MRCEM OSCE pass rate by sitting

TL;DR: The MRCEM OSCE pass rate runs roughly 80–86% overall — RCEM’s published 2024 data shows 80.0% (980 passes / 1,225 candidates) and 2023 was 86.0%. First-attempt pass rate is far higher than resit rate (66.6% vs 31.4% across all RCEM exams in 2024). UK trainees pass at ~80%; international candidates closer to 46%. Diet-level splits by city (London / Kuala Lumpur / Chennai / Hyderabad) are not published separately by RCEM. Treat “80%” as the base case and adjust for first-attempt vs resit, not for location.

You’re looking up the pass rate because you want to know one thing: how worried should you be? The MRCEM OSCE has a reputation as the most candidate-friendly of the three MRCEM components — if you’ve cleared the Primary and the SBA, the OSCE is statistically the kindest of the trio. But “80% pass” still means one in five candidates resits, and the resit pass rate is roughly half the first-attempt rate. This article gives you the actual RCEM numbers, breaks down what they do and don’t tell you, and turns them into a calibration for how hard to train.

What is the MRCEM OSCE pass rate in 2024?

The MRCEM OSCE pass rate in RCEM’s most recent published data (2024 cohort, released October 2025) is 80.0% — 980 candidates passed out of 1,225. That’s down from 86.0% in 2023, and RCEM’s own analysis flags the drop as statistically significant.

Two important caveats before you use that number:

• RCEM publishes annual figures, not diet-by-diet. There is no official breakdown by London vs Kuala Lumpur vs Chennai vs Hyderabad sittings.
• The 80% headline is across all candidates and all attempts in the year. First-attempt candidates pass at much higher rates than resitters.

How has the MRCEM OSCE pass rate changed over time?

The OSCE has historically been the highest-yielding MRCEM exam, but volumes and the pass rate have both shifted as RCEM scaled the exam internationally and migrated to domain-based marking in September 2022.

MRCEM OSCE pass rates by year (RCEM official data)

Sources: RCEM Exam Pass Rate Data 2023 v1; RCEM Exam Pass Rate Report 2024 v2.2; RCEM Examinations Process Improvement Programme update, July 2023. “n/p” = not published as a percentage by RCEM.

Does the MRCEM OSCE pass rate differ by sitting location?

RCEM does not publish separate pass rates for London, Kuala Lumpur, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai or Kochi sittings. The official 2024 figure of 80.0% is pooled across all four (now six) international centres.

What RCEM does publish is a proxy that’s arguably more useful:

• Candidates working within the UK: 68.0% pass rate (across all RCEM exams, 2024)
• Candidates working outside the UK: 46.1% pass rate (across all RCEM exams, 2024)
• UK trainees: 79.6% · UK non-trainees: 57.2% · IMG trainees: 46.0%

For the OSCE specifically, the same pattern applies but is compressed — the OSCE’s 80% headline pulls the IMG cohort up considerably compared to the SBA. Course providers running London sittings consistently report >80% candidate pass rates; providers running Hyderabad and Chennai cohorts report similar figures for prepared candidates. There is no public evidence that one centre is systematically easier or harder — stations and standards are common.

Practical read: book the diet that fits your study timeline and travel logistics. Don’t pick a centre hoping for an easier exam.

What is the first-attempt vs resit pass rate?

This is the single most useful number in the whole report and the one most candidates never see.

RCEM 2024 data (all exams pooled, OSCE included):

• First attempt: 66.6% pass
• Second attempt: 31.4% pass
• Third attempt: 31.3% pass
• Fourth or more: 31.2% pass

Effect size is strong (Cramer’s V 0.34). Translation: resit candidates pass at less than half the first-attempt rate, and that doesn’t recover with more attempts. For the OSCE specifically the headline is still kinder — first-attempt OSCE candidates pass well above 80% — but the resit drop-off is real. Train as if you only get one shot.

Why did the MRCEM OSCE pass rate drop in 2024?

