Descriptions And Videos

1. Prof. Jūratė Macijauskienė
President of the UEMS Geriatric Medicine Section, introduces the European Geriatric Medicine Specialty Exam (EGeMSE). She explains that the exam establishes a uniformly high standard of knowledge among geriatricians across Europe, driven by demographic change and the growing demand for high-quality care. It promotes harmonised training, enhances specialist mobility, and provides a recognised mark of excellence.
The first exam took place on 23 April 2025. Details of future sittings, applications, fees, and preparation resources are available at www.egemse.org. Prof. Macijauskienė stresses that candidates are supported throughout the process and concludes that true success lies in loving the work of caring for older adults.
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2. Dr. Marianne van Iersel
President Elect of the UEMS Geriatric Medicine Section, outlines the principles behind the EGeMSE. She emphasises that a high-stakes exam must uphold the highest standards of validity, reliability, and fairness. All questions are carefully designed to reflect the European Training Requirements (ETR), testing both theoretical knowledge and its clinical application.
The exam is developed through a rigorous collaborative process: question writing, peer review, and group discussions ensure clarity, consistency, and quality. Questions are standardised in style, language-checked, and mapped to the ETR blueprint before entering the official bank. Supported by the British Geriatrics Society and the Federation of Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK, this process guarantees excellence across Europe. Dr. van Iersel highlights the teamwork involved and encourages candidates to approach the exam as both a challenge and an opportunity to demonstrate expertise.
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3. Dr. Divya Tiwari
Chair of the UK Geriatric Medicine Specialty Certificate Exam (SCE) Board, presents the European Geriatric Medicine Specialty Certificate Exam. She explains that it assesses knowledge in geriatric medicine aligned with both the ETR and the UK curriculum. The exam consists of two three-hour papers, each with 100 best-of-five multiple-choice questions, delivered remotely under secure proctored conditions.
Dr. Tiwari notes that the pass mark is set using robust statistical methods to ensure fairness across exam versions. She highlights the importance of the exam blueprint and advises candidates to prepare by studying the curriculum, practising sample questions, and using resources available at www.egemse.org. She stresses that success depends not only on study but also on clinical experience, sound judgement, and peer support.
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4. Prof. Albert Ferro
Associate Medical Director for Written Exams at the Federation of Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK, reviews the use of computer-based testing (CBT) for medical examinations and compares in-centre delivery with remote online proctoring (ROP). He explains that all written exams, including the EGeMSE, follow the CBT format with two papers of 100 best-of-five questions.
Ferro highlights CBT’s advantages: faster results, randomisation of questions, and detailed analysis of candidate performance. In-centre testing ensures standardised setups, restricts unauthorised tools, and provides face-to-face invigilation, but it can be costly and less accessible. ROP offers flexibility, higher invigilator-to-candidate ratios, and video review, but carries risks of cheating, technical failures, and more complex result processing. Ferro concludes that each format has strengths: candidates value ROP when smooth, but in-centre testing remains more reliable when problems arise.
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5. Prof. Michael Vassallo (Part One)
Consultant geriatrician in the UK and member of the EGeMSE standard-setting group, shares strategies for answering best-of-five questions. Drawing on his experience as a former exam board chair, he explains that the exam is intentionally demanding, reflecting its prestige. Candidates should prepare tactically, using the exam blueprint to prioritise high-yield topics such as delirium, dementia, stroke, and general medicine, while devoting less time to low-weighted areas like basic science.
Prof. Vassallo stresses that success requires more than clinical practice: it depends on structured study, familiarity with guidelines (especially NICE), and practice with best-of-five questions. He illustrates how to identify keywords, avoid overthinking, and apply holistic geriatric principles when selecting the best answer. He also advises candidates to prepare logistically for remote testing, from setting up the environment to managing focus on exam day.
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6. Prof. Michael Vassallo (Part Two)
In a follow-up presentation, Prof. Vassallo works through ten best-of-five sample questions. He reinforces the importance of applying holistic, patient-centred principles, weighing risks and benefits, and avoiding over-interpretation.
Through practical examples, he demonstrates how to approach questions on frailty, prescribing in kidney disease, delirium, dementia, falls, depression, de-prescribing, capacity, and acute care (including CURB-65 pneumonia scoring). He advises eliminating unsafe or irrelevant options, making educated guesses when necessary, and recognising that the exam expects knowledge of internationally recognised tools and guidelines (NICE, SIGN, European). His message: success requires not only knowledge, but also the ability to apply reasoning, guidelines, and good clinical judgement.
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7. Prof. Tahir Masud
President Elect of the European Geriatric Medicine Society (EuGMS), reflects on the development and significance of the European Postgraduate Examination in Geriatric Medicine, launched in 2025. He recalls discussions beginning in 2010 within the UEMS Geriatric Medicine Section, followed by years of collaborative effort by the UEMS, EuGMS, the British Geriatrics Society, and the Federation of Royal Colleges of Physicians of the UK.
Prof. Masud emphasises that the exam is a milestone for the specialty. By providing a harmonised European framework, it aligns geriatric medicine with other disciplines that already have European-level exams. He calls on colleagues and trainers to advocate for the exam, ensuring excellence and recognition for geriatric medicine across the continent.
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8. Prof. Roman Romero-Ortuno
Director of Education and Training at the EuGMS (2024–2027), offers encouragement to candidates preparing for the EGeMSE. He describes the exam as a landmark in setting a harmonised, high standard of knowledge for geriatricians in Europe and worldwide. Following the first pilot in April 2025, the next sittings are scheduled for 4 February and 21 October 2026, with details and resources at www.egemse.org.
Prof. Romero-Ortuno notes that the exam, co-organised by the UEMS Geriatric Medicine Section and the British Geriatrics Society, addresses the urgent challenges of ageing populations. It supports mobility, collaboration, and excellence in care. He encourages candidates to use EuGMS resources such as the Annual Congress, Special Interest Groups, the journal European Geriatric Medicine, and new educational materials (video lectures, slide decks, and reference tools). He closes by affirming EuGMS’s commitment to supporting candidates throughout their professional journey.
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