FFICM Examination Regulations

3.1       Sittings.  The examination for the Fellowship of the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine (FFICM) will normally take place twice in each calendar year.  The Board may at any time decide, subject to adequate notice, to alter the number of sittings of the examination.  Examinations will normally be held at Churchill House, 35 Red Lion Square, London.

3.2       Subject matter.  The subject matter of the examination is specified in the relevant parts of The CCT in Intensive Care Medicine.

3.3       Examination structure, marking systems and prizes.  The structure of the examination, together with details of the marking systems used and the prizes which may be awarded are described in Appendices 1, 2 and 3 of this document.

3.4       Format.  The Fellowship of the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine (FFICM) examination will initially consist of a Final part only, with Primary examinations from partner specialties acting as the FFICM Primary.

3.4.1    The FFICM Final Examination is divided into three sections taken on two separate days:          

• a Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) Examination;
• a Structured Oral Examination (SOE) and;
• an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE).

3.4.2    Candidates must pass the MCQ before they can apply to sit the OSCE and SOE.

3.4.3    At the first attempt the OSCE and SOE sections must be taken together.  If one section is failed only that section must be retaken, subject to Regulation 3.5. If both sections are failed then they must be re-taken together.

3.5       Component validity:

3.5.1    A pass in the MCQ component will be valid for three years, after which time if the whole examinations has not been passed, the MCQ must be re-taken.

3.5.2    A pass in the OSCE or SOE will be valid for two years, after which time if the whole examination has not been passed, the relevant section(s) must be re-taken. Please note that both the OSCE and SOE must be completed within the period of validity granted by the MCQ i.e. within the three-year period after passing the MCQ.

NB: Periods of maternity/paternity/adoption leave shall be excluded from these time periods. For candidates who work or train on a less than full time basis, the time shall be calculated on a whole-time-equivalent basis.

3.6       Number of attempts.  Candidates will be allowed six attempts at each section, subject to eligibility.

3.7       Application.  Applicants must pass the MCQ examination before they can apply for the OSCE/SOE components. The Calendar allows Applicants who are successful at the MCQ to apply for the OSCE/SOE at the same sitting (autumn or spring).  Applicants must apply for the OSCE/SOE together, unless an Applicant passes one component and fails the other.  Then only the failed component need be applied for at the next sitting.         

3.8       Additional Educational Training.  In addition to remaining eligible under Regulations 6, at the sixth attempt at any component in the FFICM Final examination, a candidate must provide evidence of additional educational experience/training as follows:

3.8.1    Prior to application for further attempts after the fifth attempt a candidate must:

• Discuss their final attempt and suitability for Intensive Care Medicine with their Faculty Tutor or Regional Advisor as applicable. Their Faculty Tutor/Regional Advisor must support a further attempt in writing through the submission of the ‘Additional Educational Training form; AET Form 1’ at Appendix 12.
• The form must be submitted to the Director of Training and Examinations at the Faculty address, at least three months in advance of the date of the next intended sitting.

3.8.2    A candidate must attend a further guidance interview before sitting at the final attempt of the OSCE and/or SOE.

3.8.3    Re-application at the sixth attempt can only be made after a period of additional training which has been discuss and agreed by the Faculty Tutor or Regional Advisor following consultation with the in-house anaesthetic/intensive care medicine training team.  A full training programme is mandatory and is set out on the form as follows:

• Attendance/planned attendance at an FFICM Preparation Course held at the Faculty or a similar event held locally.
• Details of examination practice for the relevant component.
• Details of further clinical exposure and training as discussed with the Faculty Tutor or Regional Advisor which is appropriate to the relevant examination component.