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DOccMed preparation guide
How to prepare for DOccMed
A practical overview of the exam, the rules that catch candidates out, and how to approach the MCQs, the portfolio, and the viva. Written for doctors who are early in their preparation and want the shape of the whole process before they start.
The exam in outline
DOccMed, the Diploma in Occupational Medicine, is awarded by the Faculty of Occupational Medicine and has two parts. Part 1 is a best-of-five MCQ paper, sat online, covering occupational disease, legislation, toxicology, and fitness for work. It tests applied judgement more than recall, so reading around a topic is not the same as being able to answer a question on it under exam conditions.
Part 2 has two components. A portfolio submission, made up of a Workplace Assessment and a Clinical Case, is reviewed ahead of a viva in which you discuss and defend the reasoning behind it. The viva is not a memory test. It is a conversation about how you think.
Both parts are usually offered together each sitting, with registration opening months ahead of the exam dates and closing well before them. Places are limited and allocated on a first come, first served basis, so registering early matters more than most candidates expect.
The administrative rules that catch people out
Most candidates fail through avoidable administrative mistakes, not lack of ability. These are worth knowing before you start, not once you hit them.
Training validity
You must pass all parts within 5 years of completing your training.
Consequence, you may need to retake the 55 hour approved course if the window expires.
Attempt limit
A maximum of 6 attempts is permitted at each part.
Consequence, repeated failure can end progression toward the qualification. Sit with intent, not to see what it is like.
Attendance
Minimum 90% attendance at an approved course is required.
Consequence, falling short can make you ineligible to sit the exam, regardless of how well prepared you are.
Language and documents
All assessments are conducted in English, with official translation required for foreign diplomas where applicable.
Consequence, missing documentation can delay or block eligibility. Sort this out well before your deadline.
These figures are correct at the time of writing but are set by the Faculty of Occupational Medicine and can change. Confirm the current rules for your sitting at fom.ac.uk.
Preparing for the MCQs
The MCQs reward applied judgement over familiarity. It is possible to read confidently around a topic and still answer slowly or incorrectly under exam conditions, because the questions are built to test how you use knowledge, not whether you have seen it before.
The candidates who do well tend to do three things differently. They practise a high volume of exam style questions rather than relying mainly on passive reading. They review every wrong answer properly, working out why the correct option was right and why the distractors were wrong, rather than just checking the answer key and moving on. And they work from a structure that tracks weak topics and directs revision toward them, rather than repeating whatever feels comfortable.
Confidence tends to follow exposure rather than precede it. Starting question practice early, even before you feel ready, usually produces better results than waiting until the content feels fully learned.
Writing the portfolio
The portfolio has two parts: a Workplace Assessment and a Clinical Case. Both are marked on occupational reasoning, not just accuracy, so the strongest submissions explain the thinking behind each judgement rather than just stating a conclusion.
A strong Workplace Assessment goes beyond describing a site. It shows understanding of the work process, the hazards actually observed, who may be exposed, the likely health effects, existing controls, and the reasoning behind your risk priorities. Listing hazards or labelling them high, medium, or low risk without explaining why is one of the most common weaknesses.
A strong Clinical Case is not a general medical case report. It should connect the clinical facts to occupational history, work relatedness, functional limitations, adjustments, consent, communication, and follow up. Examiners want to see how the condition affects work and how work affects the condition, not just a clinical summary.
Before submitting, it is worth checking that both required sections are present, the current official template has been used, confidential information has been removed, references are included, and your strongest detail sits in the areas that require the most reasoning rather than the areas that were easiest to write.
Preparing for the viva
The viva is not a memory test, and it is not separate from your portfolio. It is usually a conversation about the cases you submitted, so you need to be able to explain why you chose them, what mattered most, and how you reached your conclusions, not just what the conclusions were.
Examiners are listening for occupational reasoning rather than clinical knowledge alone. That means talking about function, work demands, risk, adjustments, and fitness for work, not just diagnosis and treatment. Candidates often lose marks by giving long, unfocused answers. Shorter, clearer answers that link directly back to occupational practice tend to score better than exhaustive ones.
The viva also assesses whether you sound professionally safe: whether you show balance, know your limits, and give advice that is practical and defensible. You do not need to sound perfect. You need to sound clear, credible, and composed, which usually comes from practising your answers out loud rather than only rehearsing them in your head.
Common questions
What is the DOccMed exam?
DOccMed is the Diploma in Occupational Medicine, awarded by the Faculty of Occupational Medicine (FOM). It has two parts: Part 1 is a best-of-five MCQ paper covering occupational health principles, legislation, toxicology, and fitness for work. Part 2 is a portfolio submission (a Workplace Assessment and a Clinical Case) followed by a viva discussing your reasoning.
How is DOccMed different from MFOM?
DOccMed is the diploma-level qualification and the usual entry point into occupational medicine. MFOM (Membership of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine) sits at a higher level. Most doctors sit DOccMed first.
How long does DOccMed preparation take?
There's no fixed answer, but most candidates preparing alongside clinical work give themselves several months for MCQ revision and treat the portfolio as a separate, earlier-starting project, since it usually takes longer to write well than people expect.
What's the pass mark for DOccMed?
The Faculty of Occupational Medicine sets and publishes the current pass mark and standard-setting method. Check fom.ac.uk for the figure that applies to your sitting rather than relying on a fixed number here, since these details are reviewed by the Faculty and can change.
Where to go next
If you are still weighing up whether occupational medicine is the right move, the career quiz gives you a readiness score and a next step in about two minutes. If you already know you are preparing, the MCQ practice is the quickest way to find out where you actually stand.