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Certificate in Pharmaceutical Medicine

Certificate in Pharmaceutical Medicine Exam:13 September 2023

Exam News

The CPM exam is delivered online with remote invigilation

For more information go to online examinations.

Bookings are now closed, exam entries will be confirmed on 11 August.

NEWS FOR NEXT YEAR

From the 2024 exams there will be a change to the eligibility criteria:

To register for the CPM, you must hold a bachelor’s degree in any scientific discipline or have worked as a registered pharmacist, nurse, midwife, physiotherapist, osteopath, chiropractor, or psychologist.

It is strongly recommended you have at least two years’ experience of working in pharmaceutical medicine, and specifically in disciplines that provide experience relevant to the CPM syllabus (for example, clinical development, medical affairs, pharmacovigilance, or other related disciplines).

In this section

Registration and fees

CPM exam entry fee: £395

Registration deadline: Registration will close at 17:00 on August 4th 2023.

Bookings are now closed, exam entries will be confirmed on 11 August.

Withdrawal Policy: A candidate who withdraws from the exam must do so via email to exams@fpm.org.uk Fees will be refunded in full to a candidate whose withdrawal reaches the FPM office before the published registration deadline.

Candidates who withdraw after the published registration deadline will be subject to a £75 per paper administrative fee.

A candidate who does not appear for the exam or withdraws after starting the exam will not be entitled to a refund.

Privacy Notice: If you are registered or anticipate being registered with the GMC, your personal data, including exam marks, will be passed to the GMC for quality assurance purposes and to facilitate the awarding of CCTs. Please note our privacy policy and terms and conditions.

If you are a physician in PMST or undergoing revalidation through an approved designated body, you should discuss the outcome of any exam at your next ARCP or revalidation appraisal respectively.

Gaining our Certificate in Pharmaceutical Medicine (CPM) will mark your commitment to the specialty and dedication to improving the health of society. The qualification will consolidate your understanding of the core theories of pharmaceutical medicine and is your first step towards achieving a full Diploma in Pharmaceutical Medicine (DPM).

Is the CPM for you?

The CPM is designed for pharmaceutical physicians who have been working within the field for at least two years and are looking for career development opportunities.

You must possess a medical qualification recognised by the General Medical Council (GMC) in the UK or be included on an appropriate medical register in your home country. All candidates must be registered as medical practitioners.

NEWS FOR NEXT YEAR

From the 2024 exams there will be a change to the eligibility criteria:

How will the CPM benefit you?

Gaining a professional qualification in your chosen specialty can have a hugely beneficial impact on your career – and pharmaceutical medicine is no exception.

FPM qualifications are recognised all over the world. Obtaining the CPM will provide formal recognition of your knowledge and expertise in the specialty – and of your ongoing commitment to training and career development.

The CPM is challenging and will give you a sense of personal achievement, both academically and professionally. You will also be halfway towards achieving a full Diploma in Pharmaceutical Medicine (CPM is also the DPM Part 1 Exam).

Achieving the CPM will enable you to:

Increase your employability – giving you the edge when applying for a new job or promotion
Build your professional reputation
Demonstrate your knowledge and expertise in pharmaceutical medicine
Improve your professional skills

"...a great opportunity to build your knowledge and skills in pharmaceutical medicine. The exam requires preparation and significant study, but is very much worth your investment."

A recent DPM awardee

2023 Exam schedule:

The CPM qualification consists of one exam, held every autumn.
	Examination	Date	Start time	Duration	Location
CPM	Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) paper	Wednesday 13 September 2023	13:30	2.5 hours	Online

Examination Guidance and Regulations

A pass in the Certificate in Pharmaceutical Medicine (CPM) is also Part 1 of the Diploma in Pharmaceutical Medicine (DPM).

CPM is a Multiple Choice Question paper (MCQ) of 75 questions, each with five possible answers, all to be completed in 2 hours 30 minutes;

The time allowed for the written exam is sufficient to complete the papers working at a reasonable pace. Please see our reasonable adjustment policy (pdf) for candidates who may require additional time.

Since 1976 the Syllabus for Pharmaceutical Medicine has been developed by the Royal Colleges of Physicians in the UK for the Diploma in Pharmaceutical Medicine exam, and as the basis for course curricula in postgraduate training in the discipline, and subsequently specialty, of pharmaceutical medicine. Over the years the Syllabus underwent a number of revisions and updates under the auspices of the Colleges, and since 1989 by FPM. In 1985 FPM’s Syllabus for Pharmaceutical Medicine was offered to IFAPP as the basis for the IFAPP Syllabus for Pharmaceutical Medicine, utilised for course curricula and exams in Europe and by IFAPP National Member Associations around the world.

The syllabus for CPM is based on the PharmaTrain 2018 Syllabus. The syllabus is divided into sections covering the below sections. For more information download the full syllabus (pdf).

Section 1 – Discovery of Medicines
Section 2 – Development of Medicines: Planning
Section 3 – Non-Clinical Testing
Section 4 – Pharmaceutical Development
Section 5 – Exploratory Development (Molecule to Proof-of-Concept)
Section 6 – Confirmatory Development: Strategies
Section 7 – Clinical Trials
Section 8 – Ethics and Legal Issues
Section 9 – Data Management and Statistics
Section 10 – Regulatory Affairs
Section 11 – Drug Safety, Pharmacovigilance and Pharmacoepidemiology
Section 12 – Information, Promotion and Education
Section 13 – Economics of Healthcare, Health Econocmincs and Pharmacoeconomics

Please note the following:
FPM led a project on behalf of the PharmaTrain Federation and the International Federation of Associations of Pharmaceutical Physicians and Pharmaceutical Medicine (IFAPP) to update the 2010 PharmaTrain Syllabus. The output, the 2018 PharmaTrain Syllabus came into effect in January 2018. The syllabus is used worldwide by the universities and course providers that design and run courses and exams in pharmaceutical medicine. FPM uses the syllabus to write questions for the CPM exam.

Preparing for the exams

Candidates for the Certificate examination are not required to have attended a postgraduate course covering the syllabus for pharmaceutical medicine although they may find it helpful. There are many such courses currently being run in Europe including several in the UK.

Study of a current edition of one of the published comprehensive texts is highly recommended as preparation for the examination. Textbooks on key topics in the syllabus such as clinical trials, pharmacokinetics, medical statistics, safety assessments, etc, are also essential reading. Regulatory guidelines, particularly those issued by ICH, can also be a valuable source of up-to-date information.

For more information on preparing for the exam, see Guidance and Regulations: CPM Candidates.

Digital handbook

To download further details about the CPM exam, see the links below.

For exam tips and guidance from the examiners, see the links below

The Board of Examiners (BoE) release newsletters periodically. Please find the latest editions below: