Free Practice Questions for STCW Medical Care
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Key Facts: STCW Medical Care Exam
Table A-VI/4-2
STCW Competence Standard
STCW Code, as amended
Model Course 1.15
IMO Syllabus
IMO Model Course 1.15 (Medical Care)
About 40-50 hrs
Typical Course Length
IMO Model Course 1.15
~50 questions / 70%
Typical Provider Exam
Maritime training centres
VI/4-1 first aid
Prerequisite
STCW Regulation VI/4
~5 years
Flag-State Updating (e.g. MCA/EU)
Flag-state requirements
MCPIC
US Equivalent Endorsement
US Coast Guard
STCW Medical Care On Board Ship (VI/4-2) trains the seafarer designated to take charge of medical care when no doctor is aboard, normally the master or a senior deck officer, with Medical First Aid (VI/4-1) as the prerequisite. Based on IMO Model Course 1.15 and Table A-VI/4-2, the roughly 40-50 hour course covers care of the casualty (head and spinal injuries, bleeding, burns and frostbite, fractures, wounds and suturing, acute abdomen), nursing and patient assessment, diseases and emergencies (cardiac, stroke, anaphylaxis, diabetes, malaria, dental, childbirth at sea), the ship's medicine chest with controlled-drug custody, hygiene and disease prevention, and radio medical advice via TMAS with MEDEVAC coordination. Provider written exams commonly use around 50 multiple-choice questions at about 70% to pass, plus practical assessment. Many flag states such as the MCA and EU administrations require updating roughly every five years; the USCG equivalent is the MCPIC endorsement.
Sample STCW Medical Care Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to review concepts for the STCW Medical Care exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1Under the STCW Code, which table sets out the minimum standard of competence for the seafarer designated to take charge of medical care on board ship?
2The IMO Model Course used as the basis for Medical Care On Board Ship (STCW VI/4-2) training is:
3Before undertaking Medical Care On Board Ship (VI/4-2), a seafarer is normally required to have first completed which proficiency?
4On a vessel without a doctor on board, who is normally designated to take charge of medical care?
5A crew member falls and is found unresponsive. After ensuring scene safety, what is the FIRST priority in the primary survey?
6A casualty has fallen from a height and may have a spinal injury. When moving him is unavoidable, the airway should be opened using:
7A galley worker has a deep laceration to the forearm with bright red, spurting blood. The immediate priority is to:
8When estimating the extent of a burn in an adult using the 'rule of nines', the whole front of the trunk (chest and abdomen) represents approximately:
9A seafarer suffers a chemical burn to the eye from a cleaning agent splash. The correct immediate treatment is to:
10A crew member is rescued from cold water with a core temperature of 30 degrees Celsius (severe hypothermia). A key principle of handling is to:
About the STCW Medical Care Exam
STCW Medical Care On Board Ship is the proficiency required of the seafarer designated to take charge of medical care under STCW Regulation VI/4 and Table A-VI/4-2. It is delivered worldwide by flag-state-approved maritime training centres using IMO Model Course 1.15, usually as a 4-5 day (about 40-50 hour) course with a written and practical assessment. It builds on Medical First Aid (VI/4-1) and prepares masters and senior deck officers to manage injuries and illness at sea using the ship's medicine chest, medical guides and radio medical advice. In the USA the equivalent endorsement is known as Medical Care Person In Charge (MCPIC).
Exam sponsor: Flag-state-approved maritime training centres under the STCW Convention (IMO Model Course 1.15). The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.
Assessment
Question count not published by the exam provider
Time Limit
Set by the approved training centre
Passing Score
Set by the training centre; commonly around 70%
Exam / Certification Fees
Varies by training centre (typically a few hundred USD/EUR for the course)
Exam sponsor websiteFees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.
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.
