Examinations
The FFLM currently offers four exams
Please click on each, below, in the grey boxes, for further information. Our candidates are paramedics, doctors, nurses, lawyers, dentists, among other healthcare professionals.
For information on fees, diary and our cancellations policy please click here. Exact exam dates, if available, can be found below, in the grey boxes.
All written-exams (DLM, Part 1 exams and Part 2 SAQ exams) are online. Candidates must read the available information on the TestReach’s website. Part 2 OSCE and OSPE candidates must familiarise themselves with Microsoft Teams as the OSPEs and the majority of OSCEs are also done online.
Results are normally published within four weeks from the date(s) of the exam(s).
Note that membership is not automatic following success in our exams. Neither is it obligatory. Successful candidates need to apply for membership (Membership, Licentiateship, Affiliateship or Associateship) separately. Any queries about membership should be sent to Ms Charlene Campbell, at charlene.campbell@fflm.ac.uk. Membership Benefits can be found here. Candidates will know that membership is required if you wish to use the postnominals, as we are obliged to ensure that anyone using the postnominals is in good standing with our Faculty. If candidates choose not to apply for membership, they cannot use the postnominals. Our exams are recognised and form part of candidates’ CVs, however.
If you have questions on any of our courses, training and/or events please contact Mrs Tessa Lewis at tessa.lewis@fflm.ac.uk.
Should you have any queries about our exams, after studying the relevant webpages and their documents, please email our Examinations Manager, forensic.medicine@fflm.ac.uk.
Part 1 and DLM Exams – October 2024
The exams will be online on Friday 11 October.
The application period will be from Friday 31 May to Friday 28 June 2024.
Part 2 Exams – March and June 2025
The application period for the 2025 exams will open in November 2024.
Preparing for our exams
We offer distance-learning courses and webinars, including some specifically for future exam candidates.
Please note this training is not mandatory, although we highly recommend it, as there is a strong correlation between attending our courses and being successful in our exams.
Please spread the word and encourage your colleagues, friends and family to increase their chances of success.
What is it like to sit our exams?
Read recent candidates' experiences, get tips on preparing, attempt some sample questions and see the FFLM resources available.
Part 1 and DLM dates
The application period will be from Friday 31 May to Friday 28 June 2024.
The exams will be on Friday 11 October 2024.
ASET holders can apply for the Part 2 exam, should they be eligible to do so, straight after passing the Part 1 LFFLM (SOM or GFM) exam.
Part 2 dates
The application period for the 2024 exams will be from 01 to 29 November 2023.
Exam dates:
The MLM OSPE: Thursday 07 March 2024.
SAQ exams: Friday 08 March 2024.
The first part of the OSCE exams, for SOM and GFM candidates, will be on Saturday 09 and Sunday 10 March 2024.
Up to 10 stations for each subspecialty will be done then, online.
The second part of the OSCE exams will be on Saturday 08 June 2024 .
Up to four stations for each subspecialty will be done then, face to face, in Central London.
Please remember that written projects, COVEs and Portfolios, can be sent by email at any time after the candidate has passed the Part 1 exam.
The Part 2 OSCE exam and the two written projects must be submitted before the Part 1 result expires (it is valid for four years).
Exam News
Medico-legal Medicine Part 2 Exam
In March and June 2024, the Faculty will be holding the Part 2 examinations for the Membership and Licentiate candidates in sexual offence medicine, (SOM) and general forensic medicine, (GFM).
The Faculty is not able to offer a Part 2 examination for Medicolegal Medicine (MLM) candidates. In addition, a revision of the format of this examination is underway. The Faculty plans to offer the Part 2 MLM examination in 2025 and apologises to those who were planning to sit the examination in March 2024. Candidates for whom the validity of their Part 1 pass would ‘expire’ in 2024 will be offered a one-year extension, in order that they will remain eligible to apply to sit the Part 2 examination in March 2025.
Change in Format of the Licentiate Exam
The Faculty is changing the format of the Licentiate (LFFLM) examinations in SOM and GFM. Candidates will no longer submit a Compendium of Validated Evidence, (COVE), or a case portfolio; instead, they will sit a short answer question (SAQ) paper in the Part 2 examination. The Part 1 LFFLM will remain as a single best answer (SBA) paper. The Part 2 LFFLM will still have the OSCEs, along with the SAQ.
As a result of these changes, the Examination regulations are being revised and will be published in good time for the commencement of the 2024/25 examination diet.
Click here to take a look at our Frequently Asked Questions document for current candidates.
AFFLM (DLM) and Assoc (DLM)
From November 2021 successful DLM candidates who obtained Distinction can apply to become an Associate or Affiliate of our Faculty and, once a member, may use the postnominal AFFLM (DLM) or Assoc (DLM) instead of just DLM. This applies to all successful Part 1 MFFLM candidates too, as they have in effect passed the DLM exam with Distinction (the same paper is used).
Scenesafe Prize
We are delighted to announce that Scenesafe will provide a prize of £250 to the candidate with the top mark for the Part 1 MFFLM/DLM exam in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.
The 2021 winner is Dr Alison Young!
The 2022 winner is Heidi Mounsey!
The 2023 winner is Dr Emma Green!
Written Exams Online
All our written exams (Part 1, DLM and SAQs) as well as our OSPEs - and most of our OSCEs, are now online (candidates can sit them at home), either via Microsoft Teams or TestReach.
Need help with some acronyms and abbreviations? Visit our helpful page.
Click here