Use the Faculty curriculum and current candidate regulations. Prepare clinical assessment, pain mechanisms, procedures and equipment, evidence appraisal, audit and professional communication. Follow the instructions for your sitting where the older curriculum and current exam guidance differ.
Faculty of Pain Medicine, College of Anaesthesiologists of Ireland
Fellowship of the Faculty of Pain Medicine CAI
The exit examination for Irish specialist training in Pain Medicine. A written paper precedes clinical case and structured oral assessments; passing the examination is one of the requirements for CSCST.
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Components
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Dates listed
Examining body: Faculty of Pain Medicine, College of Anaesthesiologists of Ireland
Cost: 2026 published fees: €600 written and €600 clinical; confirm fees for the next sitting.
Who can sit it
Normally taken during the second year of the Faculty-recognised pain training programme after the required experience and Clinical Case Series assessment. The linked regulations describe additional equivalence routes and contain inconsistent wording about completed training versus being in Year 2; confirm eligibility with the Faculty before applying.
When NCHDs sit it
Agree timing with the training supervisor. FFPMCAI must be passed before CSCST in Pain Medicine can be awarded.
Exam format
Written examination
Single-best-answer paper. Current exam webpage and linked 2026 regulations describe 60 questions; the programme curriculum still says 90. Confirm the sitting-specific instructions.
Must be passed before the clinical examination.
Clinical examination
A patient assessment and clinical discussion, plus two structured oral examinations covering clinical care/professionalism and equipment/procedures.
The current webpage describes a 30-minute patient assessment, a 30-minute case examination and two 25-minute oral assessments.
Dates
No upcoming dates are listed in this guide. Check the examining body’s current schedule before applying. Earlier dates are retained below for reference.
- 13 Apr 2026Apply by2026 written application deadline
- 28 Apr 2026Sitting2026 written examination
- 7 May 2026Apply by2026 clinical application deadline
- 13 May 2026Sitting2026 clinical examination
Training links
Specialist Training in Pain Medicine
Required pass. FFPMCAI must be passed before pain-medicine CSCST. The case series and other programme assessments are additional requirements.
Preparation resources
College guidance, question banks, books and courses, grouped by format. Descriptions identify their coverage; provider pages give current prices and access terms.
College guidance
Format, eligibility, dates and linked regulations.
Competencies and exit requirements; older format details differ from the current exam page.
Check the provider for current prices and access terms. No affiliate links.
Preparing
Facts last verified 2026-10-26.