Exam guide
MRCEM Primary guide: how to prepare and free questions
The MRCEM Primary is the basic-sciences exam of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine. This guide covers where the marks are, a study plan that works, and free practice questions with answers for all 22 topics.
Last updated after the 27 October 2026 MRCEM Primary sitting.
The exam at a glance
- Questions
- 180 single best answer
- Time
- 3 hours, one paper
- Subjects
- Anatomy, physiology, pathology, microbiology, pharmacology, evidence-based medicine
- Biggest parts
- Anatomy 60 and physiology 60: two-thirds of the marks
- Set by
- Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM)
- Next exams
- MRCEM SBA (Intermediate), then the OSCE
Dates, fees and eligibility change every sitting: check the RCEM exam calendar.
Where the marks are, and the pass mark
RCEM's official blueprint gives anatomy 60 questions, physiology 60, pharmacology 24, microbiology 17, evidence-based medicine 10 and pathology 9. Anatomy and physiology are two-thirds of the marks. There is no fixed pass mark: RCEM sets it for each sitting with the Angoff method, and in its worked example it was about 60%. In 2024, 57.4% of candidates passed.
About the exam: full blueprint, pass mark, eligibility and attempts →
How to prepare: 20 questions a day
- Do 20 questions a day, every day. 3,748 questions at 20 a day is about 188 days, roughly 6 months.
- Read the explanation for every question, including the ones you got right.
- Pay most attention to the highlights: they mark the answer and the other facts that exam questions ask.
- Repeat the questions you missed until they stick.
- In the last weeks, sit the full timed mock exams (about 180 questions each, in two papers) and fix the weak topics they show.
Free MRCEM Primary questions by topic
Each page has sample questions with the answer and why every other option is wrong.
Anatomy
Physiology
Pathology
Microbiology
Pharmacology
Evidence Based Medicine
Questions people ask
What is the MRCEM Primary?
The MRCEM Primary is the first of the three MRCEM exams set by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM): Primary, then the SBA (Intermediate), then the OSCE. It tests the basic sciences that emergency medicine is built on.
How many questions should I practise for the MRCEM Primary?
Enough to cover every topic at least once with the explanation. MRCEMStat has 3,748 questions; at 20 a day that is about 188 days, or about 6 months.
What is the best question bank for the MRCEM Primary?
Look for a bank that covers the whole basic sciences syllabus, explains every option, and has timed mock papers. MRCEMStat is built only for the MRCEM Primary: 3,748 questions in 22 topics, a highlighted explanation for every question, 3 full mock exams (6 timed papers) and topic-by-topic progress. You can try 50 questions free.
Is there a free MRCEM Primary question bank?
MRCEMStat has free sample questions with answers for every topic on this site, and 50 free questions with full explanations when you create an account. No card is needed.
Do I need a textbook for the MRCEM Primary?
Not if your question bank explains each answer well. On MRCEMStat every explanation highlights the key line and the other facts that exam questions test, so you learn the syllabus as you practise.
Try 50 MRCEM Primary questions free
Full highlighted explanations. No card needed.