Free Practice Questions for STCW Medical First Aid
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Key Facts: STCW Medical First Aid Exam
A-VI/4-1
STCW competence table for medical first aid
STCW Code
~32 hrs
Recommended course length
IMO Model Course 1.14
30:2
Adult CPR compression-to-ventilation ratio
Current resuscitation guidelines
100-120
Chest compressions per minute for adults
Current resuscitation guidelines
9%
Whole arm under the burns rule of nines
Rule of nines
UN number
How MFAG advice is indexed for chemicals
IMO MFAG
100
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STCW Medical First Aid On Board Ship (Table A-VI/4-1) is required for designated crew, often officers in charge of a navigational watch, and goes well beyond the elementary first aid in basic safety training. Based on IMO Model Course 1.14, the roughly 32-hour, 4-day course covers immediate action and the first-aid kit; body structure and casualty examination with vital signs and the AVPU scale; injuries and trauma including head and spinal injuries, burns (rule of nines), fractures, hypothermia and heatstroke; resuscitation and life support with CPR at 30:2 and 100-120 compressions per minute, AED use, bleeding control, and shock; toxicological hazards using the Medical First Aid Guide by UN number; and radio medical advice, pharmacology, sterilization, and care of rescued persons. There is no single international exam; flag-state-approved centers run their own written test plus a practical evaluation, with refresher training commonly on about a 5-year cycle.
Sample STCW Medical First Aid Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to review concepts for the STCW Medical First Aid exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1You discover a collapsed crew member in an enclosed cargo space. Before touching the casualty, what is the FIRST priority under the immediate-action sequence?
2During the primary survey of an unresponsive casualty, which sequence correctly orders the assessment after confirming unresponsiveness?
3What is the normal resting pulse rate range for a healthy adult that a person in charge of medical first aid uses as a baseline?
4A 70 kg seafarer is in cardiac arrest with no advanced airway in place. What compression-to-ventilation ratio should a single rescuer use during CPR?
5At what rate should chest compressions be delivered to an adult in cardiac arrest?
6The Medical First Aid Guide (MFAG) carried aboard ships is primarily intended for use in which type of emergency?
7A crew member's chemical-exposure casualty must be reported for shore medical advice. To use the MFAG correctly you first need which key piece of information about the substance?
8A seafarer has splashed a corrosive chemical into one eye. What is the correct immediate first-aid action?
9A casualty has suspected hypothermia after immersion. Their core temperature is measured at 30 degrees Celsius. Which stage of hypothermia does this represent?
10A conscious but shivering survivor is recovered from cold water. Which rewarming approach is correct for first aid aboard ship?
About the STCW Medical First Aid Exam
STCW Medical First Aid On Board Ship meets the standard of competence in Table A-VI/4-1 of the STCW Code and is built on IMO Model Course 1.14. It prepares designated seafarers, such as officers in charge of a navigational watch, to apply immediate medical first aid in the event of accident or illness at sea. The course is deeper than the elementary first aid in basic safety training, adding toxicological hazards and use of the Medical First Aid Guide, detailed casualty examination, and radio medical advice. Assessment is by an approved provider through a written test and a practical competence evaluation.
Exam sponsor: IMO STCW framework, delivered by flag-state-approved maritime training centers. 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
Course commonly about 32 hours over 4 days; written assessment length set by the provider
Passing Score
Provider-set written pass mark plus satisfactory practical demonstration of competence
Exam / Certification Fees
No central STCW fee; provider course tuition commonly about USD 300-700, varying by country and center
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.
Immediate Action and First-Aid Kit
Scene safety, immediate-action priorities, triage of multiple casualties, first-aid kit and medical chest contents, infection control with gloves and barriers, and the scope of the A-VI/4-1 competence beyond elementary first aid.
Body Structure and Casualty Examination
Body structure and function, primary survey (ABC) and secondary head-to-toe survey, vital signs (pulse 60-100, respiration 12-20, temperature about 37C), AVPU level of consciousness, head and neurological assessment, and history taking.
Injuries and Trauma
Head and spinal injuries, burns and scalds with cooling and the rule of nines, fractures, dislocations and muscular injuries (splinting, RICE), hypothermia and rewarming, frostbite, heatstroke, and wound, crush, and amputation care.
Resuscitation and Life Support
Airway management and recovery position, CPR at 30:2 and 100-120 per minute, AED use, bleeding control and tourniquets, shock recognition and management, drowning and asphyxia, oxygen administration, and cardiac and anaphylactic emergencies.
Toxicological Hazards and the MFAG
Toxicological hazards aboard ship, using the Medical First Aid Guide indexed by UN number, managing skin, eye, inhalation and ingestion exposure, and recognising asphyxiant and chemical poisoning such as H2S, carbon monoxide and organophosphates.
Radio Medical Advice and Pharmacology
Structured radio medical advice (TMAS) reporting, basic pharmacology and safe medicine checks, sterilization and the medical chest, record keeping, medical evacuation handover, and the care of rescued persons.
Preparing for the STCW Medical First Aid Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: Provider-set written pass mark plus satisfactory practical demonstration of competence
- Assessment: Question count not published by the exam provider
- Time limit: Course commonly about 32 hours over 4 days; written assessment length set by the provider
- Exam / certification fees: No central STCW fee; provider course tuition commonly about USD 300-700, varying by country and center 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 First Aid: Suggested Study Strategy
Frequently Asked Questions
What is STCW Medical First Aid On Board Ship?
It is the training that meets the standard of competence in STCW Table A-VI/4-1, based on IMO Model Course 1.14. It qualifies designated seafarers to provide immediate medical first aid in the event of accident or illness at sea, covering casualty assessment, resuscitation, trauma, toxicological hazards, and radio medical advice.
How is STCW Medical First Aid different from the first aid in basic training?
The elementary first aid in basic safety training (Table A-VI/1-3) covers the essentials, while A-VI/4-1 goes deeper. It adds toxicological hazards and use of the Medical First Aid Guide, detailed body structure and casualty examination, more advanced injury and illness management, pharmacology, sterilization, and the use of radio medical advice for prolonged care.
Is there a single national or international exam?
No. There is no one centralized multiple-choice exam with a fixed question count. Flag-state-approved training centers deliver the course and set their own end-of-course assessments, which commonly combine a written knowledge test with a practical demonstration of competence against Table A-VI/4-1.
How long is the STCW Medical First Aid course?
IMO Model Course 1.14 recommends about 32 hours, typically delivered over four days. The exact schedule, assessment length, and balance of classroom and practical work vary by approved training center.
What is the Medical First Aid Guide (MFAG)?
The MFAG is the IMO/WHO/ILO chemical supplement to the International Medical Guide for Ships. It gives advice on the initial management of poisoning and injury from dangerous goods, indexed so the provider can find treatment by the substance's proper shipping name or UN number, and is used with the IMDG Code and EmS Guide.
What CPR standard does the course teach?
For an adult in cardiac arrest without an advanced airway, CPR uses a 30:2 compression-to-ventilation ratio with compressions at 100 to 120 per minute on a firm surface. The course also covers AED use, oxygen administration where trained, and managing drowning, asphyxia, and choking.
Who needs STCW Medical First Aid certification?
It is widely required for designated crew responsible for casualty care, particularly officers in charge of a navigational watch. Requirements depend on the seafarer's role, vessel, and flag-state rules, and the certificate is commonly maintained through refresher training on about a five-year cycle.