Care of the Casualty
Primary and secondary survey and AVPU, head and spinal injuries (jaw thrust, rising intracranial pressure), ENT and eye injuries, bleeding control and tourniquet timing, burns and the rule of nines, frostbite, fractures and dislocations, wounds, suturing and acute abdominal conditions
Diseases and Medical Emergencies
Heart attack management and aspirin, FAST stroke recognition, anaphylaxis and intramuscular adrenaline, diabetic hypo/hyperglycaemia, seizures, infectious and tropical diseases including malaria, cellulitis and DVT, dental abscess, and gynaecology and emergency childbirth at sea
Pharmacology and the Ship's Medicine Chest
Medicine chest contents scaled to ship type, voyage and crew under flag-state and international rules, the five rights of administration, allergy checks, antibiotics and completing courses, analgesia monitoring, controlled-drug locked custody and register, and oxygen fire safety
Nursing and Patient Management
Structured patient assessment and history, vital signs (pulse 60-100, respiration 12-20), observation and fluid-balance charts, AVPU consciousness level, intramuscular injection sites and sharps safety, aseptic catheter care, and pressure-sore and fever nursing
Radio Medical Advice and Evacuation
Contacting the Telemedical Assistance Service (TMAS) and giving a structured clinical handover, preparing written patient summaries, coordinating MEDEVAC and ship-to-ship transfer, and making evacuation decisions with the master and the maritime rescue coordination centre
Hygiene, Disease Prevention and Sterilisation
Food and water sanitation and potable-water disinfection, malaria bite-avoidance and vector control, isolation of contagious cases, standard precautions and sharps handling, sterilisation of instruments, and safe clinical-waste disposal
Records, Regulations and the STCW Framework
Medical log and documentation, the International Medical Guide for Ships (IMGS), the MLC 2006 medicine-chest duty, port health and the International Health Regulations, STCW Table A-VI/4-2 and Model Course 1.15, the MCPIC equivalent, and flag-state revalidation
Preparing for the STCW Medical Care Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: Set by the training centre; commonly around 70%
- Assessment: Question count not published by the exam provider
- Time limit: Set by the approved training centre
- Exam / certification fees: Varies by training centre (typically a few hundred USD/EUR for the course) Official sources
Using Our Practice Resources
- Work through all 100 available questions
- Review every answer and explanation
- Track weak areas and revisit them
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
STCW Medical Care: Suggested Study Strategy
Frequently Asked Questions
What is STCW Medical Care On Board Ship (VI/4-2)?
It is the proficiency required of the seafarer designated to take charge of medical care on a ship without a doctor, set by STCW Regulation VI/4 and Table A-VI/4-2. Delivered using IMO Model Course 1.15, it prepares masters and senior deck officers to manage injury and illness at sea.
What is the prerequisite for the medical care course?
Candidates normally must first hold Medical First Aid (STCW VI/4-1). Medical Care On Board Ship builds on that first-aid proficiency and adds the in-charge knowledge and skills for managing casualties, nursing care, diseases and the ship's medicine chest.
How long is the course and how is it assessed?
The course is typically 4-5 days (about 40-50 hours) at a flag-state-approved training centre. Assessment combines a written examination (commonly around 50 multiple-choice questions) with practical skills demonstration, and the pass mark is often around 70%.
What topics does the exam cover?
It covers care of the casualty (injuries, bleeding, burns, fractures, wounds, acute abdomen), nursing and patient assessment, diseases and emergencies (cardiac, stroke, anaphylaxis, malaria, childbirth), pharmacology and the ship's medicine chest, hygiene and disease prevention, and radio medical advice with evacuation.
What is TMAS and why does it matter?
TMAS is the Telemedical Assistance Service, the shore-based service, often free and available 24 hours, that gives ships medical advice by radio or satellite. The person in charge of medical care contacts TMAS for diagnosis support, treatment advice and evacuation decisions.
Does the certificate need renewing?
The STCW Convention itself does not mandate revalidation of VI/4-2, but many flag administrations such as the UK MCA and EU states require the proficiency to be refreshed or updated roughly every five years. Check your flag state's specific requirement.
What is the US equivalent (MCPIC)?
In the USA the equivalent endorsement is Medical Care Person In Charge (MCPIC), aligned with STCW Table A-VI/4-2. It allows a mariner to take charge of medical care on board and is issued by the US Coast Guard following approved training and assessment.