About the EBEEMEBEEM UEMS

IMPORTANT information  (Update March 2024)

A new format will be implemented for both Part A and Part B in the second half of 2024. From June 2024 on, Part B will only consist of SOEs (no more SCEs), and Part A will be extended to 200 MCQs.

Details for each new format are available on their respective pages. You can address your questions to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 

What is the EBEEM?

The European Board Examination in Emergency Medicine (EBEEM) is developed and implemented by EMERGE (Emergency Medicine Examination Reference Group in Europe). EMERGE is a joint-committee of EUSEM and the UEMS Section of Emergency Medicine. It is a two-part examination designed to confirm the candidate’s suitability for independent practice as an emergency physician within any country in the European Union. The examination assesses the knowledge, skills and behaviours necessary for the clinical practice of Emergency Medicine at the level of the specialist or consultant engaged in independent practice. This confirms that the successful candidate is able to provide clinical leadership in the emergency department.

 

Why take the EBEEM?

The European Board exam has been running for many years now and has an increasing number of applications from a global range of countries, including many European countries. However there remain some concerns about the purpose of the Board exam and for some people uncertainty of the legal standing of the EBEEM.

There are clear advantages to the individual of success in the EBEEM:

  • Institutions may elect to require success in the EBEEM for specialist/ consultant appointment.
  • Institutions may utilise success in the EBEEM to differentiate between two applicants for the same post
  • Training authorities may use the EBEEM (preparation and success) as part of the criteria for the accreditation process of training sites
  • Individual departments may use success as a marker for promotion, e.g. for the successful candidate to be promoted to head of the department
  • Countries without an existing formal exit exam may choose to use the EBEEM as their final exam for completion of training
  • Success in Part A can be used as in-training evaluation to assess the progress of trainees in a training programme
  • Training programmes may use success in the EBEEM to validate their training programme

 This is a European exam with focus on European candidates. To ensure that the focus is maintained on Europe we encourage as many European trainees as possible to participate.

 

Status of European postgraduate medical assessments

Regarding the legal standing of these postgraduate medical exams, the "UEMS-CESMA Guideline for the organisation of European postgraduate medical assessments" states:

  • European postgraduate medical assessments are to be considered as a quality mark unless otherwise recognised by a national competent authority (NCA). Unless full NCA recognition has been obtained, the European postgraduate medical assessments will be considered complementary to the national examination.
  • European postgraduate medical assessments will facilitate mobility of medical practitioners throughout the European Union (EU) by assessing specialist knowledge at an agreed EU standard. Furthermore, the European examinations will enable benchmarking of candidates against their European colleagues in other EU countries.
  • However, passing a European postgraduate medical assessment will NOT imply a licence to practise. It is only the NCA that will be able to provide such a licence. Nevertheless, where full NCA recognition of a qualification applies, the European postgraduate medical assessments may provide a means for the NCA to determine eligibility for a licence to practise.

This statement is written by the members of EMERGE and designed to help Emergency Physicians in Europe to understand the importance and value of taking this specialist exam in Emergency Medicine. This is particularly relevant for countries where there is currently no exit exam at the end of training.

Success in the EBEEM does not confer a legal right to work as either a non-specialist (general medical registration) or specialist in any of the European countries (as you can see in the UEMS-CESMA guidelines). This is still dependent on the requirements of the national competent authorities.

 

Status of EBEEM AS AN OFFICIAL EXIT EXAM 

The full EBEEM exam, Part A and Part B, is the official exit exam of EM specialty training in Malta.

The Part A exam is the official theoretical part of the exit exam of EM specialty training and supra specialty training in Flanders, Belgium.