The exam- and what the

examiners expect
PGCPM Revision Module July 2018
With thanks to FPM Exam Board
 Diploma in Pharmaceutical Medicine
Syllabus: PharmaTrain 2018

1. SECTION Discovery of Medicines

2. SECTION Development of Medicines: Planning

3. SECTION Non-Clinical Testing

4. SECTION Pharmaceutical Development

5. SECTION Exploratory Development (Molecule to Proof of Concept)

6. SECTION Confirmatory Development

7. SECTION Clinical Trials

8. SECTION Ethics and Legal Issues

9. SECTION Data Management and Statistics

10. SECTION Regulatory Affairs

11. SECTION Drug Safety, Pharmacovigilance and Pharmacoepidemiology

12. SECTION Information, Promotion and Education

13. SECTION Economics of Healthcare, Health Economics and Pharmacoeconomics

 DPM- structure of exam
This is a postgraduate medical exam, like any
other, and strictly assured.
Part 1 : MCQ
If successful , advance to
Part 2 about 4 weeks later:
Short answer questions and critical appraisal
 Structure of exam, (2)
Must pass Part 1 before eligible for Part 2.
Candidates may sit both parts same year
DPM is awarded on passing Part 2
Pass Part 1 but fail Part 2 means exempt from
Part 1 for the next 4 eligible attempts (but you
apparently get a certificate...)
 Eligibility for examination
Assumed that you have all checked this!
 MCQ
75 questions x 5 responses = 375 items of
information
Time allowed: 2.5 hours
No negative marking
Each correct answer scores 1 mark
Incorrect or no answer scores 0 marks
Random answers score 50%
Pass mark typically ≈ 72-73%. (Mean in last 9
years 72.2%, range 70-74.4%)
 MCQ: Observations
Each stem tests only one piece of knowledge
so
You have to revise
Do not leave a question out as 50/50 chance
of getting it right
 Short answer questions (SAQs)
10 questions
Tests factual actual knowledge / ability to
interpret data
All questions to be answered
Candidates must gain marks on at least 8
questions
Time allowed 2½ hours (15 mins/question)
Answer in bullet form style- NOT essays
 SAQs (2)
Pass mark for each question set by experienced
examiners prior to the exam
2 examiners (same pair) mark all scripts for 1
question
Average score taken
If >2 marks difference then goes for adjudication
(third marker blinded to other scores). Median then
taken.
Pass or Fail - pass mark typically ≈ 51-52% (mean in
the last 11 years 51.04%, range 48-54%)
 SAQ: Observations
Test of knowledge: you HAVE to revise
 READ the question
ANSWER the question
Bulleted responses NOT essays
Ensure you answer all the questions (score of
zero ≥ 3 questions = FAIL
Work through past papers…
PRACTISE WRITING OUT
SHORT ANSWERS
BY HAND!
 Critical appraisal paper
 Tests ability to read and critique a paper
 Not specified in PharmaTrain syllabus but is fundamental to our
work regardless of discipline
 ~ 13 questions (40% factual, 60% critique)
 No requirement for all questions to be answered – but you won’t
get any marks for something you don’t answer.
 2½ hour paper (plenty)
 Question paper and article given at same time
 Answer succinctly (bullets)
 Marking similar to SAQ
 Pass/fail: Pass mark typically ≈ 57% (mean in the last few years
56.36%, range 54-59%)
 CAP: Observations
Test of technique : practice makes perfect
READ the question
ANSWER the question
Bulleted responses NOT essays
Ensure you answer all the questions,
particularly the critique/discussion and last one
which is usually a ‘what next’
Work through publications regularly- you
should be doing this in the day job anyway….
PRACTISE WRITING
BY HAND!
“TOP TIPS” 2016 (CURRENT VERSION)

FROM THE BOARD OF EXAMINERS-

SEE FPM WEBSITE AND COPY IN YOUR PACKS
 “Top tips” - General
 The pass mark is set each year according to the content of each paper. There is no set quota for how
many candidates pass or fail.
 We recommend you form study groups to help revise and prepare for the exam. Helping your colleagues
will also help you pass the exam!
 Look at past papers, available for the last 3 years on the FPM website* as a guide to the type and format
of questions asked.

