The ACEM Fellowship OSCE
Everything you need to know about the Fellowship Clinical Examination: the format, station types, who can sit it and when.
At a glance
Key facts
The OSCE is a clinical exam based on scenarios you would expect to see in the emergency department. The current exam fee is AUD $4,450 per attempt.
12
Stations
11 min
Per station (4 reading + 7 assessment)
2 days
Held over two consecutive days
4
Maximum attempts
Format
How the exam runs
The OSCE is held over two consecutive days and has up to 12 clinical stations.
Each station is 11 minutes: 4 minutes of reading time followed by 7 minutes of assessment. That adds up to 132 minutes of stations across the two days.
Station types
Every sitting includes at least one of each:
- History taking
- Physical examination
- A challenging communication station: patient, relative or staff member
- Resus Standardised Case-Based Discussion
- Teaching or advice to junior staff
- Standardised Case-Based Discussion (SCBD)
Eligibility
Who can sit the OSCE?
You must meet these requirements by the eligibility deadline for your chosen sitting:
- Be an enrolled ACEM trainee with no financial debts to the College
- Hold current registration to practise medicine in Australia or Aotearoa New Zealand
- Have progressed to Training Stage 4 (the OSCE can be sat at any time during Stage 4)
- Have completed the online Clinical Leadership module
- Have completed the Paediatric Emergency Requirement (PER)
- Not be on a Wellbeing Interruption to Training from application through to the sitting dates
Specialist international medical graduates and transitioned trainees have variations under ACEM’s regulations.
Dates
Upcoming OSCE sittings
The application close date is also the withdrawal cut-off, unless exceptional circumstances apply.
Sitting 2026.2
8–11 and 15–16 September 2026
AMC-NTC, Melbourne
- Applications open
- 15 June 2026
- Applications close
- 10 July 2026
- Eligibility deadline
- 10 August 2026
Sitting 2027.1
16–19 March 2027
Cliftons, Sydney
- Applications open
- 14 December 2026
- Applications close
- 29 January 2027
- Eligibility deadline
- 8 February 2027
Sitting 2027.2
7–10 September 2027
Cliftons, Sydney
- Applications open
- 7 June 2027
- Applications close
- 9 July 2027
- Eligibility deadline
- 9 August 2027
OSCE FAQ
Common questions about the OSCE
How many stations are in the ACEM OSCE?
Up to 12 clinical stations, based on scenarios you would expect to see in the emergency department. There is at least one of each station type: history taking, physical examination, challenging communication, Resus SCBD, teaching or advice to junior staff, and SCBD.
How long is each OSCE station?
Each station is 11 minutes: 4 minutes of reading time followed by 7 minutes of assessment. That is 132 minutes of stations in total, spread over two consecutive days.
When can I sit the OSCE?
At any time during Training Stage 4, once you meet the eligibility requirements by the eligibility deadline for your chosen sitting.
How many attempts do I get?
A maximum of four. Each attempt needs a new application and fee. A trainee who is unsuccessful on their final attempt may be considered for removal from the training program.
How much does the OSCE cost?
The current exam fee is AUD $4,450 per attempt.
Can I withdraw after applying?
The withdrawal cut-off is the application close date, unless exceptional circumstances apply. Withdrawals are made through ACEM’s online form.
Source: ACEM Examinations, last checked 25 October 2026. Exam details can change, so always confirm with ACEM before applying. Past papers and exam reports are on ACEM eLearning.
Practise under exam conditions
Our next in-person course dates will be announced soon. Each course runs at the Westmead Simulation Centre, Sydney, with trial stations, individual coaching and video feedback from FACEM faculty.