What happens in the FFICM exam
The Final FFICM Structured Oral Examination (SOE) has four 14-minute stations, each with two questions, and a two-minute wait between stations. Two examiners mark every question independently as Pass (2), Borderline (1) or Fail (0), giving 32 marks in all, and the pass mark is set by borderline regression.
Checked against the official sources on 24 September 2026.
The parts, in order
Two questions of 7 minutes each, each with five predetermined sub-questions and marked independently by both examiners. Questions test clinical science applied to intensive care medicine, usually through clinical problems, and are drawn from across the curriculum.
Two questions of 7 minutes each, each with five predetermined sub-questions and marked independently by both examiners. Questions test clinical science applied to intensive care medicine, usually through clinical problems, and are drawn from across the curriculum.
Two questions of 7 minutes each, each with five predetermined sub-questions and marked independently by both examiners. Questions test clinical science applied to intensive care medicine, usually through clinical problems, and are drawn from across the curriculum.
Two questions of 7 minutes each, each with five predetermined sub-questions and marked independently by both examiners. Questions test clinical science applied to intensive care medicine, usually through clinical problems, and are drawn from across the curriculum.
How it is marked
Two examiners mark each of the eight questions independently on a three-point scale: Pass = 2, Borderline = 1, Fail = 0, giving 32 marks in total (8 x 2 x 2). Each examiner also gives an overall global score for the candidate's performance in each station, and the candidate's total is the sum of the question scores.
Passing
The pass mark is set by borderline regression of the question scores against the examiners' global scores for all candidates, and the Faculty states it will fall in the range of 80% to 85%.
Worth knowing
- You must pass the Final MCQ before applying for the OSCE and SOE, and at the first sitting the OSCE and SOE must be taken together; if you fail only one, only that one is retaken.
- From July 2026 the Faculty is becoming the College of Intensive Care Medicine, and its exam pages now call the exam FCICM.
- 2026-27 is the final academic year of the current OSCE/SOE; from July 2027 (subject to GMC approval) both are replaced by a single new clinical exam, the Applied Clinical Reasoning Examination (ACRE). The last full OSCE/SOE sitting is expected in March 2027.
Sources
- FFICM Final SOE | The Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine
- FFICM VIVA Candidate Information - March 2022 (linked from the FFICM Final SOE page)
- FFICM Chair's Report March 2025
- 2027: Launch of the New FCICM Exams | The Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine
- Candidate FAQs (2027 launch of the new FCICM exams) | The Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine
- Calendar & Fees | The Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine
Formats change. MedMock is not affiliated with any examining body; always check the current regulations on the official site before you book.
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