Diplomate Exam - Candidate Pack and FAQs for online remote examinations

FPH is committed to supporting all Registrars through the training pathway. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we took the decision to migrate all exams to an online environment, so candidates would not be required to travel to a particular venue and could abide by any social distancing requirements.

Following a full evaluation in July 2021, the Faculty decided that the Diplomate Exam will stay online permanently, subject to regulatory approval. This decision will be reviewed by the FPH periodically to ensure that standards are maintained. 

The Final Membership Exam will return to an in-person format, as long as it is safe to do so. The first in-person sitting is scheduled to take place in September 2022, but this may be subject to change depending upon on the latest Government guidance and any COVID-related restrictions.

No. The exam will remain in the current format and questions will be taken from a closed question bank. Remote invigilation (online proctoring) will be in place where appropriate and existing regulations that state that candidates are not permitted to note down or share questions before, during or after the exam will still apply.

Candidates taking an online/remote exam will be asked to scan the room in which they are taking the exam with their webcam to confirm there are no materials or devices in the room. They may also be asked to demonstrate that they have no hidden devices on their person, for example by rolling up sleeves to show any watches. The whole desk area surrounding the PC/laptop must be clear of materials (in all directions).

In the event of a disruption such as a second person entering the room the candidate should quickly ask them to leave. Failure do so may be grounds for a misconduct issue.

All phones and communication devices, other than the computer being used for the exam, should be removed from the room. If there is any indication that a device has remained in the room e.g. a phone ringing, this may be grounds for a misconduct issue. Candidates should not record their exam attempts for any purposes for both DFPH & MFPH exams. This will be deemed misconduct and any candidate suspected of this during a sitting will be expelled from the examination.

Candidates can sit the exam at a place of their choosing (for example, a home or work environment) anywhere in the UK or overseas. It is the candidate's responsibility to ensure that their location is quiet, undisturbed and appropriate for taking a professional examination.

Please note that the exam will be run at UK timings regardless of location unless you are a HKCCM candidate sitting the exam in Hong Kong.

As above, the exam can be taken in a setting of the candidate’s choice. If a candidate expects that their home environment will not be suitable due to distractions or technical requirements we would recommend sitting the exam at a computer in a work setting if this is available. As noted, this should be in an undisturbed environment without other people in the same room.

Candidates are responsible for ensuring they have an appropriate device on which to take to the examination remotely. This will be an appropriately enabled laptop or PC with a keyboard. Mobile devices such as smart phones, iPads (or other tablets) or any device with a touchscreen keyboard are not acceptable devices and candidates are not permitted to take any FPH examination on such a device.

Yes - proof of identity is required before a candidate will be allowed in to the exam. Candidates are required to show one of the documents listed below as proof of identity at the examination. The document must be original, current and bear a photograph:

• Passport
• UK Immigration and Nationality Department identification document
• Home Office travel document
• UK driving licence
• EU identity card
• National identity card (or Hong Kong Identity Card for Hong Kong candidates)

If the name on the identification document is different from that on the confirmation from FPH offering a place in the examination, original evidence must be provided in good time, that the candidate is the person named in that letter. FPH will accept:

• Marriage or Civil Partnership certificate;
• A declaration from the awarding body which granted the primary medical qualification, stating that both names relate to the candidate; or
• Confirmation of name change by enrolled deed poll.

If candidates cannot provide one of the documents listed above, or if the document does not bear a photograph, they will not be allowed to take the examination. The examination fee will not be refundable under these circumstances.

If you are unable to provide the appropriate ID for your exam please contact the appropriate exams coordinator.

Further details about how and when to provide identification will be confirmed in the candidate pack.

Invigilators may stop any candidate suspected of misconduct and issue a warning during the examination, and if necessary expel the candidate from the examination.

Failing to follow instructions of examiners and invigilators may be grounds for a misconduct issue.
Examples of serious offences include:

• Unexpected external events such as a phone ringing or a second person entering the room;
• Possession of or consulting any prohibited items in the examination environment, such as notes, textbooks, websites or additional devices;
• Helping or receiving help from another candidate; and
• Writing down or attempting to capture any details of the exam questions.

