Free Practice Questions for PCM (Ordem dos Médicos)
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Key Facts: PCM (Ordem dos Médicos) Exam
CEFR B2
Language proficiency level required, following the ALTE conceptual model
Guia da Prova de Comunicação Médica
120 minutes
Maximum total duration across computer e-assessment, written composition, and jury oral
Guia da Prova de Comunicação Médica
€300
Examination fee per candidate per sitting
Guia da Prova de Comunicação Médica
50% per part
Minimum mark required in Part 1 to advance, and minimum mark required in Part 2 to pass
Guia da Prova de Comunicação Médica
12 sessions
Monthly sessions scheduled in 2026 rotating across Porto, Coimbra, and Lisbon
Calendarização da Prova de Comunicação Médica 2026
140–170 words
Required length of the Part 2 computer written composition
Guia da Prova de Comunicação Médica
Language only
The exam assesses communication with patients and peers in Portuguese, not diagnosis or technical medical knowledge
Camões, I.P.
The Prova de Comunicação Médica (PCM) is the B2-level Portuguese exam that doctors trained abroad in a course not taught in Portuguese must pass (or replace with an accepted alternative) to register with the Ordem dos Médicos. It costs €300, runs monthly in 2026 (12 sessions), and combines 70 minutes of computer-based listening and reading with a 140–170-word composition and a 20-minute oral before a jury. This bank is an independent English-language MCQ study adaptation; it cannot certify the written composition or the oral.
Sample PCM (Ordem dos Médicos) Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to review concepts for the PCM (Ordem dos Médicos) exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 106+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1A 45-year-old male patient presents to the emergency room in Porto clutching his side and states: "Doutor, comecei a correr hoje de manhã e de repente deu-me uma dor de burro terrível e uma pontada forte que quase não me deixava respirar." How should the attending physician interpret and document the patient's colloquial complaint in formal clinical Portuguese?
2A 52-year-old woman in a primary care consultation says: "Doutor, quase todas as noites sinto um fogo no peito que sobe até à garganta e um amargo na boca que não me deixa dormir." Which medical terms best correspond to the patient's symptoms in European Portuguese clinical documentation?
3During a cardiology consultation, an elderly patient with heart failure reports: "Doutor, desde há duas semanas que não consigo dormir estendido na cama; tenho de pôr três almofadas altas debaixo da cabeça para não me faltar o ar a meio da noite." How should the physician accurately record this finding in the clinical history?
4A 38-year-old teacher presents with palpitations and states: "Doutor, de vez em quando sinto um baque no peito, como se o coração desse uma cambalhota e fizesse uma pausa, e a seguir bate com mais força." Which clinical concept in cardiology does this colloquial description most accurately reflect?
5A 60-year-old patient presents with jaundice and reports: "A minha urina está muito escura, parece chá preto carregado ou coca-cola, as fezes estão esbranquiçadas como gesso e tenho uma comichão no corpo todo que me dá cabo do juízo." Which medical terms in Portuguese must be used in the hospital record?
6A 28-year-old football player arrives at the urgent care centre after an ankle injury. His teammate says: "Ele virou o pé para dentro, ouviu um estalido e ficou logo com a junta num bolo e cheia de nódoas negras." What does the colloquial phrase "ficar com a junta num bolo e cheia de nódoas negras" mean?
7A 65-year-old woman describes an acute episode: "Estava na cozinha, de repente tudo à minha volta começou a rodar a alta velocidade, fiquei agoniada e vomitei." Which symptom should the physician document?
8An 80-year-old man accompanied by his daughter visits the family physician. The daughter states: "O meu pai anda muito murcho há dois meses. Já não quer comer quase nada, perdeu o gosto pelas hortas e pelas conversas com os vizinhos, e passa o dia sentado a olhar para o chão." In evaluating this clinical encounter in Portugal, which clinical synthesis is most accurate?
9A mother brings her 3-year-old child to the pediatric urgent care service at night and explains: "Doutor, ele começou ao fim da tarde a tossir rouco, como se fosse um cão a ladrar, e agora quando puxa o ar faz um barulho agudo e parece que lhe falta o ar." What respiratory signs are being described in European Portuguese?
10A 54-year-old patient tells the triage nurse: "Senti um aperto terrível na boca do estômago que se espalhou para as costas e me fez suar frio." How should the doctor document the location, radiation, and vegetative symptom in the Portuguese medical admission note?
About the PCM (Ordem dos Médicos) Exam
Independent practice questions by OpenExamPrep for Portugal's Prova de Comunicação Médica (PCM), the B2-level medical Portuguese exam that the Ordem dos Médicos runs with Camões, I.P. The questions cover patients' everyday Portuguese, clinical reading, doctor-patient and peer communication, clinical writing, and European Portuguese grammar and register. They are an English-language MCQ study adaptation, not an official translation or simulation of the exam.
Exam sponsor: Ordem dos Médicos (Conselho Regional Norte, Centro, Sul) with Camões – Instituto da Cooperação e da Língua, I.P.. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.
