KMPE Exam

A No-Nonsense Survival Guide for Interns in Kuwait with special thanks to Dr. Ahmad AlMulla

What Is the KMPE?

The Kuwait Medical Promotion Exam (KMPE) is a mandatory multiple-choice exam for interns before entering the assistant registrar year. It broadly covers:

  • Internal Medicine
  • General Surgery
  • Obstetrics & Gynecology (OBGYN)
  • Pediatrics
  • Emergency Medicine
  • Family Medicine

Note: Psychiatry is officially listed but was not tested in the 2025 version.

Think of it as a broad, foundational clinical exam easier than international equivalents like Step 2 CK or MCCQE1, with many direct, recall-based questions.

Exam Format & Structure

  • Total Questions: 100 MCQs (based on KMPE 2025)
  • Time: Single session – 3 hours
  • Style: Mostly clinical vignettes with straightforward single best answers

Check Eligibility

  • The KMPE is mandatory for medical graduates in Kuwait before they are promoted to Assistant Registrar.
  • The exam is held four times a year: April, June, September, and December.
  • Registration closes 2 weeks before each exam date, so apply early!

Submit Your Application

  • Go to the KIMS Postgraduate Education (PGE) Website
  • Fill out the online application form.
  • Upload all required documents (e.g., internship completion certificate, Civil ID).
  • You’ll receive a confirmation email with your exam date, location, and instructions.

Exam Day Requirements

  • Bring your Civil ID & exam permit printout.
  • Arrive at the exam venue at least 30 minutes early.
  • Follow exam center rules (no phones, smart watches, or unauthorized materials).

My Take

  • Overall Difficulty: Easy to moderate.
  • My Prep: I didn’t study for KMPE specifically. My MCCQE1 prep 2 months prior was more than enough.
  • What Stood Out:
    • Many questions were straight recall (e.g., common age milestones, disease associations, typical presentations).
    • Some clinical vignettes tested your ability to choose the next best step or most likely diagnosis, but they weren’t tricky.
    • You could answer most by elimination.
  • Focus on big topics, not small details
  • Read the question carefully — often, the answer is obvious
  • Stay calm — this is not meant to trick you
  • If you studied properly during med school, you’ll be fine

Study Resources & Key Notes

You don’t need a new resource. Just review the core clinical material you studied during your rotations:

  • Medicine (especially cardiology, GI, diabetes, infections, nephrology, and neurology)
  • Surgery (acute abdomen, post-op complications, trauma)
  • Pediatrics (milestones, common presentations)
  • OBGYN (ectopic pregnancy, fibroids, contraception)
  • Emergency/Family Medicine (basic resuscitation, DKA, HTN emergencies)
  • Skip psychiatry unless it’s confirmed to appear in newer versions.

Who Might Struggle?

  • Those who didn’t revise at all
  • Those who skipped rotations or never properly engaged in clinical learning
  • Those who relied entirely on cheating without a real understanding

If you passed your rotations and understand clinical logic, you’re more than ready.

Here’s a sample of how straightforward some questions were:

  • “At what age do children walk independently?” → 12 months
  • Classic appendicitis (McBurney’s point tenderness)
  • Painless jaundice → Pancreatic cancer
  • Shoulder pain after fatty meals → Biliary colic
  • Diabetic with LLQ pain, fever → Diverticulitis
  • Post-laparoscopic cholecystectomy complication → CBD injury
  • Cluster headache vs. glaucoma vs. migraine
  • DVT diagnosis → Doppler US
  • Common cause of SBO in adults → Adhesions
  • Common thyroid cancer → Papillary

Other recall-heavy topics included:

  • Peptic ulcer causes
  • Treatment of DKA
  • Status epilepticus management
  • Stridor in children → Croup
  • NEC, PCOS, ITP, VSD, AAA rupture, testicular torsion
  • Ethics questions (basic and non-controversial)

FYI

Best MCQ Banks & Question-Based Resources

MCQ practice is essential. The best approach is USMLE Step 2 CK-style clinical questions with some Prometric-style recall MCQs.

Top MCQ Banks

  • Passmedicine (Passmed) – UK-based, great for clinical reasoning and core topics (used by many IMGs)
  • AMBOSS – High-quality explanations and rapid review features, helpful for tricky topics
  • UWorld – Best for deep understanding and question logic, especially for medicine-heavy prep
  • Qbank.one – Structured, performance-tracked, and aligned with SCFHS blueprint
  • PrometricMCQ – Most SMLE-specific with recent recalls and tailored question styles

💡 Pro Tip: Complete at least 2,000+ MCQs before the exam, focusing on explanations for incorrect answers.


Best Study Books
(Concise & High-Yield)

Internal Medicine

  • Toronto Notes – Concise, broad coverage
  • Oxford Handbook of Clinical Medicine – Portable, exam-relevant
  • Step-Up to Medicine – High-yield and visual

Surgery

  • Current Diagnosis & Treatment: Surgery – Straightforward and practical
  • Bailey & Love – Detailed, good for deeper understanding
  • Surgical Recall – Q&A style for fast review

Pediatrics

  • Nelson’s Essentials of Pediatrics – Condensed yet reliable
  • Lissauer’s Illustrated Textbook – Easier read with helpful visuals
  • Case Files: Pediatrics – Practical case-based review

Obstetrics & Gynecology

  • Hacker & Moore’s Essentials – High-yield format
  • Ten Teachers – Core OB/GYN topics simplified
  • Current Diagnosis & Treatment: OB/GYN – Practical clinical guide

Psychiatry

  • Oxford Handbook of Psychiatry – Exam-suited summaries
  • Kaplan & Sadock’s Pocket Handbook – Concise, structured
  • Case Files: Psychiatry – Best for case understanding

Important Note:
The KMPE Exam is New!

As a newly introduced exam, KMPE’s structure and content may change.

Keep up with KIMS announcements and gather feedback from previous candidates to stay updated and adapt your study approach.

For official updates, visit: https://kims-pge.org/

MOC