ACEM Primary Examination Syllabus

Curriculum domains

The ACEM Primary Examination syllabus (ACEM Primary Examination Syllabus, April 2017) is organised into 22 curriculum domains. PRIMEX maps every domain below to study topics and learning objectives so you can track coverage as you prepare.

The 22 domains

• Anatomy — Regional, systemic and clinical anatomy as pertains to emergency medicine practice.
• Pathology — General pathological processes and systems-based pathology.
• Physiology - Cardiovascular & Haematology — Cardiac physiology, circulation, blood and haemostasis.
• Physiology - Respiratory — Ventilation, gas exchange and respiratory control.
• Physiology - Renal & Acid-Base — Renal function, fluid balance and acid-base physiology.
• Physiology - Nervous System — Neurological physiology, autonomic function and sensory/motor pathways.
• Physiology - Endocrine & Metabolic — Hormonal regulation, metabolism and endocrine system physiology.
• Physiology - Gastrointestinal — GI motility, secretion, digestion, absorption and hepatic function.
• Physiology - Reproductive & Obstetric — Reproductive hormones, pregnancy physiology and foetal circulation.
• Pharmacology - General Principles — Pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and prescribing principles.
• Pharmacology - Cardiovascular — Cardiac, antihypertensive and haemostatic drug classes.
• Pharmacology - Nervous System & Emergency — Anaesthetic agents, analgesics, sedatives and emergency drugs.
• Pharmacology - Antimicrobial & Toxicology — Antibiotics, antidotes, toxidromes and drug of abuse.
• Pharmacology - Other Drug Classes — Endocrine, GI and miscellaneous pharmacological agents.
• Physics & Measurement — Medical physics, monitoring equipment and measurement principles.
• Statistics & Research Methods — Evidence-based medicine, study design and biostatistics.
• Professional Practice & Ethics — Medical law, consent, ethics and professional responsibilities.
• Physiology - Cellular & General — Cellular physiology, nerve and muscle function.
• Physiology - Paediatric — Developmental physiology and paediatric-specific physiology.
• Physiology - Environmental & Exercise — Environmental physiology, altitude, diving and exercise physiology.
• Pharmacology - Endocrine System — Drugs acting on the endocrine system.
• Pharmacology - Fluids & Electrolytes — IV fluids, electrolyte replacement and fluid management.

How PRIMEX maps to the syllabus

• Every domain above is mapped to PRIMEX study topics, so the curriculum tracker shows coverage domain by domain.
• Question banks, AI-graded SAQ practice and viva or OSCE simulation draw from these same mapped domains.
• Spaced-repetition scheduling and progress analytics surface the domains where your coverage is thinnest.

Frequently asked questions