEM OSCE and FRCEM OSCE exams.
+ Am I eligible for the exam?Eligibility information can be found in the Information packs for all exams:
New exam fees and a revised fee structure have been introduced for 2025. There are now different fees for candidates based on membership status (member or non-member) and location (UK or international). Members of the College are eligible for reduced exam fees. To qualify for this benefit, exam candidates must be active members in good standing and have settled any outstanding membership fees. You can apply for membership online; once approved, you will receive a confirmation email. Your subscription will then be available for payment through your online account. Please be aware that it may take up to 24 hours for payment updates to reflect in your account. To take advantage of the reduced exam fees, it is strongly recommended that you apply for membership before the next exam application window.
No, candidates are expected to prepare for 8-minute station. Candidates are responsible for their own time management during the station. An analogue clock will be visible in each station should candidates wish to use this for time management.
The iPads and the software used for marking is a robust and reliable method for marking. All marks are autosaved in real time, this mean that if the Wi-Fi connection was lost, the iPad was to die, etc. no marks will ever be lost. If an iPad was to fail during a station, all examiners are advised to abandon the iPad and to continue marking on the paper marksheets provided. The exams team are on standby throughout the circuit to rectify any technical issues should they arise.
There are no double stations in the MRCEM or FRCEM OSCE exams.
MRCEM OSCE: there are two rest stations.
FRCEM OSCE: there are two rest stations built into the FRCEM OSCE exam. One of these rest stations can also be used as a prep station. Candidates are expected to be familiar with the CLA journal prior to exam so this station is purely to remind and refresh candidates of the content as a copy of the journal will be available in this station.
The FRCEM OSCE will include three resuscitation stations. Please note, in addition to achieving the pass mark, candidates will be required to pass at least one of the resuscitation stations in order to achieve a pass overall.
Detailed information regarding the examination can be found in the FRCEM Final Examinations Regulations and Information Pack from page nine to 12.
You are not required to bring your own stethoscope. If a station requires the use of a stethoscope, then one will be available in that station. If you would like to bring your own stethoscope you are welcome to, but this is not mandatory.
Your belongings will be left in one of the College’s meeting rooms. This room will be secured and will be made available to you at the end of your examination session. The examination team will take all communications devices (phones, smart watches, tablets, laptops, etc) during the registration window. These devices will also be held securely.
The OSCE is a professional exam and therefore smart professional attire is required. You are welcome to wear scrubs if you prefer. Toilets are available onsite should you need to change prior to your exam.
Yes, this would be acceptable.
If you can wear plain scrubs this is recommended. However, if you only have scrubs with your name on them, you will still be able to wear these. Candidates can request tape to cover their name / hospital name.
Clothing which covers the face (veil/niqab) is not permitted during the exam and candidates will be required to remove face coverings when signing in for the exam.
If this exam is oversubscribed, we will allocate spaces to candidates using our Oversubscription Criteria. We aim to review all applications and complete our allocation process approximately 3 weeks after the application window has closed.
If you are allocated a space in the upcoming exam, we will email you with instructions on how to pay for your exam and will give you a timeline in which you need to complete your payment. Please note that if your payment is not completed within that timeline, that exam space will be offered to the next candidate in order of the Oversubscription Criteria.
OSCE exam diets comprise a number of exam days, as advertised in our Exams Calendar. Candidates will be allocated to a single day within that diet, in a morning or afternoon session. Candidates are not able to choose a specific exam date during this application process and may be allocated to any day within that exam diet.
We understand that candidates may have certain pre-existing commitments that mean they are unavailable on specific exam dates (e.g. work schedules, weddings, legal obligations etc).
Candidates who are offered a space in OSCE exams will be sent further information on how to submit requests to avoid a limited number of specific exam dates before allocations are confirmed. Whilst our team will try to honour such requests wherever possible, we cannot make any guarantees that these will be accommodated.
If eligible, you can apply for both exams simultaneously.
No, you need a pass mark in the MRCEM SBA before you can apply for the MRCEM OSCE.
Candidates holding passes in FRCEM Final OSCE and SAQ will be awarded FRCEM in September 2021. A CESR application will still need Research and QI evidence.
Eligibility criteria for the OSCEs can be found here:
If your visa application has been declined for an OSCE exam, please contact exams@rcem.ac.uk with proof of this to withdraw from the exam and for consideration of a refund in line with the Cancellation Policy. We cannot transfer your application to a later diet, and you will be required to reapply to the next available diet if you cannot sit.
Please see the document “Domain Based Marking” (PDF download)
SLO 1 Complex Stable Patient
SLO 7/8 EPIC
SLO 9 Supervise & Teach
SLO 3 Resus
SLO 4 Injured Patient
SLO 5 PEM
SLO 12 Management
SLO 10/12 Management or Research
SLO 1 Complex Stable Patient
SLO 2 Answer Questions
SLO 3 Resus
SLO 4 Injured Patient
SLO 5 PEM
SLO 6 Procedural Skills
SLO 7 Complex Challenging Situations
SLO 9 Supervise & Teach
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