Candidates committing these offences or any other activity that may be deemed to constitute professional or academic misconduct will be reported to examination officers and the FPH. If found to have engaged in misconduct, candidates may have their examination result declared invalid and their name reported to their professional regulatory authority, and (if on a UK training scheme) to their training scheme as well.

All remote examination attempts will be recorded for later review should there be any concerns about a candidate’s conduct.

These recordings will be retained and deleted 60 days after the date of the exam sitting in accordance, with GDPR.

To ensure the security of exam questions, candidates will not be able to request a copy of the recording following the exam.

Reasonable adjustments will continue to be made for online examinations. The reasonable adjustment guidelines are here.

If your request for a reasonable adjustment has changed since submitting your application form please contact the relevant Exams Co-ordinator.

To apply for the next sitting and for more information on the application process, please click here. On submitting your application form, you will be sent a link to make payment.

Alternatively you may pay by BACS transfer. Details of how to make payment can be found on the above page.

Yes, please let FPH know if you intend to sit the exam in another location so we can ensure that the necessary requirements are in place. Please also let the office know as soon as possible if you later decide to sit the exam in a country other than that specified on your application form.

Please note that the exam will be run at UK timings regardless of location unless you are a HKCCM candidate sitting the exam in Hong Kong.

Approximately two weeks before the examination date candidates will be sent details on how to log into the exam and all candidates are required to log onto the exam platform to check they have a laptop or PC with the appropriate specifications to take the exam and to familiarise themselves with the online exam environment and its functions. Any queries with the system should be raised with the FPH office in good time before the exam.

Candidates will also be contacted in regards to accessing the online platform so that they may familiarise themselves with the navigation of the platform.

The word count limit is only for Paper IIA Question 1 - no other question has a word limit imposed.

The Paper 1 questions available on the website are a good representation of the current style of question setting and there are no immediate plans to release more.

No. It will not be possible to print questions as the questions are taken from a closed question bank and we must ensure the security of these.

Candidates should have access to the following:

• Please bring your own simple, non-scientific, non-programmable calculator. Please see the FAQ - 'Can I use my own calculator?' for further information.
• You will also be required to use a  webcam to show the invigilator a 360-degree view of your room. This can be on your laptop. If you are using a monitor as your main screen, we would recommend using a portable, USB webcam so that you can pick this up easily to show your room.
• Please have a small (non-magnified) mirror to hand in case this is needed as an aid to show your desk.
• You may be asked to use your mobile phone as a second camera for use throughout the exam. You must ensure that you have a fully charged mobile phone with a working camera for both days of the exam.
• You must be sitting the exam at a desk. If you have exceptional circumstances which means that you are unable to do this, please contact the Exams Team and we will discuss your individual needs and pass on any information to the invigilator as necessary.

You do not need any special computer equipment for a remotely invigilated exam, a standard desktop or laptop with a webcam, a microphone and good quality internet connectivity will suffice. As noted  above, you will also need to have access to a mobile phone 

All of the key requirements are checked during the system check process and in the unlikely event of any issues, these will be brought to your attention and can be resolved well in advance of exam day. Technical support will also be available to assist during standard office hours if required.

The following minimum system requirements are required. Please also see the TestReach FAQs for any updates on minimum requirements and further information.

• A laptop or computer running Windows v7.0+ or MacOS 10.10+ operating system
(MacOS BigSur users need to upgrade to 11.3+)
• Intel Core i3 (or equivalent) and 4GB RAM
• A working webcam that can be used to scan the room
• A working microphone and speakers
• Minimum candidate internet speed of 2 Mbp
• Recommended candidate internet speed of 2.4 Mbps
• A screen size of at least 13″ and a resolution of 1024 x 768
• You cannot use a mobile phone, tablet, Chromebook or Surface Pro.

Candidates who do not have a suitable set up could potentially borrow equipment or take the exam in a different location such as your workplace.

Please ensure that you have sufficient battery life or are connected to a power source if you are using a laptop.  Please ensure that your mobile phone is fully charged.

