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Study Tips for the Fellowship of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (Fellowship Clinical Exam (OSCE)) [ Study Tips ](https://mdster.com/blog?category=study-tips) Study Tips for the Fellowship of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (Fellowship Clinical Exam (OSCE)) ==================================================================================================================== An eight-week, performance-focused plan for demonstrating safe junior-consultant practice under OSCE conditions [ MDster Editorial Team ](https://mdster.com/about) · Aug 04, 2026 · 5 min read · 33 [ Reviewed by Dr. Ali Ragab, MBBCH, MSc, MCAI ](https://mdster.com/medical-reviewers/dr-ali-ragab) [Editorial Policy](https://mdster.com/editorial-policy) | [Corrections Policy](https://mdster.com/corrections) [ Emergency Medicine ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=emergency-medicine) [ Study Tips ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=study-tips) [ Clinical Examination ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=clinical-examination) [ FACEM OSCE ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=facem-osce) [ ACEM Fellowship ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=acem-fellowship) ![Study Tips for the Fellowship of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (Fellowship Clinical Exam (OSCE))](https://mdster.com/storage/blog/images/study-tips-for-the-fellowship-of-the-australasian-college-for-emergency-medicine-fellowshi.jpg) Share this article Share this post On this page 1. [ Understand the Performance Target ](#understand-the-performance-target) 2. [ Use One Repeatable Station Framework ](#use-one-repeatable-station-framework) 3. [ Train Each Station Family Differently ](#train-each-station-family-differently) 4. [ Eight-Week Study Schedule Template ](#eight-week-study-schedule-template) 5. [ Use Resources Actively ](#use-resources-actively) 6. [ Common Pitfalls ](#common-pitfalls) 7. [ Key Takeaways ](#key-takeaways) 8. [ Conclusion ](#conclusion) 9. [ Frequently Asked Questions ](#blog-faqs) 10. [ References ](#references-heading) On this page 1. [ Understand the Performance Target ](#understand-the-performance-target) 2. [ Use One Repeatable Station Framework ](#use-one-repeatable-station-framework) 3. [ Train Each Station Family Differently ](#train-each-station-family-differently) 4. [ Eight-Week Study Schedule Template ](#eight-week-study-schedule-template) 5. [ Use Resources Actively ](#use-resources-actively) 6. [ Common Pitfalls ](#common-pitfalls) 7. [ Key Takeaways ](#key-takeaways) 8. [ Conclusion ](#conclusion) 9. [ Frequently Asked Questions ](#blog-faqs) 10. [ References ](#references-heading) Many capable emergency physicians prepare for the FACEM OSCE as if it were another knowledge examination. They read extensively, discuss difficult cases, then discover that seven minutes is not enough time to organise, communicate, prioritise, and close the station. The solution is to stop measuring preparation by pages read. Measure it by how consistently you demonstrate safe junior-consultant performance within the exact station format. Understand the Performance Target --------------------------------- As of August 4, 2026, the Fellowship Clinical Examination consists of 12 eleven-minute stations over two consecutive days. Each station provides four minutes of reading and seven minutes of assessment, with two examiners. Stations can involve standardised patients, clinical scenarios, communication, observation, procedures, and critically ill patient simulations. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") ACEM expects performance at junior emergency medicine consultant level. Your preparation should therefore cover more than medical knowledge: prioritisation, communication, teamwork, leadership, teaching, professionalism, and defensible decision-making all matter. [\[2\]](#cite-2 "Reference [2]") After every practice station, ask: - Did I identify and address immediate threats? - Did I state priorities clearly rather than merely list actions? - Did I involve appropriate staff, services, and escalation pathways? - Did my communication suit the patient, relative, junior doctor, or examiner? - Did I provide a safe disposition and contingency plan? Use One Repeatable Station Framework ------------------------------------ During the four-minute reading period, divide your page into **task, threats, structure, and closure**. Underline every command verb because “explain,” “demonstrate,” “teach,” and “discuss” require different performances. Use the remaining reading time to write three anchors: 1. **Opening:** Introduce your role and address immediate safety. 2. **Core:** Complete the requested task using an organised clinical structure. 3. **Closure:** Summarise, escalate, disposition, and provide contingencies. During the seven-minute assessment, aim to establish direction within the first minute. For example: “This patient may have septic shock. I will begin simultaneous resuscitation, focused assessment, source identification, and early escalation.” This demonstrates synthesis and prioritisation before detail. > **Pro Tip:** Do not hide your senior decisions inside a long differential. State what is dangerous, what you will do now, and what would make you change course. Finish with a deliberate safety close. Mention reassessment, senior or specialty involvement, disposition, communication with the patient or family, and what happens if the patient deteriorates. Train Each Station Family Differently ------------------------------------- Generic case discussions are insufficient. Build separate drills for the station families ACEM identifies, including history, examination, challenging communication, resuscitation case discussion, teaching, and standardised case discussion. