Membership in Sport and Exercise Medicine Part 1

The Membership in Sport and Exercise Medicine exam is designed to assess the knowledge, skills, competence, and professional attitudes required of a doctor who wishes to practice as a Sport and Exercise Medicine physician in the United Kingdom. There are two parts to this exam, and candidates must pass Part 1 before applying for Part 2.

Exam Benefits

Successfully completing Part 1 and Part 2 of the exam provides formal accreditation in the field of Sport and Exercise Medicine. The Membership exam is essential for candidates wishing to:

Obtain a Certificate of Completion of Training (CTC) in SEM
Apply for Membership of the Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine UK (MFSEM). It is also part of the requirements for a Fellowship application

Exam Format

The Membership in Sport and Exercise Medicine Part 1 is a four hour multiple-choice question (MCQ) exam. It consists of two papers which are taken on the same day. Each paper comprises of 120 questions and requires the single best answer (SBA) from four possible answers.

The marks for both papers are combined to give a total mark for Part 1.

Costs

Exam Fee: £675

Exam Eligibility

Candidates must hold a medical qualification that is acceptable to the UK General Medical Council for Full or Provisional Registration or to the Medical Council in Ireland for Full or Temporary Registration.

Candidates should also fulfil one of the following requirements:

Be a current trainee in Sport and Exercise Medicine
Have a minimum of two years’ clinical practice or postgraduate training after obtaining full Registration and must have competence in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and pre-hospital care

It is strongly advised that candidates also have the following:

An active role in Sport and Exercise Medicine
Experience in pitch side emergency care
Exposure to the management of musculoskeletal conditions
Experience of the use and benefits of exercise medicine

Candidates have six attempts in which to pass their Membership in Sport and Exercise Medicine Part 1 exam.

Additional Information

Before applying for this exam, please ensure you have read and understood the relevant documentation.

Our Exam Policies and Procedures page will provide you with more general information about sitting an exam at the College.

Information about the exam curriculum, reading lists, and details about revision courses can be found on the Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine UK website.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I send my supporting documents?

Surgical Examinations

You can submit supporting documents electronically by scanning copies and emailing these to surgical.exams@rcsed.ac.uk. Alternatively, you can send it by post to the College address of FAO Examinations Department, The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Nicolson Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9DW.

FPHC Examinations - FIMC / DIMC / DRTM / DUMC

You can submit supporting documents electronically by scanning copies and emailing these to fphc.exams@rcsed.ac.uk. Alternatively, you can send it by post to the College address of FAO FPHC OFFICE, The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Nicolson Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9DW.

I want to withdraw from an examination, how do I do that?

You must advise the Examinations Department in writing (via email) that you wish to withdraw from an examination. Depending on when you request to withdraw, you may be asked to provide supporting evidence. If you withdraw before the closing date for application, there is no requirement to submit evidence. However, following the closing date, you will be required to submit evidence which must be received by the College within 14 days of the examination commencement date.

What are suitable reasons for withdrawing from an examination?

There are a number of number of reasons for needing to withdraw from an examination; these are:

medical reasons (illness prior or illness on the day of an examination)
compassionate grounds (e.g. bereavement)
unable to secure time off work

Can I get a full refund following my withdrawal from an examination?

Candidates who withdraw from an examination will be subject to a 20% administrative fee. 80% of your fee will be returned via the original payment method used to pay for the examination.

Will I be quarantined?

Occasionally candidates need to be quarantined. This depends on the examination session you are allocated to. For most examinations, we quarantine candidates who sat the morning examination session until the afternoon examination session has commenced. A light lunch is normally provided for you. You will receive information about whether you need to be quarantined in your candidate notice.

Can I keep my mobile phone and other electronic devices on my person?

When you register for the examination on the day, you will be asked to hand over your mobile phone and any other electronic devices (e.g. tablets, smartwatches) to the RCSEd Coordinator. Your device(s) will be placed in an envelope marked with your candidate number and stored securely in the RCSEd Administration Office while you undertake your examination.

When will my results be published?

Each examination varies. Results are normally published around 6 weeks after the examination has taken place. The intended results publication date will be stated on your candidate notice, and it will also be mentioned at your examination sitting.

Exam Details - Membership in Sport and Exercise Medicine Part 1

Key Facts