MRCEM Preparation curriculum
Everything you study on the RCEM (Royal College of Emergency Medicine) Certification Course, in the order you study it. 6 chapters, 23 lessons and roughly 17 hours of guided study, finishing with full timed mock exams in your student area.
Chapters and lessons
- 01
Orientation and diagnostic
Before teaching starts you sit a short diagnostic mock for MRCEM Preparation, meet your tutor and receive a personalised study timetable built around your sitting date.
- How the exam is built and markedLesson30 min
A clear map of the MRCEM Preparation format: sections, question styles, timing and how marks are awarded.
- Diagnostic mock testDrill45 min
A scored diagnostic in the student area that highlights your strongest and weakest topics.
- Building your study timetableWorkshop25 min
Turn your diagnostic report into a realistic weekly plan that fits around clinical shifts or study.
By the end of this chapter: Know your starting score, your weakest topics and exactly what to study in week one.
- 02
MRCEM Primary basic sciences
Anatomy, physiology and pharmacology tuned to the emergency setting.
- MRCEM Primary basic sciences: core conceptsLesson45 min
A structured walk through the examinable core of mrcem primary basic sciences, with the definitions, mechanisms and guidelines examiners expect you to quote accurately.
- MRCEM Primary basic sciences: applied casesWorkshop50 min
Case-based teaching that turns mrcem primary basic sciences theory into clinical or exam decisions, including the reasoning steps that earn marks and the traps that lose them.
- MRCEM Primary basic sciences: question drillingDrill40 min
Timed question practice on mrcem primary basic sciences, with worked explanations for every option so you learn why the wrong answers are wrong.
- MRCEM Primary basic sciences: recall and consolidationReview30 min
Spaced-recall summaries, flashcard sets and a short checkpoint quiz that confirms mrcem primary basic sciences is retained before you move on.
By the end of this chapter: Confidently explain the foundations of mrcem primary basic sciences and pass the chapter checkpoint quiz.
- 03
SBA clinical reasoning
Case-based questions on acute presentations, with structured answer explanations.
- SBA clinical reasoning: core conceptsLesson45 min
A structured walk through the examinable core of sba clinical reasoning, with the definitions, mechanisms and guidelines examiners expect you to quote accurately.
- SBA clinical reasoning: applied casesWorkshop50 min
Case-based teaching that turns sba clinical reasoning theory into clinical or exam decisions, including the reasoning steps that earn marks and the traps that lose them.
- SBA clinical reasoning: question drillingDrill40 min
Timed question practice on sba clinical reasoning, with worked explanations for every option so you learn why the wrong answers are wrong.
- SBA clinical reasoning: recall and consolidationReview30 min
Spaced-recall summaries, flashcard sets and a short checkpoint quiz that confirms sba clinical reasoning is retained before you move on.
By the end of this chapter: Apply sba clinical reasoning to unseen cases and justify your answer the way examiners expect.
- 04
OSCE and simulation
Live resuscitation scenarios, communication stations, and paediatric case practice.
- OSCE and simulation: core conceptsLesson45 min
A structured walk through the examinable core of osce and simulation, with the definitions, mechanisms and guidelines examiners expect you to quote accurately.
- OSCE and simulation: applied casesWorkshop50 min
Case-based teaching that turns osce and simulation theory into clinical or exam decisions, including the reasoning steps that earn marks and the traps that lose them.
- OSCE and simulation: question drillingDrill40 min
Timed question practice on osce and simulation, with worked explanations for every option so you learn why the wrong answers are wrong.
- OSCE and simulation: recall and consolidationReview30 min
Spaced-recall summaries, flashcard sets and a short checkpoint quiz that confirms osce and simulation is retained before you move on.
By the end of this chapter: Apply osce and simulation to unseen cases and justify your answer the way examiners expect.
- 05
Guidelines and safety
UK sepsis pathways, ATLS principles and NICE emergency guidance.
- Guidelines and safety: core conceptsLesson45 min
A structured walk through the examinable core of guidelines and safety, with the definitions, mechanisms and guidelines examiners expect you to quote accurately.
- Guidelines and safety: applied casesWorkshop50 min
Case-based teaching that turns guidelines and safety theory into clinical or exam decisions, including the reasoning steps that earn marks and the traps that lose them.
- Guidelines and safety: question drillingDrill40 min
Timed question practice on guidelines and safety, with worked explanations for every option so you learn why the wrong answers are wrong.
- Guidelines and safety: recall and consolidationReview30 min
Spaced-recall summaries, flashcard sets and a short checkpoint quiz that confirms guidelines and safety is retained before you move on.
By the end of this chapter: Answer full exam-standard questions on guidelines and safety within the real time limit.
- 06
Final revision and mock exams
The closing block is pure exam rehearsal: full timed mocks for MRCEM Preparation, score-report reviews with a tutor, and a targeted plan for the last two weeks.
- Full timed mock examDrill120 min
A complete mock under exam conditions in the student area, marked instantly with explanations.
- Score report reviewWorkshop45 min
A tutor-led review of your mock report, converting weak topics into a short revision list.
- High-yield final sweepReview60 min
A rapid pass over the facts, algorithms and phrases that appear most often in the real paper.
- Exam-day strategyLesson25 min
Pacing, flagging, guessing policy and nerves management for the day itself.
By the end of this chapter: Sit full mocks at or above the pass threshold and walk in with a written exam-day plan.
Study resources included
Blueprint-mapped revision notes
Every chapter condensed to high-yield notes mapped to the published Royal College blueprint, updated each sitting.
Specialty question bank with explanations
Exam-style single-best-answer and extended-matching questions with full reasoning for each option.
Weekly live case tutorial
Small-group clinical reasoning sessions with a clinician who has passed the same examination.
Guideline update tracker
A rolling list of NICE, Royal College and specialty guideline changes that affect answers this sitting.
Suggested study plan
| Stage | Focus |
|---|---|
| Weeks 1-2 | Diagnostic mock, timetable build and the first teaching block of MRCEM Preparation. |
| Weeks 3-6 | Core chapters with weekly question drilling and a checkpoint quiz per chapter. |
| Weeks 7-10 | Applied case workshops, weak-topic repair and half-length timed papers. |
| Final 2 weeks | Full timed mocks, score-report reviews and the high-yield final sweep. |
Important disclaimer
WispGold is an independent training provider. This curriculum is our own teaching plan, aligned with the published exam format, and is not endorsed by or affiliated with any examining body or regulator.