The objective is to ensure that as a trainee, you have the required level of knowledge and understanding of the four basic sciences - anatomy, pathology, physiology and pharmacology – as they relate to emergency medicine (EM). This is to ensure you have gained the core knowledge considered necessary towards a career as an EM physician. Please see the FACEM Curriculum.
 
The examination is criterion-referenced, which means that as a candidate, you must reach a predefined level of performance to pass the examination, rather than a fixed percentage of all candidates being successful.
 
Important to note: the written component of the Primary Examination contains up to 360 questions in total, made up of Select Choice Questions (SCQ) or specifically, Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) only. It consists of 2 x 3 hour papers of up to 180 questions each, held over the course of one day.

Please note: For each attempt at the Primary Examination, a new application must be made and the relevant examination fee paid.

The examination may be attempted at any stage during Provisional Training, but the written component must be successfully completed before attempting the Viva examination. It is not necessary for Provisional Training time to be completed before the examination is undertaken.

Important to note: All candidates have a maximum of three attempts at each of the Primary Examinations (Written and Viva). All examination attempts before 1 January 2018 will not be counted. If you are unsuccessful on the third attempt, you may be considered for removal from the FACEM Training Program.

If you fail to present for any part of the examination, or if you withdraw from any part of the exam after the application closing date, you may not be entitled to a refund of your examination fee. For more information, see the Exceptional Circumstances and Special Consideration Policy.

To withdraw from the Primary Examination, please complete the EX184 Examination Withdrawal Form.

ACEM provides an extensive range of online resources featuring past papers, past exam reports, and much more. These are all now located on eLearning under ‘Resources for Trainees’.

Duration: 6 hours (2 x 3-hour exams)
No. of questions: 360 in total
Method: Online integrated exam
Types of questions: Types of questions: Select Choice Questions (SCQ), specifically Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ), only.
Maximum no. of attempts: 3
Location: Adelaide, Auckland, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney.
Current Exam Fee: AUD $2,250
Terms of Candidature: view now

Future Exams

2025.1: Friday 7 February 2025
Application open: 9 December 2024
Application close: 17 January 2025 – the cut-off date to withdraw without financial penalty unless exceptional circumstances apply

2025.2: Friday 8 August 2025
Application open: 26 May 2025
Application close: 20 June 2025 – the cut-off date to withdraw without financial penalty unless exceptional circumstances apply

Cliftons venues are used as our regular examination locations: Adelaide, Auckland, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney.

Exam venue addresses are confirmed with enrolled candidates prior to each examination sitting.

For FACEM Trainees enrolled in training prior to 2022, candidates must meet the following eligibility criteria by the application closing date:

• Be an enrolled trainee of ACEM.
• Have no financial debts to the College.
• Hold current registration to practice medicine in Australia or Aotearoa New Zealand.
• Must not be on a Wellbeing Interruption to Training at any stage from the date they apply for an examination to the date(s) they sit that examination (see B5.1.4 of Regulation B – FACEM Training Program) 

For FACEM Trainees enrolling in training from 2022, candidates must meet the following eligibility criteria by the application closing date:

• Be formally enrolled as a trainee of ACEM in the FACEM training program.
• Have no financial debts to the College.
• Hold current registration to practice medicine in Australia or Aotearoa New Zealand.
• Must not be on a Wellbeing Interruption to Training at any stage from the date they apply for an examination to the date(s) they sit that examination (see B5.1.4 of Regulation G – FACEM Training Program) 

For candidates who are commencing FACEM training and intending to sit the first Primary Written Examination sitting of the applicable year, please contact [email protected] for selection enrolment and fee deadlines.

Applications are by electronic submission (online form).

Please see ‘Exam Dates’ above for future information on when you can apply.

Duration: 40 minutes (4 x 10minute stations) although approx. 1 hour including examiner marking time.
Method: Verbal stations based on the four basic science subjects.
Maximum no. of attempts: 3
Location: Cliftons Sydney
Current Exam Fee: AUD $2,495
Terms of Candidature: view now

2024.2: Thursday 31 October and Friday 1 November 2024
Application open: 5 August 2024
Application close: 30 August 2024 – the cut-off date to withdraw without financial penalty unless exceptional circumstances apply.

