MRCEM OSCE preparation: a practical guide

The Membership of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (MRCEM) OSCE is the final part of MRCEM. This guide covers MRCEM OSCE preparation from the official format to a practical revision plan, so you can use your time well before the exam.

Exam facts below come from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) and were checked on 11 October 2026. Always confirm details on the RCEM MRCEM exams page before you apply.

The MRCEM OSCE at a glance

• 16 scored stations of 8 minutes each, with 1 minute of reading time before each, plus 2 rest stations.
• Held in London, with international sittings in Kuala Lumpur, Chennai and Hyderabad.
• To apply you need full registration with a licence to practise, 6 months of emergency medicine experience beyond Foundation (whole-time equivalent), passes in MRCEM Primary and MRCEM SBA, and IELTS 7 or the OET equivalent.
• The 2026 fee for a UK member sitting in London is £586.

How to approach MRCEM OSCE preparation

Start from the curriculum, not from a station list

The OSCE samples the RCEM curriculum. Use it to check that your practice covers history taking, examination, procedures, communication and resuscitation leadership, rather than repeating the stations you already find easy.

Practise against the clock

Eight minutes passes quickly. Practise with a timer from the start. Use the minute of reading time to plan the first two minutes of the station and the points you must not miss.

Get observed feedback

Practise with a colleague who plays the patient or examiner and gives feedback against a mark scheme. Record what you missed and repeat those stations a week later.

Rehearse communication stations out loud

Explaining a diagnosis, breaking bad news and handling a complaint are skills you improve by speaking, not by reading. Practise the structure you will use, then practise it with different scenarios.

Lead a resuscitation scenario

Leadership stations test how you run a team: clear roles, closed-loop communication and regular summaries. Practise leading, not only doing the tasks yourself.

A simple 6-week plan

1. Weeks 1 to 2: review the curriculum, list your weak areas and practise 2 to 3 stations a day with a timer.
2. Weeks 3 to 4: add observed practice with feedback and full communication stations.
3. Week 5: run full circuits of 16 stations to build stamina.
4. Week 6: revisit weak stations, rest and check exam-day logistics.

Upcoming MRCEM OSCE course dates

How Kung Medics can help

Practise stations online with MRCEM OSCE Pro, then join the 5-day MRCEM OSCE course, live online or on campus in Manchester. The one-day ED Team Leader course focuses on resuscitation leadership. See all three MRCEM stages in our MRCEM exam guide.

Kung Medics is an independent training provider. It is not part of, or endorsed by, the Royal College of Emergency Medicine.

See course dates and book