If you are reading this article, then congratulations on taking a big step towards a rewarding career in Emergency Medicine. In order to become a full-time practitioner, it is necessary to pass the FRCEM exams (Fellow of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine). This is no easy feat but with the right preparation, dedication, and support you are guaranteed to pass. The FRCEM exams consist of two parts – a written exam and a practical exam.
What is FRCEM?
The FRCEM is an examination that allows doctors to practice as specialist emergency physicians. The qualification was established in 1963 and helped more physicians gain responsibility for patient care in the ED setting, previously only available to those who had completed sub-specialist training or were consultants. In order to be granted fellowship, you must have provided evidence of attainment of the knowledge, skills, and competencies set out by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine which is measurable through assessment processes such as written papers and practical examinations.
FRCEM Part 1: Hospital-based ‘solo’ exam covering all aspects of disease processes and management at a standard appropriate for a hospital practitioner. It will take place on your own in an examination room without any colleagues present. You may bring along computer notes or reference books allowed by the examining body but they cannot be taken into the examination room with you.
FRCEM Part 2: The FRCEM Part 2 or practical exams are partially supervised examinations and require higher intensity. They cover a greater volume of material before the allocated time period, which requires more advanced clinical knowledge in order to provide the appropriate standard of care expected by your assessors. You will need to demonstrate competency in a variety of scenarios and treatment options/procedures that can be expected as a practicing doctor.
What does it allow me to do?
Graduates from the program may then apply for consultant posts in any area of practice that involves working with adults. This includes emergency medicine but also areas such as general adult internal medicine, general adult surgery, and trauma. You will be equally qualified to apply for these posts as any other doctor from a non-EM background. However, it is possible that some posts may specify an interest in emergency medicine or require applicants to have gained the FRCEM by stipulation. In most cases, your general background medical knowledge will prove sufficient enough for you to gain employment without this qualification but having the additional accreditation can only work in your favour when applying for jobs especially if your competition has already completed the process!
#1 Consultancy for FRCEM Exam Registration
What is included in the qualifications?
A broad mix of up-to-date topics covering all aspects of adult patients with acute medical problems can then be used as a framework for clinical management (3). The syllabus follows a logical route, from general principles of disease to management in the emergency department, and includes:
- Understanding patient’s problems
- Physical examination
- Appropriate investigation/management options (with clinical reasoning applied)
- Risk management/safety measures (including communication with other team members)
- Dealing with ethical dilemmas and professional behaviour including communication issues, conflict resolution, safety issues, etc.
Eligibility for FRCEM Examination
You are eligible for the examination provided that you:
- Are a registered medical practitioner (in general practice, medicine, or surgery but not including emergency medicine) and hold a licence to practise in the UK;
- Have successfully completed an approved training programme of at least one year’s duration which involved clinical work equivalent to EM within the last three years prior to Stage 1 of the FRCEM exam/ practical examinations (the outcome of this training must be recorded on your GMC record). For example, registration with a specialty such as General Practice or Emergency Medicine provide at least 12 months of good clinical experience;
- Hold an appropriate level of competency in English
Dates of the Exam/ Practical Examinations
The Part 1 examination is usually held in June, the Part 2 examinations are now held in November. The precise dates are given on the website of the examining body.
How to Apply for FRCEM
You will need to contact the organization, The College of Emergency Medicine (ECM), in order to register with them and apply for the practical exams. For applications during December/ January, they usually set a deadline two months earlier than the earliest date that you can sit the exam so that they have time to evaluate your application before setting a date. Applications made after this deadline are accepted but may not be guaranteed that they get a place. You can download an application form from their website and complete it providing all documentation requested (your medical degree certificate, GMC registration number, etc) along with copies of any other certificates such as FRCS or membership of other specialist societies (which may be required depending on your experience).