Read the question carefully and answer it!

 o Marks will not be awarded for information that does not address the question (even if the information is
factually correct).
 o As an example of the above point, in the 2015 SAQ paper there were 2 questions where candidates
commonly did not answer the question asked and consequently scored poorly. Please see the Board of
Examiners Winter Newsletter 2015 (on the FPM website*) for more information.

In the questions you may see the following terms:

 List”, “Give” or “State” meaning give a few words or a short sentence for each item - the “what”.
 “Describe” meaning give a few sentences for each, addressing key features - the “what, where, why, when
& how”.
 “Define” meaning explain what the terms mean or the concept in no more than a few sentences.
 “Compare” meaning give a few words or a short sentence giving the similarities and differences of one
thing versus another. You can give a table for clarity.
 “Comment” meaning give your opinion. This is a common term we use in the Critical Appraisal Paper,
where we want your opinion (critique on the paper). Often there are no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answers but you
should be able to support your opinion with reasoned discussion and/or evidence.
 ‘Top tips’- general
Read the question carefully and answer it!
 o Marks will not be awarded for information that does not address the question (even if the
information is factually correct).
 o As an example of the above point, in the 2015 SAQ paper there were 2 questions where
candidates commonly did not answer the question asked and consequently scored poorly.
Please see the Board of Examiners Winter Newsletter 2015 (on the FPM website*) for more
information.

In the questions you may see the following terms:

 “List”, “Give” or “State” meaning give a few words or a short sentence for each item - the
“what”.
 “Describe” meaning give a few sentences for each, addressing key features - the “what, where,
why, when & how”.
 “Define” meaning explain what the terms mean or the concept in no more than a few sentences.
 “Compare” meaning give a few words or a short sentence giving the similarities and differences
of one thing versus another. You can give a table for clarity.
 “Comment” meaning give your opinion. This is a common term we use in the Critical Appraisal
Paper, where we want your opinion (critique on the paper). Often there are no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’
answers but you should be able to support your opinion with reasoned discussion and/or
evidence.
(*link provided later)
 Top tips- General cont’d

For both the SAQ and CAP papers, we advise candidates to write in bullet point format
and give a few words or a short sentence for each bullet. Writing a lot of words will not
score more and will waste your valuable time.
 Focus on quality not quantity.
 Write as clearly as possible.
 Be guided by the number of marks available for a question. Do not write a page for
an answer worth 1 mark.

 If asked [for example] to give a list of 8 features, and you give more than 8, we will
mark all your responses, although you cannot score more than the maximum marks
available.
 If asked for a number of points, avoid repeating the same information in a slightly
different way as it will only score once.
 If asked for advantages and disadvantages, do not give the same information both as
an advantage and the converse as a disadvantage, as you will only score once!
 FPM ‘Top tips’: SAQ

Make sure you plan your time sufficiently.

You have 2½ hours to answer 10 questions,
that is ~15 minutes per question.
You can answer the SAQs in any order you like.
You must score >0 on at least 8 questions, so
make sure you make an attempt at all 10
questions.
 FPM ‘Top tips’: CAP
 No detailed therapy area knowledge is required to answer the questions. We
are looking for general principles and will not require you to have in depth
knowledge of the disease area the article relates to.
 We suggest you do a timed practice on reviewing a paper and answering
questions.
 In the CAP, the critique can be positive points about the paper, not always
negative ones. So don't automatically look for deficiencies, look for what’s
good about it as well.
 Remember, when asked to comment, the “so-what”. Don't just give the facts,
give the implications too.
 You need to be able to write in lay-language when the question asks for it -
that is language suitable for a non-medical/scientific person to understand.
(Pinker handout)
 For further information on the DPM exam and the CAP paper, you can refer to
a presentation made at the FPM Education Day slides on these topics available
on the FPM website *.
* link provided in later slide
 FPM website:

https://www.fpm.org.uk/trainingexams/
exams/dippharmmed
Check FPM website!