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Diploma in Pharmaceutical Medicine

DPM Part 1 exam - Multiple Choice Paper:

DPM Part 2 exam - Short Answer Paper:

DPM Part 2 exam - Critical Appraisal Paper:

Exam News

The DPM exams are now online with remote invigilation

Because of the ongoing concern for large gatherings and in order to ensure that examinations could go ahead, FPM received GMC approval to run our examinations online in 2020/21.

The application period for the September/October examinations has now closed.

For more information go to online examinations.

In this section

Achieving a Diploma in Pharmaceutical Medicine (DPM) is a defining moment in the career of any pharmaceutical physician. It affirms their knowledge and expertise in our specialty, and their commitment to enhancing the health of society.

It also opens up the opportunity to become an FPM Member (MFPM) and, ultimately, a Fellow (FFPM), accolades that are held by some of the most exceptional and innovative pharmaceutical physicians in the world.

Introduction

The Diploma in Pharmaceutical Medicine (DPM) was established in 1976 and has been passed by almost 900 individuals. It is considered a landmark achievement for any physician undertaking a career in pharmaceutical medicine.

The DPM is an qualification comprised of two parts. Once a candidate has passed DPM Part 1 they are eligible to sit DPM Part 2. Candidates who pass DPM Part 2 are awarded the Diploma in Pharmaceutical Medicine.

Certificate in Pharmaceutical Medicine

You can start with the Certificate in Pharmaceutical Medicine (CPM) and progress on to DPM when you are ready.

Find out more

How will the DPM benefit you?

The DPM is a qualification that is respected around the world
Increases your employability
Demonstrates that you are an expert on the theory and practical applications of pharmaceutical medicine
Sense of achievement, both academic and professional. The DPM is a challenge!
Paves the way to FPM Membership and Fellowship

DPM Awardees video

What are the benefits of taking the DPM?

Dr Shilpa Govindraj, Dr Ugochukwu Stephanie Igwe, Dr Imran Lodhi and Dr Babatunde Oyesile talk about the benefits of taking the Diploma in Pharmaceutical Medicine.

Entry Criteria

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

Registration and fees

DPM Part 1 exam entry: £380
DPM Part 2 exam entry: £650
DPM Part 2 resit exam entry SAQ or CAP: £325

The deadline for registration was 17:00 on 06 August 2021.

Withdrawal Policy:

A candidate who withdraws from the exam must do so via email. Fees will be refunded in full to a candidate whose withdrawal reaches the FPM office before the application deadline.

A handling fee of £50.00 will be charged to candidates who withdraw after the application deadline but up to a minimum of 3 weeks before the date of the exam, candidates who withdraw after this period will be subject to a £75 PER PAPER 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.

2021 Exams schedule:

The DPM qualification consists of two exams, held approximately four weeks apart every autumn. The start time is as for UK, so GMT (BST).
	Examination	Date	Start time	Duration	Location
Part 1	Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) paper	Wednesday 15 September 2021	09:00	2.5 hours	Online
Part 2	Short Answer Questions (SAQ)	Monday 11 October 2021	09:00	2.5 hours	Online
Part 2	Critical Appraisal papers (CAP)	Tuesday 12 October 2021	09:00	2.5 hours	Online

Having a solid foundation in the pillars of Pharm Med (RGN, Clin Dev, Clin Pharm, DSS, HMP, SDM) equips you with the core skills required for any role in pharma.

A recent DPM awardee

Examination guidance

A pass in the first exam awards a Certificate in Pharmaceutical Medicine (CPM) and is also Part 1 of the Diploma in Pharmaceutical Medicine (DPM). The CPM/DPM Part 1 must be passed before candidates are eligible to sit DPM Part 2.

CPM/DPM Part 1 is a Multiple Choice Question paper (MCQ) of 75 questions, each with five possible answers, all to be completed in 2 hours 30 minutes;

DPM Part 2 consists of a Short Answer Question (SAQ) paper of ten questions all to be completed in 2 hours 30 minutes; and a Critical Appraisal paper (CAP) in which candidates have 2 hours 30 minutes to study a published paper and answer questions on it.

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

Please refer to the Guidance and regulations for DPM candidates (pdf) for details of changes implemented in 2019, whereby a Part 1 pass is now final leading to an award of CPM and Part 2 candidates who pass one of the papers but fail the other, do not have to retake the paper they passed at the subsequent 3 exam sittings.

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 DPM 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 DPM exam.

Preparing for the exams

A Diploma candidate should plan a training programme in pharmaceutical medicine, where appropriate with the advice of his or her Educational Supervisor. The training in pharmaceutical medicine should involve courses, distance-learning packages, other tuition and personal study. Candidates are not required to have attended a postgraduate course covering the syllabus for pharmaceutical medicine, though most do.

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. A suggested reading list is included in the DPM digital handbook.

For more information on preparing for the exams, see Guidance and Regulations: DPM Candidates.

Digital handbook

To download further details about the DPM exams, see the links below:

For exam tips and past papers, see the links below:

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