FRCEM exam guide: SBA and OSCE
The Fellowship of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (FRCEM) exam is the final exam of emergency medicine training in the UK. It has two parts, the FRCEM SBA and the FRCEM OSCE, and you need both. This guide sets out the FRCEM exam format and eligibility from RCEM, then explains how to prepare for each part.
Exam facts come from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) FRCEM Exams page, checked on 13 November 2026. Fees and dates are on the RCEM exam calendar and fees page. Always confirm the details with RCEM before you apply.
FRCEM exam at a glance
| FRCEM SBA | FRCEM OSCE | |
|---|---|---|
| Format | 180 single best answer questions in two sections | 16 stations of 8 minutes, each with 1 minute of reading time, plus two rest stations |
| Time | Two 2-hour papers with a one-hour break | 2 hours 42 minutes |
| Where | Surpass assessment test centres | London only |
| Focus | Research, management and quality improvement | Clinical and professional practice in emergency medicine |
You can pass the SBA and the OSCE in either order. To sit them, RCEM asks for MRCEM, or the FRCEM Intermediate Certificate, obtained within the last 7 years, plus a level of clinical experience set out on its eligibility page. Results come out about five weeks after the exam. Applications close at 4pm UK time on the closing date, and RCEM does not accept late applications.
How to prepare for the FRCEM SBA
- Critical appraisal and research. Practise reading study designs, statistics and bias until you can judge a paper quickly.
- Management and leadership. Learn how an emergency department is run: governance, staffing, flow, complaints and risk.
- Quality improvement. Know the common QI methods and how you would measure and sustain a change.
- Timed practice. Each paper is two hours. Practise in two-hour blocks so your pace holds.
How to prepare for the FRCEM OSCE
- Practise every station type against the clock: 1 minute to read, 8 minutes to perform.
- Rehearse senior tasks such as leading a team, handling a difficult conversation, teaching and making a safe decision under pressure.
- Get feedback from consultants who know the exam, then repeat the stations you found hardest.
How Kung Medics can help
Our FRCEM OSCE course in Manchester gives consultant-led practice in the exam's station format. The FRCEM Career Day covers the FRCEM pathway. Our MRCEM and FRCEM OSCE Mock Stations book gives you full stations to practise with a partner. An online FRCEM SBA question bank is coming soon.
See every FRCEM option on our FRCEM exam guide and courses page, or see all course dates.
Kung Medics is an independent training provider. It is not part of, or endorsed by, the Royal College of Emergency Medicine.
Frequently asked questions
What are the parts of the FRCEM exam?
The FRCEM SBA and the FRCEM OSCE. You must pass both, in either order, according to RCEM on 13 November 2026.
What is the FRCEM SBA format?
180 single best answer questions in two 2-hour papers with a one-hour break, taken at Surpass assessment test centres.
How many stations are in the FRCEM OSCE?
16 stations of 8 minutes, each with 1 minute of reading time, plus two rest stations. It runs in London only.
Who can sit the FRCEM exam?
RCEM asks for MRCEM, or the FRCEM Intermediate Certificate, obtained within the last 7 years, plus the clinical experience set out on its eligibility page.
When do FRCEM results come out?
RCEM publishes results about five weeks after the exam.
Is Kung Medics part of RCEM?
No. Kung Medics is an independent training provider and is not part of, or endorsed by, the Royal College of Emergency Medicine.