Future Dates

2025.1 clinical (Viva and OSCE) examinations dates are now fully confirmed. 2025.2 clinical examinations dates are still provisional whilst we await examination centre availability, however these will be confirmed before the end of 2024.

2025.1: Thursday 8 - Friday 9 May 2025
Application open: 10 February 2025
Application close: 7 March 2025 – the cut-off date to withdraw without financial penalty unless exceptional circumstances apply.

2025.2: Thursday 6 - Friday 7 November 2025
Application open: 11 August 2025
Application close: 5 September 2025 – the cut-off date to withdraw without financial penalty unless exceptional circumstances apply.

For FACEM Trainees enrolled in training prior to 2022, candidates must meet the following eligibility criteria by the application closing date:

• Be an enrolled trainee of ACEM.
• Have no financial debts to the College.
• Have successfully completed the Primary Written Exam.
• Hold current registration to practice medicine in Australia or Aotearoa New Zealand.
• Must not be on a Wellbeing Interruption to Training at any stage from the date they apply for an examination to the date(s) they sit that examination (see B5.1.4 of Regulation B – FACEM Training Program)

For FACEM Trainees enrolling in training from 2022, candidates must meet the following eligibility criteria by the application closing date:

• Be an enrolled trainee of ACEM.
• Have no financial debts to the College.
• Have successfully completed the Primary Written Exam.
• Hold current registration to practice medicine in Australia or Aotearoa New Zealand.
• Have commenced Training Stage One
• Must not be on a Wellbeing Interruption to Training at any stage from the date they apply for an examination to the date(s) they sit that examination (see B5.1.4 of Regulation G – FACEM Training Program)  
• From 2024, have satisfactorily completed the following online modules:
  • ACEM Core Values
  • Indigenous Health and Cultural Competence
  • Assessing Cultural Competence

Applications are by electronic submission (online form).

Please see ‘Exam Dates’ above for future information on when you can apply.

The two-part Fellowship Exam is a major component of the FACEM Training Program. It tests your knowledge at the level expected of a junior consultant.

The Written and Clinical Fellowship Exams (OSCE) are offered at your 12-month and 36-month points of Advanced training respectively. Therefore the exams are designed as separate stand-alone assessments. However, you must pass the Written to be eligible for the Clinical.

Please note: For each attempt at the Fellowship Examination, a new application must be made and the relevant examination fee paid.

Important to note: All candidates will have a maximum of three attempts at the Fellowship Written Examination and a maximum of four attempts at the Clinical (OSCE) Examination. Any examination attempts before 1 January 2018 will not be counted. If you are unsuccessful on your final attempt, you may be considered for removal from the FACEM Training Program.

If you fail to present for any part of the examination, or if you withdraw from any part of the exam after the application closing date, you may not be entitled to a refund of your examination fee. For more information, see the Exceptional Circumstances and Special Consideration Policy. 

To withdraw from the Fellowship Examination, please complete the EX184 Examination Withdrawal Form.

ACEM provides an extensive range of online resources featuring past papers, past exam reports, and much more. These are all now located on eLearning under ‘Resources for Trainees’.

Duration: 6 hours in total (2 x 180 min exams)
Method: 1 x Short Answer Questions (SAQ) Exam and 1 x Select Choice Question (SCQ) Exam (Multiple Choice Questions only)
Maximum no. of attempts: 3
Location: Adelaide, Auckland, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney.
Current Exam Fee: AUD $2,950
Terms of Candidature: view now

2024.2: Friday 15 November 2024
Application open: 26 August 2024
Application close: 20 September 2024 – the cut-off date to withdraw without financial penalty unless exceptional circumstances apply.

Future Dates 

2025.1: Friday 23 May 2025
Application open: 24 February 2025
Application close: 21 March 2025 – the cut-off date to withdraw without financial penalty unless exceptional circumstances apply

2025.2: Friday 21 November 2025
Application open: 25 August 2025
Application close: 19 September 2025 – the cut-off date to withdraw without financial penalty unless exceptional circumstances apply

Cliftons venues are used as our regular examination locations: Adelaide, Auckland, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney.

Exam venue addresses are confirmed with enrolled candidates prior to each examination sitting.

