TL;DR — Short answer: YES. The 2010 RCEM Basic Sciences Curriculum is still the document the MRCEM Primary blueprint is built on. RCEM continues to map every Primary SBA to it, and as of May 2026 they have not replaced it. A 2010-dated textbook that follows the curriculum closely is still on-syllabus — with one caveat: pharmacology and microbiology have drifted in places, so cross-check drug doses, antibiotic regimens and resuscitation algorithms against current UK guidance (NICE, BNF, RCUK).
If you have just pulled a dusty 2010-vintage RCEM Basic Sciences book off a senior colleague’s shelf and you are wondering whether it is going to waste your time, this article is for you. We will walk through what the “2010 syllabus” actually is, why it is still the current reference document in May 2026, what has been bolted on top of it via the 2021 Emergency Medicine Curriculum, and where the 2010 content has genuinely aged out.
What is the “2010 syllabus” everyone keeps referring to?
The official name is the RCEM Basic Sciences Curriculum (June 2010). It is a ~100-page document that lists every anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, microbiology, pathology and evidence-based medicine topic that can be examined in MRCEM Primary (formerly FRCEM Primary, also called Part A by older candidates).
When candidates on Reddit and WhatsApp study groups talk about “the 2010 syllabus” or “the 2010 book”, they almost always mean one of two things:
- The RCEM curriculum document itself (free PDF on the RCEM site).
- A revision textbook written against that curriculum — commonly the Boursicot/Khan-era basic sciences titles, or older MRCEM Part A guides.
The curriculum document and any textbook that follows it page-for-page are still on-syllabus. RCEM has not retired or rewritten it.
Is the 2010 curriculum still what MRCEM Primary is examined against in 2026?
Yes. The RCEM MRCEM Exams page (verified 30 May 2026) states the Primary is “mapped to the Emergency Medicine 2021 Curriculum” with detailed content “found in the RCEM Basic Sciences Curriculum (June 2010)”. The Regulations and Information Pack (November 2023 revision) says the same thing.
The 2021 EM Curriculum is the higher-level training curriculum — it sets the clinical capabilities a trainee must develop over the whole ACCS-EM and Higher EM programme. The 2010 Basic Sciences Curriculum is the granular, examinable list of facts. Primary SBAs are written from the 2010 document. The 2021 curriculum tells you why those facts matter clinically; it does not replace the topic list.
What does the 2010 curriculum actually cover, and how is the exam weighted?
180 single-best-answer questions, 3 hours, six subject domains. The current published blueprint:
| Subject domain | SBAs (of 180) | Approx. weight |
|---|---|---|
| Anatomy | 60 | 33% |
| Physiology | 60 | 33% |
| Pharmacology | 24 | 13% |
| Microbiology | 17 | 9% |
| Evidence-based medicine / statistics | 10 | 6% |
| Pathology | 9 | 5% |
Two-thirds of the paper is anatomy plus physiology — the bits of the 2010 document that have aged the least. A femoral triangle is still a femoral triangle. Starling’s law has not been repealed.
Has anything changed since 2010 that affects what the 2010 book teaches?
The curriculum topic list has not been rewritten. What has changed sits one layer down — in the clinical facts the curriculum points at. The table below maps where a 2010-vintage book is still reliable vs where you need to refresh from a 2024+ source.
| Domain | 2010 book reliability | What to cross-check against current sources |
|---|---|---|
| Anatomy | Excellent — effectively unchanged | Nothing material |
| Physiology | Excellent | Nothing material |
| Pharmacology | Mostly good; mechanisms unchanged | DOAC dosing, reversal agents (idarucizumab, andexanet), newer antiemetics, sugammadex, ketamine in adult sedation, paediatric analgesic doses — check current BNF |
| Microbiology | Mostly good; organism biology unchanged | Empirical antibiotic regimens (sepsis-6, meningitis, neutropenic sepsis), MRSA/C. difficile guidance — check local trust + NICE NG51 |
| Pathology | Good | Sepsis definitions (Sepsis-3, 2016, still current), troponin assays (high-sensitivity now standard) |
| Resuscitation-adjacent content | Variable | Use Resuscitation Council UK 2021 guidelines, not 2010 ALS |
| Evidence-based medicine | Excellent — stats do not age | Nothing material |
Key takeaway: the spine of the book is fine, the drug pages need a 2026-era second opinion.
Why does RCEM still use a 2010 document?
Two reasons, both pragmatic:
- Basic sciences barely move. The cardiac action potential has not been re-discovered. Revising the curriculum every five years would force a textbook industry to rewrite for no exam-relevant gain.
- The 2021 curriculum already handles clinical drift. Where modern practice has moved on (sepsis bundles, DOAC reversal, RSI drug choice), the 2021 EM curriculum and the Intermediate/SLO assessments pick it up. Primary is deliberately a basic-sciences paper.
RCEM has signalled no intention to retire the 2010 document. Treat it as the live syllabus.
So is the legacy 2010 textbook on my shelf good enough?
Probably yes, for anatomy, physiology, EBM and most of pathology. It is the cheapest revision resource you will ever own and it covers two-thirds of the paper. For the remaining third — pharmacology, microbiology, and anything that touches resuscitation — pair it with one of:
- A current MRCEM Primary SBA bank (most are rewritten annually).
- The RCEM Basic Sciences Curriculum PDF itself, used as a checklist against your book’s chapter headings.
- Current BNF for any drug dose or indication.
- RCUK 2021 ALS/APLS algorithms for any resus content.