Candidates should have access to their own simple non-scientific, non-programmable calculator. Invigilators will verify that the calculator matches this specification upon registration to the exam.

Examples of permitted calculators can be seen here:

Example 1

Example 2

The online calculator can be seen in the TestReach tutorials. These tutorials can be accessed upon downloading the TestReach app. Instructions will be sent to candidates by email.

No, using two active screens will cause issues with both the view of the exam and communication with the invigilator. If you have two screens please disconnect one screen for the duration of the exam.

It is possible, however, to connect a larger screen to a laptop. It is important that only one screen display is active and the webcam still functions correctly. Your laptop lid should be closed and the webcam should function from the larger screen that you have attached so that invigilators have a direct rather than side on view of you throughout the exam.

Please ensure you have completed the ‘Check set-up test’ on the TestReach app to check that your individual set-up is working correctly and contact the Education and Training Team educ@fph.org.uk or the TestReach Support Team for any queries and specific advice about this.

Phone: +44 (0)20 34758685 or Email: support@testreach.com.

Candidates are allowed to bring a snack and water for the exam. Please note that food/water must be in clear packaging otherwise the invigilator will ask them to remove it from the room.

This isn’t recommended as the TestReach app will use up a lot of data. If you have unlimited data, it would be possible to use a hotspot but this would be seen as a fall back option in the event of internet failure rather than a recommendation.

No, it is not possible to use earphones. Please ensure that you can complete the sound check without earphones. Please note that if you have headphones on when you enter the registration stage, the invigilator will have to ask you to exit the process and reconnect to complete the invigilator check stage again as your system checks need to be completed without headphones.

No. You will need to be able to hear the invigilator at all times and the invigilator will also ask to check to ensure that candidates are not using an in-ear device.

No. Candidates are only permitted to use an A4 or A3 one-sided whiteboard on their desk. This must be clear on beginning the exam and candidates are not permitted to write anything on it until the exam has begun. The whiteboard must be cleared and shown to the invigilator before leaving the exam.

No. Only an A4 or A3 one-sided whiteboard can be used. Invigilators will ask candidates to remove all other devices.

Yes, it is very important to only have one display visible. If you are using an external monitor, please ensure that you can attach a webcam.

Please ensure you have completed the ‘Check set-up test’ on the TestReach app to check that your individual set-up is working correctly and contact the TestReach Support Team for any queries and specific advice about this.

Phone: +44 (0)20 34758685 or Email: support@testreach.com.

One simple stopwatch timer is permitted. This can be either digital or analogue but it needs to be a simple timer and nothing else/no other functionality.

Candidates are permitted to have the following items on their desk:

1. Their valid ID document 
2. Laptop/desktop computer
3. Mouse and keyboard
4. One screen only. If you have another screen that is switched off, the invigilator will need to check this.
5. An A4 or A3 one-sided whiteboard with an erasable pen and a cloth to clean it with. The whiteboard must be clear at the beginning of the exam when joining the onboarding checks and at the end of the exam. You are not allowed to write anything on the whiteboard until you are given access to your exam papers. The invigilator will ask to check that the whiteboard is clear at the beginning and end of the exam.
6. Water/snacks in clear packaging
7. A basic timer with no other functionality other than being a stop clock.
8. Candidates should bring a non-scientific, non-programmable calculator.
9. A handheld mirror – this will be needed to show the invigilator a 360-degree view of your room instead of a mobile phone. The mirror should ideally palm-sized, clean and clear.
10. Mobile phone for use as a second camera.

Yes. Please ensure that you have completed the ‘Check set-up test’ (within the TestReach app) on the device you intend to use for the exam in case there are any issues.

No but they should be kept in a clear container. Please note that the invigilator will ask you to hold each item up to the camera so they can check what is inside. 

Yes, this is fine as long as it is one basic timer with no other functionality.

It is possible to use a separate mouse and keyboard.

Please note that the invigilator will ask you to lift these up to check underneath them as part on the onboarding checks.

