There is a practical way to choose an MRCEM Intermediate question bank. And it comes down to a few simple questions. How many questions do you get? How good are the explanations? What else comes with the subscription, and what does it cost? 

Two names that come up again and again for the SBA (Single Best Answer) paper are MRCEM Success and Pastest. Both give you SBA questions mapped to the 2021 RCEM syllabus. Where they differ is question count, the depth of support around each answer, the extra study tools, and price.

How do Pastest and MRCEM Success compare?

Here's how the two platforms line up across the things candidates are most interested in.

Both banks cover the 2021 syllabus and mark answers with detailed explanations. The primary differences are in question volume, past papers, anatomy support, mock-exam mode, and each provider's track record.

What does the MRCEM Intermediate SBA test?

The MRCEM Intermediate SBA is the second stage on the path to Membership of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (MRCEM). It's a computer-based paper of 180 single best answer questions, split into two 90-question papers of two hours each, with a one-hour break in between.

Every question maps to the Specialty Learning Outcomes (SLOs) for Years 1 to 3 of the 2021 Emergency Medicine Curriculum. There's no negative marking, but the pass mark shifts slightly each sitting depending on how hard the questions are.

This format can heavily influence how you revise. The exam rewards clinical reasoning over rote recall. You will be applying knowledge to emergency presentations rather than reciting facts. Pass rates have been low in recent sittings, so the quality of your practice questions counts for a lot. For a fuller breakdown of format, eligibility, and marking, see our complete guide to the MRCEM Intermediate exam.

How many questions does each question bank have?

Question volume is worth being the first thing you look at, because the MRCEM Intermediate syllabus is broad. You're covering acute presentations, resuscitation, trauma, paediatrics, medical and surgical emergencies, investigations, and patient management across all age groups. You need enough questions to test yourself on the less common topics, not just the high-frequency ones.

The MRCEM Success Intermediate revision course gives you over 1,800 original SBA questions. Pastest's MRCEM Intermediate SBA question bank holds 1,500 expert-written questions mapped to the latest syllabus. That's a difference of roughly 300 questions in MRCEM Success's favour on raw count, although both are written in Single Best Answer format to match the real paper.

Raw count isn't the only thing you should be focusing on. A question you don't understand won't help your score or knowledge, so the depth of the explanation and the coverage of the syllabus count as much as the total.

Who writes the questions, and how current are they?

Pastest's questions are written by practising clinicians and expert editors, mapped to the latest MRCEM Intermediate syllabus, and built around themes from recent exam diets. The content is reviewed against current guidance and updated as the syllabus changes. Pastest has produced medical exam revision resources for over 50 years, and the same editorial process is used for our MRCEM bank and other postgraduate exam products.

MRCEM Success writes its questions with a team of UK doctors who have experience of the MRCEM exams. The questions are developed from exam recalls, the RCEM exam blueprint, and the RCEM Clinical Syllabus, and the bank is reviewed and expanded as new exam themes come through. MRCEM Success has focused on emergency medicine revision since 2015, and reports use by more than 20,000 doctors.

Both approaches lean on past exam themes and the current curriculum, so on authorship and currency, the two are closely matched.

What do you get beyond the questions?

Pastest

Pastest pairs its question bank with a searchable textbook covering all the key MRCEM Intermediate topics, so you can move from a question you got wrong straight into reading up on the topic without leaving the platform. Integrated 3D anatomy images run through both the QBank and the textbook, which helps with the radiology and anatomy-heavy parts of the paper that typically catch candidates out.

The subscription also includes Tutor Mode, an on-demand AI tutor trained on Pastest's MRCEM content. It lets you clarify a question, explore the answer options, and work through why a wrong answer is wrong. And you get to do this while you're still on the question. Past papers give you exam-style practice, and performance insights track your scores in real time so you can see which topics need more work.

MRCEM Success

MRCEM Success is built tightly around the question bank and its study tools. Alongside the questions, you get a textbook feature with revision notes, images, diagrams, and tables, plus a bookmark tool for saving articles. Every answer carries a detailed explanation with exam tips.

