FPM Exam Handbook

Full eligibility requirements can be found in the Examination regulations. 

Candidates must meet the following eligibility requirements:

• currently registered with the General Medical Council (United Kingdom) 
• is a member of the Faculty of Pain Medicine and remains in good standing
• satisfies the requirements of these Regulations with regard to application procedures and other matters.

Candidates must pass the MCQ before they can apply to sit the SOE. A pass in the MCQ paper will be valid for three years, after which time if the whole examination has not been passed, the MCQ must be re-taken. Candidates will be allowed six attempts at each section subject and required to provide evidence of additional educational training for the sixth attempt at each section (more information can be found in regulation 3.8 of the Exam regulations). 

Candidates PLEASE NOTE:

All FPM membership applications submitted with the intent of being approved for eligibility to sit the FFPMRCA MCQ exam must be submitted 6 weeks before the application closing deadline.

Trainees

If applying for the SOE, the trainee must have received confirmation from their local Regional Advisor in Pain Medicine (RAPM) that they have successfully completed their Stage 3 Pain Medicine domain of learning and completed at least six months of a Stage 3 Special Interest Area (SIA) assessment by the date of the examination applied for.

Fellowship Doctors

You must be in a UK post for a minimum of six months before applying for both the MCQ and SOE and be in post whilst applying. You must have prospective support from your RAPM. All applications will be reviewed by the FPM Training and Assessment Committee so please ensure your application is submitted 6 weeks before the deadline for applications.

MTI Doctors

You must be in post for a minimum of six months prior to the date of the exam and have a satisfactory NHS appraisal and prospective support from your RAPM.

The exam regulations detail further requirements for trainees, post-CCT fellows, consultants, specialty/SAS doctors, fellows & MTI applicants. 

Please be aware that your eligibility is based on information that you must provide to the College in advance of an application and so, if we have not received copies of certain documents you will be unable to complete an online application. The documents that should be submitted in advance are outlined in the exam regulations.