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About this exam

The MD in Family Medicine is a postgraduate medical qualification administered through the Postgraduate Institute of Medicine (PGIM), University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. PGIM's own site organises its work around admissions, certificates, diplomas, MSc and MD programmes, research support and examinations, and the MD sits within that postgraduate training and examination structure. This page is an independent study resource for candidates preparing for the PGIM MD Family Medicine examination; it is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by PGIM or the University of Colombo. Because the retrieved PGIM source does not enumerate the examination's domains, question counts, duration, pass mark, fees or retake rules, this profile treats those parameters as unconfirmed and flags them for review. Candidates should confirm all examination logistics against PGIM's official Examination Circulars, the Calendar 2026 and Calendar 2025 pages, and the Notice: Exam. Calendar – 2026 before planning. Preparation should combine structured revision of family medicine and primary care, community and preventive medicine, research methodology and biostatistics with critical appraisal, and professional practice, ethics and health systems management, plus practice under timed conditions and use of PGIM past papers where available. Always verify dates and application deadlines directly with PGIM.

What you'll study

Common questions

About PGIM MD Family Medicine preparation

What is the PGIM MD Family Medicine examination?

It is the postgraduate assessment attached to the MD programme in Family Medicine offered through the Postgraduate Institute of Medicine, University of Colombo. PGIM's site lists MD among its programmes alongside certificates, diplomas and MSc awards, and provides separate examination pages covering procedures, circulars, applications and results. This page is an independent study aid, not an official PGIM publication.

What format does the examination take?

The retrieved PGIM source does not state the format for this examination, so treat any specific claim with caution. Candidates should read the current Examination Circulars and the Notice: Exam. Calendar – 2026 on the PGIM site, which are the authoritative places for paper structure and instructions. Prepare for a mixture of written and clinical assessment until the circular confirms otherwise.

How many questions are there and how long is the paper?

These values are not published in the source text retrieved for this profile, so they are recorded as unknown rather than estimated. Question counts and durations are typically confirmed in the examination circular and calendar for the relevant sitting. Check those documents before you build a timed practice plan, and do not rely on figures circulating informally among trainees.

How difficult is the examination?

No published pass rate or difficulty index is available in the retrieved source, so difficulty cannot be quantified here. As a postgraduate MD assessment, it assumes solid undergraduate knowledge plus supervised specialty training. The realistic preparation risk is breadth: candidates often over-invest in clinical topics and under-prepare research methodology, biostatistics and health systems content.

Can I retake the examination if I fail, and how many attempts are allowed?

The retrieved PGIM source does not state a retake policy, attempt limit or cooling-off period for this examination. These rules normally appear in the PGIM By-Laws, General Regulations and examination circulars. Consult those documents or the PGIM examinations hotline before assuming you have unlimited attempts, and plan your first sitting accordingly.

How much does the examination cost?

Fees are not stated in the source text retrieved here, so no figure is given. PGIM maintains separate Payments, Fees Structure and Pay Online sections, and the examination application page sets out what is payable at the point of application. Confirm the current amount and payment method there rather than relying on older figures.

When are the examinations held and when do applications close?

PGIM publishes a Calendar 2026 and a Calendar 2025, plus a Notice: Exam. Calendar – 2026 and a dedicated Exam Application page. Exact dates and deadlines are not reproduced in the retrieved source text. Check the calendar and circular for your intended sitting, and apply early because late applications are usually not accepted.

In what order should I study the four main content areas?

Start with clinical family medicine and primary care, since it anchors the other domains, then layer in community and preventive medicine. Run research methodology and biostatistics alongside them rather than leaving it to the end, because critical appraisal skills take time to consolidate. Finish with professional practice, ethics and health systems management, which is largely recall and applied reasoning.

What are the most common reasons candidates do badly?

Three patterns recur: neglecting biostatistics and critical appraisal because they feel unrelated to clinical work; memorising guidelines without practising their application to undifferentiated presentations; and ignoring ethics, consent, confidentiality and resource-allocation scenarios. A fourth is administrative, missing the application window or submitting incomplete documentation listed in the examination circular.

Where can I find past papers and official updates?

PGIM hosts an Exam Past Papers page linked from its Examinations section, alongside Examination Circulars, Results and Documents for Trainers. Use these as your primary source for structure and updates. This page is independent and does not reproduce PGIM material; always cross-check any detail against the official PGIM website before relying on it.