Saudi Board in Family Medicine Examinations

The Saudi Board in Family Medicine examinations are the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties initial specialty-certification assessment family for the Saudi Board in FM. This guide covers the Part One Examination, final written examination, and final clinical examination. It does not cover the separately listed professional-classification Family Medicine Exam or the Clinical Diploma in Family Medicine examination.

The 2024 SaudiMED-FM curriculum describes a three-year competency-based family medicine program. After residents complete the FM training requirements and receive a training-completion certificate, they proceed to the final Saudi Board examination, which comprises written and clinical components. The curriculum states that candidates who pass all components of the final specialty examination are awarded the Saudi Board in FM certificate.

The published SCFHS documents distinguish Part One, the final written examination, and the final clinical examination.

The eight clinical stations comprise four Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE) stations, three Structured Oral Exam (SOE) stations, and one Objective Structured Practical Exam (OSPE). The blueprint describes integrated clinical or practical encounters, overlapping domains and content sections, and one or more cases or scenarios within a station. SOE stations use preset questions and ideal answers. The OSPE assesses practical skills and/or data interpretation using predefined questions and standardized ideal answers.

SCFHS postgraduate requirements place the final clinical examination after successful completion of the final written examination.

The 2024–2027 Part One and final written blueprints publish the same 12 written sections and percentages.

The written documents state that section distributions may vary by up to ±5% and that percentages and content may change. Research, ethics, professionalism, and patient safety are incorporated across the domains rather than assigned separate percentages.

The final clinical blueprint version 2 lists the following possible content sections: Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatric, Obstetrics and Gynecology, General Surgery, Psychiatry, Emergency Medicine for adults and children, Dermatology, Orthopedic and Musculoskeletal, Ophthalmology, Otolaryngology, and Radiology. It does not assign station-level percentages. Instead, it defines four clinical or practical performance domains:

• Data-gathering skills: obtaining important information, interviewing, history taking, and linking data to appropriate testing.
• Reasoning and analytical skills: rationalizing management plans, evaluating alternatives, and interpreting relevant clinical data.
• Decision-making skills: formulating a logical diagnosis, identifying immediate needs, and weighing risks, benefits, and potential complications.
• Professional attitude: demonstrating ethical, professional, respectful, accountable, and patient-centered behavior.

The following requirements apply to trainees in the SCFHS postgraduate Saudi Board pathway; they should not be treated as universal eligibility rules for every type of applicant.

Part One Examination

• Complete at least nine months of training in a Saudi Board program.
• Hold valid registration in an SCFHS postgraduate program.
• Meet any additional conditions approved by the Learning and Training Council.
• Complete electronic examination registration during the application period.

Final written examination

• Complete the program training period.
• Complete additional requirements set by the relevant Scientific Council, such as program-specific academic or portfolio requirements.
• Apply electronically when registration opens.
• For Family Medicine residents, the curriculum describes progression after completion of FM training requirements and receipt of a training-completion certificate.

Final clinical examination

• Pass the final written examination before entering the clinical examination.
• Confirm current eligibility-renewal and attempt rules in the applicable SCFHS procedural regulations before planning a retake; the consulted trainee requirements page refers these limits to the rules of procedure rather than providing a stable guide-level rule.

Use the SCFHS Apply to Postgraduate Exam service in Mumaris+ for electronic applications. The SCFHS services directory also lists the Saudi Board Exam Schedule service. Check those live services for the applicable examination window, registration status, deadlines, and any current charges rather than relying on an older schedule.

Build a blueprint-led written study plan. Use the 12 published sections as the master checklist. Start with the larger categories—Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatric, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Emergency Medicine—while maintaining deliberate review of the five-percent sections. Because the same outline is published for Part One and the final written examination, use one domain map but change the depth and style of study for each exam.

Prepare Part One separately. Treat Part One as a 150-item single-best-answer examination focused on applied basic health sciences related to family medicine. Use timed blocks, review every incorrect answer, and maintain an error log organized by knowledge gap, interpretation error, and failure to identify the best answer.

Prepare the final written examination as two papers. Practice at the length and rhythm of two 100–125-item papers rather than relying only on short question sets. Review theoretical knowledge, recent advances, evidence-informed management, and cross-specialty problem solving. Track recurring errors such as premature closure, misreading the question, and selecting an unsafe or poorly prioritized next step.

Match practice to each clinical station type.

• OSCE: Rehearse a complete timed encounter, including opening the consultation, focused history, relevant examination, synthesis, differential diagnosis, investigations, management, counseling, follow-up, and safety-netting.
• SOE: Practice concise spoken reasoning using structured prompts. Organize responses around diagnosis, immediate priorities, alternatives, investigations, management, complications, and follow-up. SOE practice is not a substitute for an OSCE simulator.
• OSPE: Practice practical tasks and data interpretation separately, including investigation interpretation, images, charts, equipment, and procedural sequences where relevant. Do not reduce OSPE preparation to ordinary oral-question practice.

For every clinical rehearsal, obtain feedback against the official domains of data gathering, reasoning and analysis, decision-making, and professional attitude. Use a visible 10-minute limit and practice moving efficiently when an examiner directs you to the next question.

• Follow the current document set. The written and clinical blueprints state that content and percentages may change. Recheck the current SCFHS blueprint and service instructions before each application or sitting.
• Resolve the Part One item-count discrepancy. The curriculum assessment chapter describes a broader 120–150-MCQ range, while the 2024–2027 Part One blueprint specifies one paper with 150 single-best-answer MCQs. Use the linked examination blueprint for study planning and confirm the live sitting instructions.
• Do not assume a clinical pass mark. The consulted final clinical blueprint specifies station structure, content sections, and performance domains but does not publish a numeric clinical passing score.
• Verify retake rules directly. The postgraduate requirements page refers clinical-attempt limits to SCFHS procedural rules, and current web presentations have not provided a single stable guide-level number. Confirm the applicable rule before booking a retake.
• Plan for clinical logistics. Electronic devices are not permitted in the clinical evaluation. Candidates should identify a genuine examiner conflict at introduction, and communication with other candidates during the evaluation is prohibited. The clinical blueprint states that results are published within 14 business days after the last examination date.
• Select the correct SCFHS assessment family. The Classification Exams page separately lists a Family Medicine Exam, while the postgraduate-program table separately lists the Clinical Diploma in Family Medicine final clinical examination. Those listings are not the Saudi Board in Family Medicine examination family covered here.