Assessment
Two parts sat under a 120-minute maximum schedule. Part 1 (70 minutes) is an auto-scored computer-based e-assessment of listening and reading comprehension with selection items (multiple choice, association, true/false). Candidates scoring at least 50% advance to Part 2, which consists of a 30-minute written composition (140–170 words on computer) and a 20-minute oral evaluation before a jury of OM doctors and Camões language assessors (interview 3–5 min, case report 7–10 min, commentary 3–5 min).
Time Limit
120 minutes (maximum)
Passing Score
Aprovado / Não Aprovado (minimum 50% in Part 1 to advance, and minimum 50% in Part 2)
Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.
Official sources
- Ordem dos Médicos — Prova de Comunicação · Source checked 2026-10-09
- OMSUL — Guia da Prova de Comunicação Médica e Calendário para 2026 · Source checked 2026-10-09
- Guia da Prova de Comunicação Médica (OM / Camões, I.P.) · Source checked 2026-10-09
- Calendarização da Prova de Comunicação Médica em 2026 · Source checked 2026-10-09
- Camões, I.P. — Segunda prova de comunicação médica no âmbito da parceria com a Ordem dos Médicos · Source checked 2026-10-09
- Estatuto da Ordem dos Médicos (consolidated text with Lei n.º 9/2024), artigos 98.º e 99.º · Source checked 2026-10-09
Our practice resources: topics covered
We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.
Compreensão Oral (Parte 1)
Computer-based listening comprehension of audiovisual material in medical contexts, answered with selection items (escolha múltipla, associação, juízos de verdade) and scored automatically
Leitura (Parte 1)
Computer-based reading comprehension of written texts in medical contexts with the same selection-item types; Part 1 lasts 70 minutes in total and candidates need at least half the marks to continue
Escrita (Parte 2)
One composition item of 140–170 words, typed on a computer in 30 minutes and marked by the jury using Camões, I.P. criteria
Produção Oral (Parte 2)
20 minutes before a jury of OM doctors and Camões language assessors: interview (3–5 min), oral report of a clinical case (7–10 min) and commentary on a medical topic (3–5 min)
Preparing for the PCM (Ordem dos Médicos) Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: Aprovado / Não Aprovado (minimum 50% in Part 1 to advance, and minimum 50% in Part 2)
- Assessment: Two parts sat under a 120-minute maximum schedule. Part 1 (70 minutes) is an auto-scored computer-based e-assessment of listening and reading comprehension with selection items (multiple choice, association, true/false). Candidates scoring at least 50% advance to Part 2, which consists of a 30-minute written composition (140–170 words on computer) and a 20-minute oral evaluation before a jury of OM doctors and Camões language assessors (interview 3–5 min, case report 7–10 min, commentary 3–5 min).
- Time limit: 120 minutes (maximum)
- Exam / certification fees: €300 per sitting Official sources
Using Our Practice Resources
- Work through all 106 available questions
- Review every answer and explanation
- Track weak areas and revisit them
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
PCM (Ordem dos Médicos): Suggested Study Strategy
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Prova de Comunicação Médica (PCM)?
The Prova de Comunicação Médica is a standardized Portuguese language proficiency examination for medical purposes at CEFR B2 level. It is organized by the Ordem dos Médicos in partnership with Camões – Instituto da Cooperação e da Língua, I.P., under a protocol signed on 4 June 2019. It assesses language only (understanding patients and communicating with colleagues), not diagnostic or technical medical knowledge.
Who is required to take the PCM and who is exempt?
Under article 98 of the Estatuto da Ordem dos Médicos, doctors trained abroad in a course not taught in Portuguese must prove the linguistic competence needed to practise in Portugal before they can register with the Ordem dos Médicos. Passing the PCM is one route. The 2026 guide also accepts a certificate from a competent body showing a pass in both a B2 Portuguese exam and a medical communication test, or, for Portuguese and CPLP nationals, proof of secondary education (or equivalent) completed at a Portuguese-language school.
How is the exam structured and how long does it take?
The exam has a maximum total duration of 120 minutes across two parts. Part 1 (70 minutes total) is a computer-based e-assessment of listening and reading comprehension with selection items (multiple choice, association, true/false). Part 2 consists of a computer-based written composition of 140–170 words (30 minutes) and a 20-minute oral evaluation before a joint jury of OM doctors and Camões language assessors.
What is the passing score and can the exam be re-marked?
The exam result is qualitative: Aprovado (Pass) or Não Aprovado (Fail). Candidates must score at least 50% in Part 1 to proceed to Part 2, and must achieve at least 50% in Part 2. A review can be requested within one week of the final result through the region where the exam was taken, and only Part 2 can be re-marked (reapreciação).
Where and when is the exam held, and what is the fee?
In 2026, 12 monthly sessions are scheduled, rotating across the three regional sections of the Ordem dos Médicos: Norte (Porto), Centro (Coimbra), and Sul (Lisbon). The examination fee is €300 per candidate per sitting, payable upon registration.
Is this practice question bank an official exam simulation?
No. This is an independent English-language MCQ study adaptation by OpenExamPrep, not an official translation or simulation. It keeps Portuguese patient quotes, clinical texts, phrases and answer options wherever the Portuguese itself is the skill being tested, and explains them in English. It cannot simulate or certify the written composition or the oral before the jury, so practise those by actually writing and speaking.