The Diploma in Immediate Medical Care (DipIMC)
The Diploma in Immediate Medical Care (DIMC RCSEd, usually written DipIMC) is the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh's exam in pre-hospital emergency care. It is run by the College's Faculty of Pre-Hospital Care (FPHC). This page summarises the exam and links to the College's own documents. Where anything here differs from the College's current regulations, the College is right.
What the exam tests
The College says the exam is "designed to test the underpinning knowledge, technical skills and non-technical skills of doctors, nurses and paramedics who provide pre-hospital emergency care" (DIMC Regulations, March 2023).
- It covers patients of all ages, from newborns to the very elderly.
- It focuses on timely recognition, diagnosis and management in the pre-hospital environment, rather than on hospital investigations.
- It is set at level 6 of the Skills for Health career framework.
- It is based predominantly on accepted UK practice. International candidates must answer to UK guidelines and consensus statements (Regulations 1.3).
The exam is blueprinted against phase 1 of the UK Pre-hospital Emergency Medicine (PHEM) curriculum. It is also used by the Intercollegiate Board for Training in PHEM (IBTPHEM) as the phase 1 national summative assessment for PHEM trainees (RCSEd exam details). See the curriculum.
Format
The exam takes place over two days, in two parts. You must pass both.
| Part A — written | Part B — OSPE | |
|---|---|---|
| What | 180 single best answer (SBA) questions | 14 objective structured practical examination stations |
| Time | 180 minutes | 12 stations of 8 minutes and 2 of 16 minutes, plus possible rest stations |
| More | Part A: the SBA paper → | Part B: the OSPE → |
Source: Regulations section 1.
- You may sit the parts in either order, or both at the same diet.
- A part passed on its own stays valid for three subsequent diets. If the other part is not passed by then, the passed part must be retaken as well (Regulations 1.4).
Who can sit it
The exam is open to doctors, nurses and paramedics. Under the current regulations (section 2):
- Doctors: at least four years in practice after full GMC registration, or 5 months whole-time equivalent in a UK approved PHEM training programme by the exam date.
- Nurses: at least four years in practice after NMC registration.
- Paramedics: at least four years in practice after HCPC registration.
Nurses and paramedics must provide an authenticated copy of their registration certificate.
Special consideration. Candidates who don't meet these requirements, including all candidates from outside the UK, may apply for it. You submit your CV and pre-hospital experience to the Convener.
Older textbooks (for example the Oxford Handbook of Pre-Hospital Care, 2nd ed.) give a two-year requirement. The current regulations say four.
Allocation of places. Places are limited:
- PHEM trainees at their IBTPHEM-allotted point come first.
- Everyone else is allocated in strict order of application.
- Once the exam is full, there is a waiting list (RCSEd exam details).
Dates and venue
The exam is usually held twice a year, in January and in late June or early July, in Edinburgh. Dates published by the Faculty (FPHC DIMC page):
| Year | January | Summer |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 | 26–29 January | 29 June – 2 July |
| 2028 | 24–28 January | 27–30 June |
For the January 2027 diet, the College lists Part A on 26 January and Part B from 27 January. Check the exam details page for closing dates and to book.
The College's review notes that the written paper may be delivered online, at home or in a regional test centre. Candidates are told the arrangements for their diet (Review of the DIMC and FIMC exams 2014–2023, p. 7).
Fees, attempts and withdrawal
As listed by the College on 26 September 2026 (exam details):
- Fees: £798 for the exam; £341 to resit the written paper only; £457 to resit the OSPE only.
- Attempts: five, and a resit of one part counts as an attempt.
- Postponement: not possible. You withdraw and re-apply for a later diet.
- Withdrawal: the College keeps a 20% administrative fee. After the closing date, withdrawal needs supporting evidence (medical, compassionate or employment grounds).
On the day
- Bring photo ID: a passport or driving licence (Regulations section 5).
- Part A: smart casual dress.
- Part B: it is patient-facing. You may wear overalls, but cover any markings that show your profession, employer or sponsors (Regulations section 6).
Results and after the exam
- Results go on the College website and are sent by email.
- Feedback: every candidate is told the pass mark for each part and their own mark, and gets an individual feedback letter (Regulations 7–8).
- Faculty membership: passing makes you eligible to join the Faculty of Pre-Hospital Care as an Advanced Practitioner Member (RCSEd exam details).
- The Fellowship: the DipIMC is also the first step towards the Fellowship in Immediate Medical Care (FIMC).
Official documents
- DIMC RCSEd Regulations, March 2023 (PDF)
- Review of the DIMC and FIMC exams 2014–2023 (PDF): how the exam is built, blueprinted and marked
- DIMC sample questions (RCSEd)
- Sandpiper bag guidance (PDF)
- FPHC videos and podcasts
- PHEM curriculum (IBTPHEM)
- Exam enquiries: fphc.exams@rcsed.ac.uk
Try 10 questions nowSee the Part A formatSee the Part B format