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") Station familyPractice methodFeedback focusHistory or examinationPerform seven-minute focused encounters with a role-playerRelevance, signposting, synthesisResuscitation or case discussionVerbalise simultaneous actions and delegationPriorities, escalation, reassessmentCommunicationRehearse conflict, uncertainty, error, and distressEmpathy, clarity, boundariesTeachingTeach one junior-level objective, then check understandingStructure, accuracy, learner engagementManagement or teamworkUse realistic ED pressures and competing tasksDelegation, flow, patient safety Record one station per week. Review it once without sound to assess presence and organisation, then with sound to identify repetition, vague language, and missed decisions. Eight-Week Study Schedule Template ---------------------------------- Use three focused sessions weekly rather than allowing OSCE preparation to become unstructured discussion. WeeksMain objectiveMinimum output1–2Learn the format and build frameworks12 untimed stations plus feedback3–4Cover every station family18 timed stations5–6Target weak domains and uncommon scenarios20 timed stations, including resuscitation and paediatrics7Run two half-circuits on consecutive days12 stations under strict timing8Refine openings, closures, and recovery skillsShort drills; no framework changes Ask FACEM supervisors to observe selected stations, especially when your peer group repeatedly gives conflicting advice. Request feedback against curriculum domains rather than asking, “Would I pass?” Use Resources Actively ---------------------- Start with ACEM’s curriculum, official examination information, eLearning materials, released stations, reports, domain criteria, and preparation checklist. ACEM specifically directs candidates to its eLearning examination resources. [\[3\]](#cite-3 "Reference [3]") Use other resources with defined purposes: - **Textbooks and guidelines:** Resolve knowledge gaps identified during stations. - **Question banks:** Generate differentials and management options, not OSCE practice. - **Study groups:** Run timed stations with rotating candidate, role-player, and examiner roles. - **Courses:** Obtain calibrated feedback and unfamiliar mock stations. - **Clinical shifts:** Practise concise referrals, family explanations, junior teaching, and explicit delegation. Common Pitfalls --------------- Avoid these recurring preparation errors: - Delivering memorised frameworks without responding to the scenario. - Spending most of the station gathering information and leaving no management time. - Listing investigations without explaining their purpose or acting on likely results. - Performing at registrar level by seeking permission instead of making supported decisions. - Ignoring cultural safety, consent, capacity, privacy, or the patient’s goals. - Letting one poor station disrupt the next station. Practise a ten-second reset: exhale, relax your shoulders, identify the new task, and begin again. A completed station cannot be repaired from the corridor. Key Takeaways ------------- Implement these actions this week: - Download the current ACEM curriculum and official OSCE resources. - Create one four-minute reading template. - Complete three recorded seven-minute stations. - Obtain domain-based feedback from a FACEM. - Schedule a consecutive-day mock circuit. - Build an error log containing one correction per station. Conclusion ---------- You do not need theatrical perfection. You need repeatable evidence that you can assess risk, lead care, communicate clearly, and make safe consultant-level decisions. Start timing your practice now, because performance—not passive knowledge—is the skill being examined. Frequently Asked Questions ---------------------------- ### How early should I begin preparing for the FACEM Fellowship Clinical Exam? Allow at least eight focused weeks if your clinical knowledge is current. Begin earlier if you need substantial work on communication, resuscitation leadership, or consultant-level decision-making. ### How many timed stations should I complete each week? Start with four to six stations weekly, then progress toward eight or more. Quality feedback and correction are more valuable than repeatedly practising the same mistakes. ### Should I memorise a framework for every station type? Use flexible structures for reading, opening, prioritisation, and closure. Do not memorise scripts that prevent you from responding naturally to the scenario. ### What is the best way to use an OSCE study group? Use groups of three or four. Rotate candidate, examiner, role-player, and observer roles, enforce official timing, and provide feedback linked to specific curriculum domains. ### What should I do if a station goes badly during the examination? Close safely if time remains, then reset before the next station. Do not analyse the completed station while reading the next scenario. References (4) ------------------ 1. 1. [ ACEM Fellowship Examinations: Clinical Exam (OSCE) ](https://acem.org.au/Content-Sources/Training/How-the-FACEM-Training-Program-works/Assessments-and-Requirements/Exam.aspx) [↩](#cite-ref-1-1 "Back to text") 2. 2. [ ACEM FACEM Training Program Curriculum, May 2026 ](https://acem.org.au/getmedia/9af41df8-677f-44ed-b245-440164155f56/2023_8-FACEM-Curriculum) [↩](#cite-ref-2-1 "Back to text") 3. 3. [ acem.org.au/getmedia/e942a3d3-6cc8-4361-94f1-161f73654c16/1300-Dalgleish ](https://acem.org.au/getmedia/e942a3d3-6cc8-4361-94f1-161f73654c16/1300-Dalgleish) [↩](#cite-ref-3-1 "Back to text") 4. 4. [ ACEM 2022 FACEM Training Program Handbook, February 2026 ](https://acem.org.au/getmedia/696cd7e3-0d43-4357-bb58-151b73623a46/2024_7-2022-FACEM-Training-Handbook-D2) Study pathway Get faster at Emergency Medicine decision‑making -------------------------------------------------- - Rapid, exam‑style questions across core ED topics - High‑yield differentials and next‑step management - Target weak areas with smart review Free 5-day trial No credit card required. [ Start practicing ](https://mdster.com/user/dashboard) [ Explore Emergency Medicine ](https://mdster.com/speciality/emergency-medicine) [ View pricing ](https://mdster.com/pricing) [ Explore features ](https://mdster.com/features) No credit card required. Full access to all features\*. No commitment. Cancel anytime. \*AI SOE Examiner is limited to 10 cases monthly for Advanced & Bundle subscribers. 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