Occupational Medicine experienced the strongest proportional growth of any Royal College of Physicians of Ireland specialty during the reporting period, 1 July 2025 - 30 June 2026.
Candidate numbers increased from 149 to 256, representing growth of approximately 72% compared with the 2024-25 College year. The LFOM examination has experienced sustained expansion across all assessment components, with written examination candidate numbers increasing by approximately 68% over the two-year period from 2024 to 2026.
This growth reflects increasing demand for Occupational Medicine qualifications and the success of educational initiatives, including the IHeed RCPI Professional Diploma in Occupational Medicine and the Module 4 Bridging Programme. The increase in candidate numbers required corresponding growth in examiner recruitment, examination governance and leadership structures, including the introduction of an additional Deputy Chief Examiner role to support future development and operational resilience.