FFPMRCA practice

How to prepare for the FFPMRCA

The FFPMRCA Structured Oral Examination tests consultant-level pain medicine across a 50-minute Clinical Oral and a 30-minute Science Oral. Prepare by practising a 10-minute case-packet read followed by a 20-minute biopsychosocial formulation, rehearsing 10-minute short clinical vignettes aloud, and revising pain pharmacology, neurobiology and clinical trial appraisal from the Faculty of Pain Medicine syllabus.

What happens in the FFPMRCA exam: parts, timings and marking An example FFPMRCA station, with example feedback FFPMRCA dates and countdown

Step by step

  1. 1

    Confirm your eligibility and examination diet

    To sit the FFPMRCA Structured Oral Examination you must hold the Primary FRCA or a recognised equivalent qualification, be in an approved Advanced Pain Training post, and have passed the FFPMRCA written MCQ paper. Check the Faculty of Pain Medicine examination calendar early for the autumn oral window and application deadline.

  2. 2

    Practise the 10-minute read and 20-minute Long Case structure

    In the Clinical Oral Long Case you have 10 minutes to read a referral packet, pain questionnaires and investigation findings before 20 minutes of questioning by two examiners. Use the reading window to organise a clear biopsychosocial formulation, red and yellow flags, differential diagnosis, targeted examination priorities and a multimodal pain management plan.

  3. 3

    Rehearse 10-minute Clinical Oral Short Questions aloud

    The second part of the Clinical Oral consists of three 10-minute short clinical scenarios with no separate reading window. Practise answering concisely across chronic primary and secondary pain, neuropathic pain, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, cancer pain interventions, neuromodulation, inpatient pain and opioid stewardship.

  4. 4

    Revise the three Science Oral domains systematically

    The 30-minute Science Oral asks three 10-minute questions covering pain pharmacology, pain neuroanatomy and neurophysiology, and pain psychology, epidemiology and research methods. Practise explaining receptor mechanisms, dorsal horn processing, descending modulation, local anaesthetic and radiofrequency physics, and trial appraisal aloud.

  5. 5

    Anchor management plans in UK pain guidelines and safety standards

    Ground your clinical answers in the Faculty of Pain Medicine Core Standards for Pain Management Services, Opioids Aware guidance on opioid risk and tapering, NICE guidelines on chronic pain, neuropathic pain and low back pain and sciatica, and fluoroscopic, radiation and anticoagulation safety checks for interventional procedures.

Official resources

Common mistakes examiners report

  • Presenting a purely biomedical plan in the Long Case without addressing yellow flags, psychological comorbidity, sleep, occupational function and multidisciplinary rehabilitation. source
  • Running out of time across the three 10-minute Science Oral questions by giving unstructured textbook lists instead of mechanism-led explanations. source

Practise with MedMock

MedMock practises the entire spoken FFPMRCA Structured Oral Examination across all three oral stations: the 20-minute Clinical Oral Long Case (after 10 minutes of reading time with a referral packet and questionnaires), the 30-minute Clinical Oral Short Questions (three 10-minute clinical scenarios) and the 30-minute Science Oral (three 10-minute questions on pharmacology, anatomy and physiology, and psychology, epidemiology and research methods). The written MCQ paper is not practised here.

Practise the FFPMRCA viva Start with a one-off £5 taster: 30 credits, no subscription.

Questions candidates ask

What is the structure of the FFPMRCA oral examination?

The FFPMRCA Structured Oral Examination has two oral sections: a 50-minute Clinical Oral (one 20-minute Long Case preceded by 10 minutes of reading time, followed by three 10-minute Short Questions) and a 30-minute Science Oral comprising three 10-minute questions.

Do I need to pass the FFPMRCA MCQ before sitting the oral?

Yes. Candidates must pass the FFPMRCA written Multiple Choice Question paper and meet the Faculty of Pain Medicine training and qualification requirements before applying for the Structured Oral Examination.

How is the FFPMRCA Structured Oral Examination marked?

Two examiners mark each question independently in both the Clinical Oral and the Science Oral against the Faculty of Pain Medicine marking criteria, and both parts of the examination must be passed.

Sources

Checked on 24 October 2026.

Exams and their regulations change. MedMock is not affiliated with any examining body; always check the current guidance on the official site before you book.