• Before the start of the exam, the invigilator will check that the correct person is sitting the exam by checking your photo ID.
• Next, the invigilators will secure the test environment by asking you to use your mirror to pan the room. They will be checking that there is nothing in the room that is not permitted in the exam such as notes, text books, study aids pinned to walls or your monitor.
• When the exam begins, your system is locked to avoid internet searches during the test. In other words, you will remain within the test screen at all times for the duration of the exam. During this time, you will be watched by the invigilator in the same way an invigilator watches over an exam hall.
• If needed, after the exam, the invigilator will notify FPH of any issues that arose during the exam, for example, candidate behaviour that breaks the rules of the exam. Again, the same process that happens in the exam hall.

As is the case for in-person exams, it is vital to be ready to sit the exam at the designated time otherwise your attempt will be invalid. In the event that you are late logging in to the exam attempt, candidates will be permitted to join up to a maximum of 30 minutes after the allocated time. It is important to note, however, that candidates will lose this time from their exam. If a candidate logs in to the exam after this initial 30 minutes has passed, they will not be permitted to sit the exam and refunds will not be provided.

Candidates will be permitted to take one bathroom break of a maximum of 5 mins for each paper.

They should notify the invigilator who will record this for the invigilator report. The invigilator may ask to do another check to ensure that prohibited material have not been brought into the room.

Please note that the clock will not be stopped for bathroom breaks so candidates will lose this time from their exam.

If you select a later start time in the morning, you should also be able to select a later start time in the afternoon. Please contact the Exams Co-ordinator if you have any issues when confirming your exam times.

If you have to evacuate the building before the exam has started, please contact the Exams Co-ordinator at FPH.

FPH will pass on a message to TestReach so that they will be aware that you are delayed in starting your exam.

If the fire alarm happens during the exam, please notify the invigilator. TestReach will then contact FPH to discuss the individual exceptional circumstances and depending on the amount of time lost, agree the arrangements for candidates to re-join the exam and for additional time to be given where possible.

Online remote invigilation (also known as proctoring) essentially recreates the exam hall experience online. Candidates sit the exam online at a place of their choosing, such as the home or workplace, using their own hardware. The exam is invigilated by a proctor who will watch a maximum of 6 candidates at any one sitting. The proctor is not visible to candidates but you can communicate with them throughout the exam.

A team of remote invigilators will be supervising the exam in a similar way to an exam hall. Candidates’ computer browsers will be locked down to prevent navigation away from the test screen. Invigilators are carefully trained in body language and will raise suspected misconduct for FPH to review. Candidates will be recorded for the duration of the exam to enable this review to take place. Candidates will be asked to use their mirror to show a 360-degree view of their environment and to show the invigilator that there is not another person in the room and there are no notes or textbooks in the room. They may also be asked to roll up their sleeves, show their pockets and show that they do not have any ear pieces etc.

The invigilator will ask you to use the front camera on your phone on ‘selfie’ mode. If you do not have a phone with a camera, they will ask you to use a mirror to show them your environment. Please ensure you have at least one of these methods available. Please note that delays in being able to adequately show the invigilator your environment will result in a delay in being given access to the exam.

You may be asked to use your mobile phone as a second camera for the duration of the exam. You should ensure that it is fully charged and has a working camera for this purpose.

If you are not asked to use your mobile phone as a second camera, once the invigilation check is complete, the invigilator will ask you to turn your phone off and place it out of reach. If the invigilator suspects a candidate is using their phone or hears a sound from an electronic device, they may intervene and record this in their report for FPH to review.

No. We do not expect you to clear bookshelves but books should be out of reach. Invigilators will be able to see if the candidate is leaning away to access any material/object during the exam.

Any shelves or drawers within the desk should be clear of all items.

Yes, please ensure your desk is clear of everything other than a computer, screen, keyboard, mouse, laptop stand, whiteboard and erasable pen, drink and snack (in a clear container) and spectacles. Candidates are also permitted to use a non-scientific, non-programmable calculator.