For FACEM Trainees or SIMGs enrolled in training or the SIMG pathway prior to 2022, candidates must meet the following eligibility criteria by the application closing date:

• Be an enrolled trainee or SIMG  trainee of ACEM.
• Have no financial debts to the College.
• Hold current registration to practice medicine in Australia or Aotearoa New Zealand.
• Have progressed to Late Phase Advanced Training in the FACEM Training Program.
• Must not be on a Wellbeing Interruption to Training at any stage from the date they apply for an examination to the date(s) they sit that examination (see B5.1.4 of Regulation B – FACEM Training Program)

For FACEM Trainees or SIMGs enrolling in training or the SIMG pathway from 2022, candidates must meet the following eligibility criteria by the application closing date:

• Be an enrolled trainee or SIMG of ACEM.
• Have no financial debts to the College.
• Hold current registration to practice medicine in Australia or Aotearoa New Zealand.
• Have progressed to Training Stage Three.
• Must not be on a Wellbeing Interruption to Training at any stage from the date they apply for an examination to the date(s) they sit that examination (see B5.1.4 of Regulation G – FACEM Training Program)
• Have satisfactorily completed the following online modules:
  • Critical Care Airway Management
  • Clinical Supervision
  • Giving Feedback
  • Ultrasound

Applications are by electronic submission (online form).
 
Please see ‘Exam Dates’ above for future information on when you can apply.

The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) - the Fellowship Clinical Exam - is a clinical test held over two consecutive days.
 
The examination will consist of a variety of clinical stations based on scenarios that candidates would expect to see as part of their work in the Emergency Department.

Each of the 12 OSCE stations are 11 minutes' duration. This will include four minutes of reading time, followed by seven minutes of assessment.

There will be at least one of the following stations:

• History taking
• Physical examination
• A challenging communication station: patient/relative/staff member
• Resus Standardised Case-Based Discussion
• Teaching/advice to junior staff
• Standardised Case-Based Discussion

For a more detailed summary of what to expect on the day of your exams please refer to the Educational Resources on eLearning.

Duration: 132 minutes total over two consecutive days
Method: Up to 12 clinical examination stations
Maximum no. of attempts: 4
Location: Cliftons Sydney
Current Exam Fee: AUD $4,175
Terms of Candidature: view now

Future Dates

2025.1 clinical (Viva and OSCE) examinations dates are now fully confirmed. 2025.2 clinical examinations dates are still provisional whilst we await examination centre availability, however these will be confirmed before the end of 2024.

2025.1: Tuesday 18 – Friday 21 March 2025
Application open: 16 December 2025
Application close: 24 January 2025 – the cut-off date to withdraw without financial penalty unless exceptional circumstances apply.
Eligibility deadline date: 2 February 2025

2025.2: Tuesday 9 – Friday 12 September 2025
Application open: 16 June 2025
Application close: 11 July 2025 – the cut-off date to withdraw without financial penalty unless exceptional circumstances apply.
Eligibility deadline date: 3 August 2025

For FACEM Trainees or SIMGs enrolled in training or the SIMG pathway​ prior to 2022, candidates must meet the following eligibility criteria by the eligibility deadline:

• Be an enrolled trainee or SIMG  of ACEM.
• Have no financial debts to the College.
• Hold current registration to practice medicine in Australia or Aotearoa New Zealand.
• Have completed at least 36 months of the 48 months of accredited Advanced Training (not including any required additional training time).
• Have satisfied the trainee research requirement.
• Have successfully completed the Fellowship Written Exam.
• Must not be on a Wellbeing Interruption to Training at any stage from the date they apply for an examination to the date(s) they sit that examination (see B5.1.4 of Regulation B – FACEM Training Program) 

For FACEM Trainees or SIMGs enrolling in training or the SIMG pathway from 2022 candidates must meet the following eligibility criteria by the eligibility deadline:

• Be an enrolled trainee or SIMG  of ACEM.
• Have no financial debts to the College.
• Hold current registration to practice medicine in Australia or Aotearoa New Zealand.
• Have progressed to Training Stage Four.
• Must not be on a Wellbeing Interruption to Training at any stage from the date they apply for an examination to the date(s) they sit that examination (see B5.1.4 of Regulation G – FACEM Training Program)
• Have satisfactorily completed the following online modules:
  • Clinical Leadership
• Have satisfactorily completed the following training requirements:
  • Paediatric Emergency Requirement (PER)
  • Research Requirement

Applications are by electronic submission (online form).
 
Please see ‘Exam Dates’ above for future information on when you can apply.