RCEM doesn’t name a single cause, but three changes are sitting in the data:

• Volume up 16% — 1,225 candidates in 2024 vs 1,052 in 2023, with IMG candidates the fastest-growing cohort.
• Domain-based marking fully bedded in — the September 2022 shift from checklist to domain marking was designed to discriminate more sharply between borderline candidates. RCEM’s pilot data showed superior station discrimination, which mechanically tightens the cut score for marginal performers.
• Standard-setting recalibration — the pass mark is set per sitting using the borderline regression method plus one standard error of measurement. As the cohort shifts, the cut score moves with it.

None of this means the exam got harder in any subjective sense. It means the bar for the borderline-competent candidate is being defined more precisely — and a handful of resit candidates per diet now fall on the wrong side of it.

How does the MRCEM OSCE compare to the other MRCEM exams?

Same year (2024), same college:

The OSCE is the friendliest exam in the MRCEM sequence by a wide margin, and roughly twice as forgiving as the MRCEM SBA. The selection effect explains most of this: by the time you sit the OSCE you’ve already cleared two filtering exams.

What is the MRCEM OSCE pass mark?

The MRCEM OSCE uses the borderline regression method for standard-setting, with one standard error of measurement added on top to define the final cut score. The pass mark therefore varies by diet — it isn’t a fixed percentage.

• 16 stations × maximum 10 marks each = 160 marks maximum.
• Domain-based marking: each station tests one to four domains, each weighted.
• Mandatory rule: you must pass at least one of the two resuscitation stations. Fail both and you fail overall regardless of total score.

Who passes and who fails? The differential attainment numbers

RCEM’s 2024 report is unusually transparent about differential attainment. Across all exams:

• By primary medical qualification: UK 81.2% · EEA 57.3% · IMG 46.6%
• By English first language: Yes 64.4% · No 47.5%
• By gender: Female 57.4% · Male 54.8%
• By reasonable adjustments: With 68.3% · Without 53.0%

Two things to take from this if you’re an IMG OSCE candidate. First, the gap exists — the college acknowledges it explicitly. Second, the OSCE narrows the gap considerably compared to the SBAs because the format rewards rehearsable behaviours (structured history, ABCDE, scripted explanations) that you can drill independently of English-as-first-language fluency. Communication scripts and clinical-examination flow are the highest-yield areas for closing it.

How many candidates sit the MRCEM OSCE each year?

The exam has grown roughly twelvefold since 2020:

RCEM added Mumbai and Kochi to the OSCE delivery network during 2025, and diet capacity in Chennai and Hyderabad has expanded year on year. Oversubscription is real — priority goes to UK ST3 trainees, then Irish HST year-3, then NHS-contracted candidates, then everyone else on a first-come basis. Book the moment the application window opens.

What does the 2026 MRCEM OSCE calendar look like?

RCEM’s published 2026 diets:

• 27 May – 11 June 2026 — London (results 23 July 2026)
• 20 – 24 July 2026 — Chennai (results 4 September 2026)
• 3 – 19 November 2026 — London (results 6 January 2027)

Additional Kuala Lumpur, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Kochi diets are scheduled through the year — the RCEM Exam Calendar is the source of truth for application windows.

How should the pass rate change my preparation?

Three calibration points:

1. You are statistically likely to pass first time — if you train like the resit penalty matters. The 80% headline is comforting; the 31% resit rate is the one that should set your study intensity.
2. Domain-based marking rewards observable behaviours. Examiners now score against named domains (clinical reasoning, communication, history-taking, procedural skills, examination, organisation, teaching). Practice with a candidate–examiner–actor structure where someone gives you domain-level feedback after each station, not just a global “good/bad”.
3. You must pass at least one resus station. ABCDE delivery under time pressure is a non-negotiable rehearsable skill. Drill the algorithm until it’s automatic, not until you understand it.

Most candidates who fail the OSCE fail on time management, scripting at the start of a station, or freezing in a complex challenging-situations scenario — not on missing knowledge. The fix is reps under exam conditions, not more reading.

Key facts: MRCEM OSCE at a glance

• 2024 overall pass rate: 80.0% (RCEM official)
• 2023 overall pass rate: 86.0% (RCEM official)
• First-attempt vs resit (all RCEM 2024): 66.6% vs 31.4%
• Format: 16 active stations + 2 rest, 8 min per station, 1 min reading, 2h 42min total
• Marking: domain-based, 0–10 per station, 160 max
• Standard-setting: borderline regression + 1 SEM
• Mandatory: pass at least one of two resus stations
• Locations: London, Kuala Lumpur, Chennai, Hyderabad (Mumbai, Kochi added 2025)
• Fee (UK member): £586 (2026) · Overseas: up to £1,345
• Results: approximately 5 weeks post-sitting

Frequently asked questions

What is the current MRCEM OSCE pass rate?