Please ensure you click the button to connect to an invigilator 15 minutes before your exam start time. Connection times can vary and it can take up to 15 minutes to connect to your invigilator, this is due to the process of completing the necessary registration and environment checks. If you have any problems connecting to an invigilator, please call the TestReach support number: +44 (0)20 34758685

If for any reason you are unable to reach TestReach by phone. Please email them on this email support@testreach.com to log your support call and copy in educ@fph.org.uk.

You will not lose any time from your exam if there is a delay in connecting to the invigilator.

The invigilator view can be completely minimised by dragging the top edge of this section of the screen down. Please ask the invigilator to assist you (by speaking aloud or using the chat function) should you have any difficulty with this during the exam.

Once you have been given access to the exam, the invigilator will be muted and will unmute themselves should they need to speak with you.

TestReach has been designed so that remotely invigilated tests can be run at lower bandwidths with fluctuating internet speeds. On most occasions, internet issues are to do with fluctuations and it is very rare that the internet connection drops completely.

There is a continual connection “heart beat” monitored between the candidate’s computer and TestReach’s central servers to ensure that the connection remains in place. This also ensures that a situation can never arise where, for example, the connection drops but the candidate continues to enter answer data which is not being saved. There is built in “smoothing”, so that if the internet speed fluctuates this does not adversely impact the candidate.

If the connection speed becomes too slow, or drops completely then a “shutter” comes down on the candidate’s screen, alerting them to the fact. During this time the system will continually try to re-establish the connection for a period of up to 10 minutes and as soon as a connection is detected, the shutter will lift and the candidate can continue where they left off (usually fluctuations in internet speed only take a second or two to come back online).  Candidates will not lose the time they have lost.

If a connection is not re-established in 10 minutes the exam will terminate. At this point the candidate should contact TestReach by phone immediately to inform them of this. [Candidates are permitted to access their phone in these emergency circumstances and will be asked to place the phone away from their computer/laptop once the connection is restored].

If the candidate does not contact TestReach in five minutes after the exam has terminated they will not be let back in to complete the exam.

A connection drop of more than 10 minutes will be permitted only once during the exam. If the connection drops again for more than 10 minutes (resulting in termination of the exam for a second time) candidates will not be allowed back into the exam.

In this instance, candidates should ask their service provider for evidence of the connection failure (or known fault) to be considered for extenuating circumstances. A successful application for extenuating circumstances would mean that their attempt is discounted and they can sit the exam at the next available sitting without paying the full fee.

If you have any problems please call the TestReach support number: +44 (0)20 34758685

If for any reason you are unable to reach TestReach by phone. Please email them on this email support@testreach.com to log your support call and copy in educ@fph.org.uk.

You will not lose any time from your exam if there is a delay in connecting to the invigilator.

If you experienced significant technical issues, once the exam is complete, please notify FPH so that this can be investigated with TestReach.

You cannot accidentally shut down the exam once the TestReach secure computer lockdown feature is turned on so the only way to end the test is by actually submitting it.

You have the option to submit the exam at any point and there is a double confirm (i.e. “Are you sure you wish to end the test?”).

Like a pen and paper test, you can end the exam early if you wish. 

It is essential that you try out the system before you sit your examination. Once you have downloaded the TestReach application, you can access a ‘test tutorial’ so you can be familiar with how it feels to answer exam questions in TestReach. You can take this tutorial as many times as you like.

Details of how to access the TestReach application will be sent to candidates by email.

Yes, the online system will have notepad functionality and a keyboard that allows you to type in formulae and equations.

Please note that it is not necessary to write this out in equation form and word form is acceptable.

The online system has word count functionality so it will not be necessary to count up the number of words manually.

Candidates will be able to make notes in the tool provided by the online platform and will also be able to highlight and annotate the questions and critical appraisal article.

It is not possible to make notes on scrap paper as this jeopardises the integrity of the question bank.

If candidates wish to do so, they are permitted to use one hand-held A4 or A3 size one-sided whiteboard and whiteboard pen (erasable) to make handwritten notes.

Candidates must show that the whiteboard has been erased at the end of the exam.