What the 2010 book will not give you: practice at SBA-style applied clinical reasoning. The exam tests application of basic sciences to ED scenarios, not recall. You need a question bank for that, regardless of which textbook you read.
What candidates on r/doctorsUK and study groups actually say
The dominant view among recent passers, captured across r/doctorsUK MRCEM threads and IMG-focused study groups:
- “The curriculum hasn’t changed, the questions have got slightly more clinical.”
- “Older books are fine for anatomy/physiology, but I’d not trust the antibiotic chapters.”
- “Read the curriculum PDF first, then pick a book — not the other way round.”
- “Question banks beat textbooks for the last six weeks.”
The recurring anxiety on Reddit thread 1cx51jy and similar posts is candidates worrying the 2010 date means the content is wrong. It does not. It means the syllabus has been stable for 15+ years.
What about the 2021 EM Curriculum — do I need to read that too?
For MRCEM Primary, not directly. The 2021 curriculum matters from MRCEM Intermediate onwards. For Primary it is enough to know:
- It exists.
- It is the framework RCEM uses to justify why basic sciences are tested at all (every Primary topic maps to a clinical capability later in training).
- The Primary blueprint and the 2010 Basic Sciences Curriculum are the documents you study from.
How should I actually use the 2010 curriculum document?
Treat it as a checklist, not a textbook. The recommended workflow:
- Download the PDF from the RCEM MRCEM Primary page (free).
- Print or annotate it; tick topics as you cover them.
- For each topic, read your chosen textbook chapter, then do 20–40 SBAs on that topic.
- Flag any topic where your book is silent — that is where the 2010 content has likely been superseded and you need a current source.
- Two weeks before the exam, switch fully to mock papers.
Bottom line
The 2010 RCEM Basic Sciences Curriculum is the live, current document MRCEM Primary is built on. A 2010-dated textbook that follows it is still on-syllabus for anatomy, physiology, pathology and EBM — which together are ~78% of the paper. Refresh your drugs, bugs and resus content from a current source and you are good to go.
Frequently asked questions
Is the MRCEM Primary syllabus the same as FRCEM Primary?
Yes. FRCEM Primary was renamed MRCEM Primary in August 2021 when RCEM restructured the membership/fellowship pathway. The syllabus, blueprint and question style are identical — only the name changed. Resources labelled “FRCEM Primary” or “Part A” are still valid.
Has RCEM announced a replacement for the 2010 Basic Sciences Curriculum?
No. As of 30 May 2026 there is no public consultation, draft, or timeline for a replacement. The 2010 document remains the reference. Watch the RCEM MRCEM Exams page for any future change.
Will I be penalised for quoting a 2010-era drug dose in an SBA?
You are not asked to write drug doses — you select the best answer from five options. The risk is that a 2010 book teaches you a regimen (e.g. an older sepsis antibiotic) that is no longer the “best” option. Cross-check pharmacology and microbiology against current BNF / NICE.
Which textbook do most candidates actually use in 2026?
Combinations vary, but a common stack is: the RCEM Basic Sciences PDF (as checklist) + one anatomy atlas + a current MRCEM Primary SBA bank. Many candidates skip a 2010 hardback textbook entirely and lean on question banks plus targeted reading.
How many anatomy questions are there really?
60 of 180 (33%). Combined with 60 physiology SBAs, that is two-thirds of your mark. Time-on-task should reflect this.
Are statistics / EBM questions on the 2010 syllabus?
Yes — 10 SBAs (~6%). The 2010 curriculum lists basic study design, p-values, sensitivity/specificity, likelihood ratios, NNT, bias. Stats content has not aged.
What about resuscitation algorithms in the 2010 book?
Out of date. Use the Resuscitation Council UK 2021 ALS, APLS and Newborn Life Support algorithms for any cardiac arrest, peri-arrest or paediatric resus content. Primary will not test 2010 algorithm wording.
Does the 2010 curriculum include paediatric content?
Yes — embedded across the anatomy, physiology and pharmacology sections rather than as a standalone domain. Expect paediatric airway anatomy, neonatal cardiovascular physiology, weight-based dosing principles, etc.
Will using only the 2010 curriculum be enough to pass?
The curriculum tells you what to learn, not how to apply it under exam conditions. To pass you also need an SBA question bank and ideally one or two mock papers. The 2010 document on its own is necessary but not sufficient.
Is the 2010 curriculum the same one used for the MRCEM Primary delivered in India and the Middle East?
Yes — the syllabus is identical worldwide. Only the test centre and computer-based delivery vendor vary.
How often should I expect RCEM to update the syllabus?
Historically: rarely. The 2010 Basic Sciences Curriculum has been stable for 16 years. The 2021 EM Curriculum (clinical, not basic sciences) is reviewed on a longer cycle. Do not delay your exam waiting for a new syllabus — there is no signal one is coming.
Where do I download the 2010 RCEM Basic Sciences Curriculum?
From the MRCEM Exams page on the RCEM website (rcem.ac.uk/mrcem-exams/). The Basic Sciences Curriculum PDF is linked under the MRCEM Primary section. It is free and does not require RCEM membership.
Facts last verified against the RCEM MRCEM Exams page (rcem.ac.uk/mrcem-exams/) and the November 2023 MRCEM Primary Regulations and Information Pack. Always cross-check exam regulations directly with RCEM before booking.
Next step: Build your MRCEM Primary revision plan around the live 2010 curriculum — structured question banks, mock papers and topic-by-topic SBAs at emfinalexams.com.
Ready to build your plan? EMF Premium gives you all 40,000 questions and 20 mocks for £59 — one payment, six months' access.