01 / CHAPTER 2
Overview of the FRCEM OSCE
Exam information checked against RCEM guidance on .
- 16
- assessed stations
- 8 min
- per station
- 1 min
- reading time
- 2
- rest stations
The FRCEM OSCE assesses the complex and challenging situations faced in Emergency Medicine. The station blueprint below links each area to its Specialty Learning Outcome (SLO).
It is strongly recommended that you consult the RCEM FRCEM examination page, exam regulations and current curriculum for your sitting. The OSCE candidate guidance explains the practical arrangements.
The OSCE consists of 16 assessed stations, each lasting eight minutes, with one minute of reading time before each station. There are also two rest stations.
To pass overall, candidates must achieve the examination pass mark and pass at least one of the three resuscitation stations.
Since November 2025, pass/fail decisions for the resuscitation stations use borderline regression. See RCEM’s explanation of the change.
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OSCE Stations
| Station area | Number | SLO |
|---|---|---|
| Complex stable patient | 3 | 1 |
| Emergency Physician in Charge | 2 | 7 / 8 |
| Supervision and teaching | 1 | 9 |
| Resuscitation | 3 | 3 |
| Injured patient | 2 | 4 |
| Paediatric Emergency Medicine | 1 | 5 |
| Management | 2 | 12 |
| Management or research | 2 | 12 / 10 |
Sixteen assessed stations, grouped by curriculum area. Use the blueprint linked from RCEM’s examination page alongside this guide.
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Courses and books
Courses
Choose a course that gives you practice and feedback using the current FRCEM blueprint.
- We don't endorse particular courses.
Books
When choosing an OSCE book, check that its level and content match the FRCEM examination and current curriculum.
We don't endorse any particular books.
04 / CHAPTER 2
The OSCE
Preparation
- Spend time looking into how you revise best. If you are someone who needs crib sheets and repetition don’t underestimate the time this takes.
- Review current OSCE advice regarding stations.
- Buddy up with colleagues who are reliable and you don’t mind looking silly in front of.
- Use official sample stations and current marking guidance, buy a book and/or go on a course.
- Use the experience of examiners in your hospital. Ask them to do practice OSCEs. You may need to ask more than once (don't give in!)
- Practise a clear opening and closure so they feel natural and leave you time for the tasks being assessed. Adapt your approach to the station rather than relying on a fixed script.
Practise, practise, practise. Time keeping is something people often fall down on.
Critical appraisal preparation. RCEM emails the article four weeks before the start of the OSCE exam period. Read it beforehand; a reading station immediately before the appraisal station allows you to refresh your memory. Prepare to discuss study quality and clinical relevance, rather than memorise or summarise the paper. Calculations are not expected. See the RCEM preparation guidance.
Examination day
- Plan how you are getting there; leaving plenty of time to spare. If you need to travel any distance, particularly if your OSCE is in the morning, I would recommend travelling up the day before.
- Bring valid identification matching the first and last name on your RCEM account. Check the requirements in your joining instructions.
- Recommended dress is scrubs or professional attire.
- Ensure you have eaten and drunk, and had a toilet break shortly before the start of your OSCE.
Follow the registration window in your joining instructions. Equipment is provided. Read RCEM’s exam-day guidance before travelling.
Tips for the OSCE itself
- Each station will have a description of the scenario and what will be expected
- The domains being assessed and their relative weightings are displayed as a pie chart.
Each station assesses one to four domains, weighted by their importance to that station. The examiner judges your level of competence in each domain. Read RCEM’s domain-based marking guide.
Read the station instructions and pie chart carefully AND answer what is asked, not what you want it to ask.
- If you feel lost, pause and refocus on the task. You can ask to recheck the station instructions or pie chart.
- If one station doesn’t go well try to draw a line under it, easier said than done I know!
- Use any remaining time to address an important gap in the task or explain an unresolved concern.
What to expect
Sixteen assessed stations and two rest stations
- Candidates are briefed together.
- Candidates are placed outside their first station
- You have one minute to read the instructions before each assessed station.
- Follow the signals and instructions given by the exam team for entering and leaving stations.
- The station instructions explain the task and the examiner’s role. Follow these for any discussion or presentation of findings.
- You will then be directed onto each further station until the exam is complete.