Please note that the whiteboard will not be provided by FPH so candidates will need to purchase an A4 or A3 whiteboard if they wish to use one.

Taking notes on paper or failing to show that the whiteboard has been erased at the end of the exam may be considered misconduct.

The functionality offered by the online platform enables candidates to be able to view the resource at the same time as their question and answer paper. Each element can be resized on the screen as you wish.

Yes. The examiner will mark what you've written regardless of the format as long as it is possible to follow your working and understand what has been done.

You will receive a warning that there is 30 minutes remaining and five minutes remaining. This will display as a pop up that you can close down or choose to ignore and it will disappear.

Yes. For Paper IIA Question 1, as usual there is a word count limit of 600 words. You will be able to exceed this by a maximum of 10%. A word limit has been set in the question and if you exceed this limit the background of the answer pad will turn red. Please note that it is possible to exceed this limit to allow you to write more and then edit your answer. Examiners will, however, be able to see when the limit was exceeded and will not mark any further than 660 words.

No, this isn’t possible.

No, unfortunately this only works in the answer pad. If you copy across a symbol from the arithmetic keyboard to the notebook it will appear in text from (for example sqrt instead of the Square root symbol)

No. Please ensure you copy any text that you would like to be marked into the answer pad.

Yes, within the formatting toolbar in the notepad, there is a button with an expand symbol which will open the notebook to full size. Please click this button again to minimise it.

No, there is not a save button and your answers will be automatically be saved. 

No, there isn’t an auto-correct or spell check enabled.

Answers will automatically be submitted when your time is up. You can also choose to end the exam early if you wish to do so. Please tell the invigilator you would like to submit your exam and they will ask you to check your A4 whiteboard and then close the exam.

Yes. There is also a table button within the formatting toolbar in the answer pad. There is also a table icon button within the notepad that allows you to create a table. You can then copy this across to your answer. 

Cutting and pasting does work in the main exam canvas and you can shift text around within the answer pad, similar to Microsoft Word.

No, there is not a summary function. Please refer to the text where you have posted your comments.

Any text that isn't part of a figure and that appears on the canvas (the article, your notes etc.) can be copied and pasted into the answer pad.

Yes. You can click back and forward through the individual questions. Please see the generical tutorials in the TestReach app for full instructions on how to navigate and flag questions that you would like to return to.

The timer counts up from zero. You will receive a warning that there is 30 minutes remaining and five minutes remaining. This will display as a pop up that you can close down or choose to ignore and it will disappear.

The timer functionality and time remaining warnings can be seen in the FPH Diplomate Functionality Test.

Yes, shortcuts work in a similar way to Microsoft Word but please try these using the FPH Functionality Test as this can vary depending on your individual equipment.

The banking rules will still apply and candidates can miss a sitting before re-sitting their remaining paper. For example, if you banked a paper at the sitting in March 2023 and missed the October 2023 sitting, you will be able to carry your banked paper to the next scheduled sitting. If you are unable to make the next scheduled sitting please email educ@fph.org.uk and this can be discussed on a case-by-case basis. Under the circumstances, we will be able to allow flexibility on this rule with the support of your Training Programme Director or employer. 

Yes. The exam papers will continue to be structured in the same way as for previous sittings.

The exam format is as close to the in-person format as possible. The sitting is run over two days, Paper I on day one and Paper II on day two.

This has been discussed in detail by the Diplomate Development Committee. The Committee considers that this is one exam and believes that a candidate should be ready to take both papers when they sit the exam for the first time. Indeed, in the past, banking was not permitted, so a fail in either paper, meant re-sitting both papers. Whilst the Committee is generally happy with continuing the banking process, committee members do not consider it appropriate to break the exam up in to its two constituent parts and allow either part to be taken separately at the first sit. It should also be noted that from an administration perspective such a change would add complexity and therefore cost which is unlikely to be welcomed by candidates.

The process for marking will remain the same and therefore we do not anticipate that the timeframe for the publication of results will change. Candidates will be notified about when they will receive their results when they receive their candidate pack. This will be sent approximately two weeks after the closing date for applications.