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The Faculty of Pre-Hospital Care are passionate about ensuring that the future of this profession has enthusiastic individuals to continue to develop this field of medicine. Student involvement is key to this strategy, to expose individuals to this environment which is often challenging to experience as a student. The initiative between the Faculty and uPHEM Glasgow hopes to form a collaboration between Scottish Medical Schools and other allied healthcare professionals, with the potential for developing a National initiative across the UK, to allow passionate students the opportunity to become involved in pre-hospital care.

Pre-hospital care is a well-established branch of medicine, now practised by a broad range of practitioners from first aiders, paramedics, doctors, nurses, first responders, voluntary aid workers and remote medics including multi agency teams such as police, fire and armed forces.

As the face of pre-hospital emergency medicine changes, the Faculty's aim is to set and maintain clinical standards for all practitioners in this evolving specialty. The Faculty has updated its strategic objectives and mission statement in response to these changes. The Faculty's strategic objectives are to:

• Set and maintain standards in pre-hospital care
• Promote high quality education and teaching in pre-hospital care
• Initiate technical development and contribute to the research agenda in pre-hospital care.
• Effectively integrate the efforts of all participants in pre-hospital care
• Engage in development of clinical policy through review of clinical evidence

Mission statement:

The Faculty aims to promote high standards of pre-hospital care through education, research and teaching.

The examination for the Diploma in Immediate Medical Care (DIMC) is designed to test the knowledge, skills and behaviours of pre-hospital emergency care practitioners. The level of performance expected is that commensurate with level 5 on in the Skills for Health Career Framework. There is a focus within this examination on timely recognition, diagnosis and management of conditions and situations in the pre-hospital environment rather than on the use of facilities for investigation and treatment that may be available predominantly within a hospital. This examination includes prehospital emergency care for all patient age groups from neonates to the very elderly.

The Fellowship in Immediate Medical Care (FIMC) is the highest level of formal qualification available for pre-hospital practitioners. It has been extensively re-designed to meet the needs of the new medical sub-specialty of Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine and the wider range of established and experienced pre-hospital practitioners.

There are two parallel sets of FIMC eligibility requirements: one for trainees completing approved sub-specialty training programmes in Pre-hospital Emergency Medicine (PHEM) and one for doctors, nurses and paramedics who have undertaken alternative forms of pre-hospital care training.

There are 2 diets annually for both examinations; January and July. Within this, there is a written examination consisting of single best answer questions alongside objective structured practical examinations (OSPEs). Candidate numbers are increasing every year with the DIMC now examining approximately 80 candidates and the FIMC 20 candidates within each diet.

Students will be utilised as expert patients for the OSPEs. Roles within this will vary but it is hoped to add a more realistic portrayal of scenarios. The FIMC examinations will consist of more complex scenarios and likely to require a student within the clinical years of their degree programme.

Students will be expected to arrive at the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh for 1300 on the Wednesday and shall finish no later than 1500 on the Friday. A full brief will be given and supported by the examiners throughout. It is anticipated that on the Wednesday evening, students from a named University will organise a dinner at a local restaurant, providing opportunity to meet the other students involved.

It is expected that students will uphold an exemplary level of professionalism for these examinations. To ensure this is met, a code of conduct agreement will be required to be signed prior to involvement. This allows both the FPHC and students to understand expectations and maintains high standards for the profession.

As a thank you for your participation, the FPHC will organise a teaching CPD event on the Thursday evening for approximately 60 minutes. This topic will be chosen by discussion between the students and convenor to ensure it is as relevant and informative as possible.

Whilst being enrolled in this Examinations Support program each student will be granted free membership of the FPHC RCSEd – this gives access to a free electronic copy of our Current Foundation Manual for Immediate Care and free access to PHEMnet for CPD purposes.

We would like to create a talent pool of student supporters for the exams; this will mean you will not have to re-apply for each diet. How this will work is that if you are unavailable or not selected for a particular diet then your details will be kept for future diets. Should you no longer wish to be part of the student pool then please contact the Faculty Manager to have your details removed.

This initiative is primarily designed for Scottish Medical Students and is funded based on them supporting the DIMC and FIMC examinations in Edinburgh. Due to the high level of interest from students elsewhere in the UK, we can advise that if you wish to attend, but are not based in Scotland then the Faculty of Pre-Hospital Care will reimburse up to £50 towards your travel expenses which is the agreed maximum allowance for the Scottish Medical Students. Accommodation will be provided (pre booked) by the Faculty in twin share rooms wherever you have arrived from! 

Note that being a Supporter on any of the FPHC examinations (currently DIMC, FIMC, DRTM, DUMC) prevents them sitting the same examination for a minimum period of 3 years from their last involvement

This is an exciting opportunity to gain insight in to what is expected of you in the future should you choose to pursue this as your chosen career and on behalf of myself and the FPHC, will look forward to welcoming you to the examinations.

Future Exams diets

E-mail fphc-studentsupporters@rcsed.ac.uk to express your interest!

Molly Greenaway

FPHC Scotland Student and Junior Trainee Group Representative

uPHEM Glasgow Junior Faculty Member