HERMES Adult Respiratory Medicine study guide
HERMES Adult Respiratory Medicine · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The HERMES Adult Respiratory Medicine Examination sits within the European Respiratory Society's HERMES programme of examinations and assessments, which the Society describes as helping "to set a common, high standard of knowledge amongst respiratory specialists and trainees within Europe." It is one of a family of assessments that, in the Society's words, "cater to all professional levels and cover both adult and paediatric respiratory medicine" - so the adult respiratory medicine examination is the branch aimed at physicians working in adult pulmonology rather than paediatric respiratory medicine. Because the Society presents HERMES as spanning all professional levels, candidates range from trainees approaching specialist certification to established specialists seeking external validation of their knowledge. The HERMES Adult Respiratory Medicine study guide has 8 sections and about 1,982 words.
01Airway Diseases: Asthma, COPD, and Bronchiectasis
Airway diseases make up a large share of the HERMES adult respiratory medicine syllabus: asthma, COPD, bronchiectasis, and overlapping obstructive patterns. The exam favours physiologic reasoning, guideline-concordant diagnosis, and safe long-term management over rare zebras.
251 words, about 1 min02Interstitial Lung Disease: Patterns, Causes, and Progression
Interstitial lung disease (ILD) questions test pattern recognition on HRCT, a disciplined search for causes, and prognosis-driven management. The syllabus spans idiopathic interstitial pneumonias, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, connective tissue disease–associated ILD, sarcoidosis, and drug- or exposure-related disease.
265 words, about 1 min03Paediatric Respiratory Disease: Developmental Physiology and Age-Specific Management
Paediatric respiratory medicine tests whether you can apply developmental physiology rather than adult rules. Common themes are bronchiolitis, croup, preschool wheeze, asthma, cystic fibrosis, primary ciliary dyskinesia, and congenital lung lesions.
256 words, about 1 min04Pulmonary Vascular Disease: PE Risk and Pulmonary Hypertension Classification
Pulmonary vascular disease covers acute pulmonary embolism and pulmonary hypertension. The exam tests pre-test probability, risk stratification, and the distinction between arterial, venous, and post-capillary disease.
254 words, about 1 min05Respiratory Critical Care: ARDS, Ventilation, and Escalation
Respiratory critical care tests the recognition and ventilatory management of acute respiratory failure, ARDS, sepsis, and weaning. The emphasis is on physiology, ventilator settings, and avoiding harm.
253 words, about 1 min06Respiratory Infections: Severity, TB, and Antimicrobial Stewardship
Respiratory infections cover community-acquired pneumonia, tuberculosis, hospital-acquired and ventilator-associated pneumonia, and opportunistic fungal disease. The exam tests severity assessment, appropriate investigations, and antimicrobial stewardship.
230 words, about 1 min07Sleep and Breathing Disorders: OSA, Hypoventilation, and Positive Pressure
Sleep and breathing disorders test the diagnosis and management of obstructive sleep apnoea, central sleep apnoea, obesity hypoventilation, and sleep-related hypoventilation. Expect questions on sleep studies, positive airway pressure, and driving safety.
244 words, about 1 min08Thoracic Oncology: Screening, Staging, and Tissue-First Care
Thoracic oncology tests lung cancer screening, diagnosis, staging, molecular characterisation, and the management of small-cell and non-small-cell lung cancer, plus malignant pleural disease. Lung cancer screening with low-dose CT is offered to high-risk ever-smokers, usually aged 50–80 with a significant pack-year history; it reduces lung cancer mortality.
229 words, about 1 min