ACEM Fellowship VAQ

VAQ’s test a candidates ability to process visually presented information such as X-rays, pathology results and clinical images. The nature of the sources used for each exam is broadly outlined in the ACEM Training and Examination Handbook.

Each VAQ examination is run twice a year by the ACEM. To assist trainees studying for the examination, the Life in the Fast Lane team have reviewed the questions and examiners comments for each examination from 2003 to the present day. Although we do not have the original examination images we have used clinical images as close as possible to the true examination images in format and quality.

We hope this educational material will be of benefit to candidates studying for the exam as well as trainees in all disciplines around the world.

Updates to this table along with additional questions can be found at the FACEM VAQ permalink.

The VAQ examination contains 8 questions in 60 minutes (7.5 minutes per question). The 8 questions must include at least one of each of the following five sections

It is also useful to define a section on clinical photographs [CLIN], which are not strictly a category in their own right, but which afford good revision material. There is obviously crossover between these sections, but in essence the commonest combination of questions includes

• ECG [2 questions]
• Radiology [2 questions - especially CXR and CT head]
• Investigations [2 questions - usually an ABG and one of FBC/ELFT/Tox interpretation]
• Clinical Image [2 photos - covering areas such as trauma, burns, rashes for example]

ACEM Fellowship VAQ Examination by Year (update)

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