80.0% in 2024 across 1,225 candidates, per RCEM’s official Exam Pass Rate Report (October 2025). This is the most recent published figure. 2023 was 86.0%.

Is the MRCEM OSCE easier than the MRCEM SBA?

Yes, statistically. In 2024 the OSCE passed 80.0% of candidates while the MRCEM SBA passed 30.9% — the OSCE was more than twice as forgiving. Two effects drive this: selection (you’ve already cleared two earlier exams) and format (rehearsable performance rather than knowledge breadth).

What is the first-attempt pass rate for the MRCEM OSCE?

RCEM doesn’t publish OSCE-specific first-attempt data, but across all 2024 RCEM exams first-attempt candidates passed at 66.6% vs 31.4% on second attempt. Applied to the OSCE’s higher base rate, first-attempt OSCE candidates pass comfortably above 80%, second-attempt candidates pass at well under half that rate.

Does the pass rate differ between London, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kuala Lumpur?

RCEM doesn’t publish location-specific pass rates. The exam content, marking standard and pass mark methodology are common across centres. Pick a diet based on logistics, not on perceived ease.

How many attempts do I get at the MRCEM OSCE?

Six. After six unsuccessful attempts at any single MRCEM component, you are no longer eligible to sit that exam without further evidence of training and remediation — confirm current rules in the MRCEM OSCE Regulations & Information Pack on the RCEM website.

What’s the MRCEM OSCE pass mark?

It varies by diet. RCEM uses borderline regression to set a cut score, then adds one standard error of measurement. Maximum score is 160 (16 stations × 10 marks). You also have to pass at least one of the two resuscitation stations independently of your total.

How long do MRCEM OSCE results take?

Approximately five weeks after the exam date, released on a pre-advised day via your RCEM account. The published 2026 diets show ~5–7 weeks from sitting to results release.

Are pass rates better for UK trainees?

Yes — UK trainees passed at 79.6% across all RCEM exams in 2024, versus 46.0% for IMG trainees. The OSCE narrows this gap compared to the SBAs because format-based skills (scripts, ABCDE, structured history) can be drilled to a high standard regardless of training background.

Does failing one station mean I fail the whole exam?

No — except for the resus stations. You can fail multiple stations and still pass overall if your aggregate score sits above the cut score. But fail both resus stations and you fail the exam regardless of your total.

Should I retake the OSCE in the next available diet if I fail?

Resit pass rates are roughly half of first-attempt rates, so don’t rush. Use the RCEM feedback letter to identify weak domains (it gives you station-by-station scores plus the cohort average), drill those specifically, and book the next diet that gives you 8–12 weeks of focused practice rather than the very next one.

Has the OSCE changed since the introduction of domain-based marking?

Yes. From September 2022 RCEM moved from checklist marking to domain-based marking. The change improved station discrimination but has been associated with the 6-percentage-point drop in pass rate from 2023 to 2024. Candidates need to demonstrate the named domain skills explicitly, not just complete a list of tasks.

What’s the most common reason candidates fail the MRCEM OSCE?

Time management, scripted openings under stress, and freezing in complex challenging-situations stations — not knowledge gaps. Most failed candidates know the medicine; they don’t deliver it cleanly inside 8 minutes. Mock OSCEs under timed conditions are the single highest-yield intervention.

Facts last verified 30 May 2026. Primary sources: RCEM Exam Pass Rate Report 2024 (v2.2, October 2025); RCEM Exam Pass Rate Data 2023 (v1, July 2024); RCEM MRCEM Exams page; RCEM Results, Feedback and Awarding page; RCEM Examinations Process Improvement Programme update (July 2023). RCEM does not publish diet-by-diet or location-by-location pass rates — figures above are pooled annual data.

Next step: Train for the resit penalty, not the headline pass rate. Browse MRCEM OSCE preparation at emfinalexams.com to drill stations under timed, examiner-marked conditions.

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