Meet Some of the Officers Behind FPM’s Examinations
Posted on: Friday 15 August 2025
FPM’s Officers of the Board of Examiners (OBoE) are the driving force behind our examinations.
They oversee everything from managing the Board of Examiners (BoE) and setting exam questions, to marking scripts, upholding standards, and leading examiner training days.
We’re excited to spotlight some of the people in OBoE who make this work possible. Find out what inspired them to join, what they enjoy about being part of the group, and the advice they’d give to anyone considering getting involved!
I joined OBoE because…
I wanted to stay up to date with the full scope of pharmaceutical medicine, and have a forum to network and engage with my colleagues across the Faculty. I was hesitant about joining OBoE because I doubted my ability to contribute, but our monthly meetings are a highlight in my calendar. Come and join us in driving the standards of our specialty through spirited and lively knowledge-sharing and learning – we’d love to have you on board, and I can guarantee you a warm welcome!
I joined OBoE because…
I wanted to contribute to keeping the Diploma in Pharmaceutical Medicine exam as a challenging but fair assessment of essential knowledge to succeed in our specialty, and to get involved in the work of our Faculty.
The thing I enjoy most about being on OBoE is…
the opportunity to meet and work with examiner colleagues from across the industry, to see the hard work that goes on ‘behind the scenes’ of the exam, and to build my own knowledge through trying to answer the exam questions myself (before looking at the answers)!
A message to those considering joining the BoE…
Please do it! I’ve had a really warm welcome since joining the BoE earlier this year, and we have fun in our meetings as well as working hard. It’s a fascinating role that I guarantee you’ll learn from.
I joined OBoE because…
I wanted to get involved with the Faculty and give back after completing my PMST. A colleague suggested it, and I was eager to learn. OBoE’s training helped me understand the exam process and gave me confidence to write questions and mark. Later, I wanted to become more involved and became a member of OBoE.
The thing I enjoy most about being on OBoE is…
the people I get to work with. We come from various areas and companies, making it a fantastic way to meet other pharmaceutical physicians. While we work hard to deliver the exam, we also share a few laughs along the way!
A message to those considering joining…
Attend a training session to learn more about our work. Being an examiner supports revalidation and helps keep you up-to-date, presents an interesting challenge, and offers excellent networking opportunities!
I joined OBoE because…
I was invited to join by a peer who I had met a few years earlier on a training course. He gave me the confidence that I did have knowledge and experience which I could positively contribute.
The thing I enjoy most about being on OBoE is…
Continuing to keep on top of my pharmaceutical medicine knowledge by learning from the other OBoE members and their experiences, the social networking (it is such a lovely, welcoming team), feeling valued and giving back to the PMST programme for the Pharmaceutical Physicians of the future.
A message to those considering joining…
I would encourage it! The expected commitment is completely reasonable alongside a busy full-time job and outside of life commitments. I feel very supported by all OBoE members, and proud to be part of the team.
I joined OBoE because…
I wanted to keep pushing my knowledge and understanding of pharmaceutical medicine, as an academic specialty, but as a broader mechanism to improve people’s health. Learning from my fellow OBoE colleagues has really helped me improve myself, and identify other areas of this fascinating medical specialty. I am also passionate about training and development, and OBoE helps to act a guide to this.
Thank you to all members of OBoE
Members of OBoE, as of June 2026:
Dr Chris Brearley
Dr Caz Canavan
Dr Jo Collier
Dr Mayura Deshpande
Dr Sadia Halim
Dr Alistair Paice
Dr Vibha Patel
Dr James Penton
Dr Helen Philpott
Dr Jon Sisson
Dr Tina Strutt
Dr Darren Wilbraham
Interested in joining the BoE?
- Learn more about becoming an examiner and how you can contribute to the future of pharmaceutical medicine.