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The Diploma in Immediate Medical Care from the Faculty of Pre-Hospital Care — assessing the underpinning knowledge, technical skills and non-technical skills of doctors, nurses and paramedics providing pre-hospital emergency care. Verified Part A written + Part B OSPE format, FPHC Consensus Statements coverage, and an AI-adaptive question bank grounded in Resus Council UK 2021, APLS, ATLS and FPHC guidance.
SBA-style questions and short-answer items testing the underpinning knowledge expected of a pre-hospital practitioner — including resuscitation algorithms, major trauma, prehospital emergency anaesthesia (PHEA), obstetric emergencies, paediatric resuscitation, command and control, and FPHC Consensus Statements
Multi-station practical assessment covering safety, scene approach, primary and secondary survey, airway management (incl. capnography, difficult airway), trauma packaging, drug calculations, communication, and end-of-life decisions in the pre-hospital environment
Open to doctors, nurses and paramedics with a current registration with the relevant regulator. There is no formal requirement for prior PHEM experience to sit the DipIMC, although it is strongly recommended. Application must be signed by an FPHC Regional Examinations Advisor or UK approved PHEM Training Programme Director.
The number of attempts for completion of the DipIMC RCSEd cannot be increased beyond the standard limit (typically 4 attempts within a defined timeframe). Both Part A and Part B must be passed.
Held twice yearly — typically January/February and June/August diets. The College usually opens applications after the previous diet completes. February and August are the application-window months to watch. Confirm 2026 diet dates and application windows on the FPHC exams page (fphc.rcsed.ac.uk/examinations).
Approximate question distribution across the FPHC DipIMC syllabus. Used to drive iatroX adaptive sequencing. The DipIMC tests the pre-hospital application of core resuscitation and emergency medicine principles rather than tertiary in-hospital management.
Source: official Faculty of Pre-Hospital Care (FPHC), Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh blueprint
Drawn from the FPHC syllabus, current FPHC Consensus Statements, Resus Council UK 2021 algorithms and item density in iatroX.
Resus Council UK 2021 adult ALS — adrenaline 1 mg IV/IO every 3-5 minutes, amiodarone 300 mg after 3rd shock, thrombolysis for suspected PE arrest, mechanical CPR devices, eCPR criteria. Older revision sources teach 2015 algorithms — use the current standard.
Major trauma — Major Haemorrhage Protocol activation criteria, 1:1:1 ratio (RBC : FFP : platelets), tranexamic acid within 3 hours of injury (CRASH-2 / MATTERs), pelvic binder placement, recognising tension pneumothorax clinically (decompression at 4th-5th ICS mid-axillary, not classical 2nd ICS MCL)
Traumatic cardiac arrest (TCA) — distinguishing from medical arrest, "HOTT" reversible causes (Hypoxia, Hypovolaemia, Tension pneumothorax, Tamponade), the role of resuscitative thoracotomy and intra-arrest blood
Paediatric resuscitation — APLS 7th edition. Adrenaline 10 mcg/kg IV/IO, fluid 10 mL/kg in trauma vs 20 mL/kg in sepsis, weight estimation formulas (age × 2 + 8 for 1-10 years), uncuffed vs cuffed ETT debate
Pre-hospital emergency anaesthesia (PHEA) — recognising indications, drug choices (ketamine + rocuronium most common in UK), C-spine immobilisation considerations, RSI checklist, recognition of failed intubation
Obstetric pre-hospital emergencies — PPH 4 T's (Tone, Trauma, Tissue, Thrombin), bimanual uterine compression, postpartum eclampsia (magnesium sulphate 4 g IV loading), shoulder dystocia HELPERR mnemonic
Command and control — JESIP principles, METHANE major incident report (Major incident declared, Exact location, Type, Hazards, Access, Number of casualties, Emergency services required), TWELVE/SIEVE triage
FPHC Consensus Statements — keep up with the latest. Recent topics: TXA in trauma, pelvic fracture binders, traumatic cardiac arrest, extrication, traumatic brain injury, helicopter operations. These are examined directly.
Observations from UK pre-hospital trainees and recent DipIMC candidates. Verify against current FPHC Consensus Statements and Resus Council UK guidance.
Candidate-reported observations — not official guidance.
A pragmatic phased approach used by recent DipIMC passers, balancing Part A knowledge with Part B practical skill development.
A live item from the iatroX bank. Try it before launching a full session.
A climber at 3,800 metres becomes ataxic and confused with severe headache after rapid ascent. Descent with assistance is possible. What is the most appropriate immediate action?
Why iatroX is built differently for DipIMC.
Every iatroX item is tagged to a blueprint topic, so your performance dashboard mirrors the structure of the exam itself.
The engine surfaces your weakest topics first, in real time, instead of marching you through a static syllabus.
Incorrect items return at increasing intervals to interrupt the forgetting curve and lock knowledge into long-term memory.
Timed full-length simulations that mirror the official exam structure under realistic conditions.
One iatroX subscription includes the DipIMC bank plus every other premium iatroX exam bank.
Cancel anytime · 30-day money-back guarantee on annual
The DipIMC is open to doctors, nurses and paramedics with current registration with the relevant regulator. There is no formal requirement for prior PHEM (pre-hospital emergency medicine) experience to sit the exam, although significant clinical exposure is strongly recommended. Your application must be signed by an FPHC Regional Examinations Advisor or UK approved PHEM Training Programme Director.
Twice yearly — typically a January/February diet and a June/August diet. Application windows usually open after the previous diet completes. Confirm 2026 dates and application windows on the FPHC exams page at fphc.rcsed.ac.uk/examinations.
Two components: Part A (written) — SBA and short-answer questions testing the underpinning knowledge of pre-hospital emergency care; Part B (OSPE) — multi-station objective practical examination assessing technical and non-technical skills. Both parts must be passed.
The combined Part A + Part B fee starts at £760. Fees are payable to RCSEd at the time of application and are non-refundable after the application closing date. Check the RCSEd exam page for current fees.
DipIMC (Diploma) is the entry-level pre-hospital qualification, demonstrating safe and competent pre-hospital emergency care knowledge and skills. FIMC (Fellowship in Immediate Medical Care) is the higher fellowship, demonstrating consultant-level pre-hospital expertise. Most PHEM consultant trainees progress from DipIMC to FIMC during specialty training.
FPHC Consensus Statements are evidence-based position papers produced by the Faculty on key pre-hospital topics — including TXA in trauma, pelvic binders, traumatic cardiac arrest, extrication, traumatic brain injury, and helicopter operations. They are examined directly in the DipIMC and should form a core part of your revision.
Yes. A single iatroX subscription (£29/month or £99/year for UK users; $29/$99 elsewhere) includes the DipIMC bank alongside FFICM, DTM&H, and every other premium iatroX exam bank. No add-ons or per-exam fees.
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Reviewed by Dr Kola Tytler MBBS CertHE MBA MRCGP · Last reviewed 12 May 2026
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