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The MRCEM Primary exam is your first step enroute to becoming an emergency medicine doctor. The duration of the exam is 3 hours. It comprises 180 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) that are single-best answer (SBA) questions. Every question will have multiple options. One of the options will be the most correct answer.

MRCEM Primary Exam Preparation Tips

On the face of it, the MRCEM Primary exam may come across as an easy challenge. According to RCEM statistics from the past years, only about 60 percent of the candidates manage to clear the exam. The exam is particularly challenging for those who were trained outside of the UK. Read on for a few preparation tips for the ideal preparation.

Start Preparation Early

The MRCEM Primary exam is an examination in basic sciences. The time required for preparation largely depends on your familiarity with anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, and microbiology. There is also a small element of statistics and evidence-based medicine.
You need to have a strong foundation in these areas. If you have forgotten them, you should spend at least 6 months on your revision. In case you have a strong foundation, make sure you are able to apply your knowledge to emergency medicine. This can be achieved in 3 months if you can dedicate time to it.

Learn To Reason Correctly

The most common mistakes in the MRCEM Primary exam are technical. The exam tests clinically relevant knowledge. Anatomy questions usually test the knowledge of the candidates regarding the effects of injuries in different parts of the body following a specific injury. Candidates have to use both reasoning and memorized information to get the right answer.

Understand The Curriculum

A huge variety of resources is available for preparation. There are question banks and books covering the MRCEM Primary. However, the resources may vary in quality and may not always be representative of the curriculum.
Get familiar with the Basic Sciences Curriculum and make sure the resources you use follow it closely.

Analyze your Strengths and Weaknesses

Your focus should be on studying the areas that you find most difficult. The MRCEM Primary exam can be divided into thirds, anatomy and physiology are one third each. The last third is made up of pharmacology, microbiology, pathology, and statistics. The questions are all intended to be of equal difficulty.
However, some candidates find the pathology and statistics area less familiar. The relevant content of these areas is not very extensive. Therefore, they are not as hard as they seem.
The MRCEM exams are mandatory for all UK graduates and IMGs (International Medical Graduates) who want to pursue emergency medicine professionally. Hope you found this information helpful. Good luck for your exam!!