For exam-style practice, the platform generates unlimited timed mock exams in the same proportion and format as the real paper. This can be useful for building stamina and timing. Performance tracking benchmarks your score against other users, with weekly summaries and category-level analysis. You can build custom revision sessions by category, filter for new or previously incorrect questions, and flag questions to revisit. The platform works across mobile and tablet.

Can you try before you buy?

Both providers let you sample the questions before committing. Pastest offers a free trial that gives you a preview of the MRCEM Intermediate platform and real questions, so you can test the interface and see whether the explanations suit how you learn.

MRCEM Success offers a free MRCEM Intermediate demo without a subscription, and backs paid access with a 48-hour money-back guarantee if the course isn't right for you.

How does pricing compare?

Pastest's MRCEM Intermediate QBank comes as a subscription in three lengths, with the longer plans working out cheaper per month. £39.99 for 3 months, £59.99 for 6 months, and £79.99 for 12 months. A free trial lets you try the platform first, and promotional pricing may apply.

MRCEM Success uses subscription pricing with no discount codes and lets you extend access in blocks ranging from one week up to six months. Access ends when your membership expires, though your saved progress remains. Costs are from £30 per month, but for current subscription prices, check the MRCEM Success website.

When you compare price, factor in what's included as well as the total cost. A slightly larger bank with fewer study tools and a bank with anatomy, an AI tutor, and past papers aren't quite like-for-like. Weigh it against how many months you have until your exam and how much support you want along the way.

Which MRCEM Intermediate Question Bank should you choose?

The best question bank for MRCEM Intermediate is the one that fits how you revise and where you're losing marks.

Pastest is the stronger fit if you want integrated 3D anatomy for the radiology and anatomy-heavy topics, an AI tutor for on-demand help when a concept doesn't click, and past papers for realistic practice. And all this is from a provider with 50+ years across UK medical exams. If you plan to sit other postgraduate exams later, that's worth considering too. Pastest covers MRCP, MRCS, MRCPCH, PLAB, MSRA, and more, so you'll already know the platform when you move on.

MRCEM Success may suit you if raw question volume is your priority, and you want unlimited timed mocks with peer benchmarking. Its larger bank gives you more questions to work through across a long revision period.

Whichever you find yourself leaning towards, trial against RCEM's sample questions before you subscribe.

More MRCEM Intermediate revision resources

If you're early in your preparation, our complete guide to the MRCEM Intermediate exam covers eligibility, format, dates, fees, and marking in detail. For a study plan, our guide to MRCEM Intermediate preparation shows how to structure revision around the SLO blueprint. And for a wider view of the market, see our roundup of the best MRCEM Intermediate revision resources.

Ready to start revising? Explore the MRCEM Intermediate QBank, with 1,500 clinician-written questions, past papers, 3D anatomy, and Tutor Mode in one platform.

Frequently asked questions

Which has more questions, Pastest or MRCEM Success?

MRCEM Success has more raw volume, with over 1,800 SBA questions to Pastest's 1,500. Pastest adds past papers, integrated 3D anatomy, and Tutor Mode for on-demand explanations, so the fuller comparison is about what each question gives you, not the count alone.

Is a question bank enough on its own to pass the MRCEM Intermediate SBA?

A good MRCEM SBA question bank can carry most of your revision, but pair it with the RCEM curriculum and the official sample questions. Use the bank's explanations and textbook to close knowledge gaps, not just to rack up practice questions.

Do the questions reflect the current MRCEM Intermediate syllabus?

Both banks map their questions to the 2021 Emergency Medicine Curriculum and the SLOs for Years 1 to 3. Pastest's MRCEM Intermediate question bank is mapped to the latest syllabus and written by practising clinicians; MRCEM Success draws on exam recalls, the exam blueprint, and the RCEM Clinical Syllabus.

Can I try MRCEM SBA questions for free before subscribing?

Yes. RCEM's official MRCEM SBA sample questions are free on its website. Pastest offers a free trial of its platform, and MRCEM Success offers a free demo plus a 48-hour money-back guarantee.

How much does an MRCEM Intermediate question bank cost?

Pastest's MRCEM Intermediate QBank runs from £39.99 for 3 months up to £79.99 for 12 months, with longer plans cheaper per month. Across the market, MRCEM banks typically work out at £25–£80 per month equivalent, with 3- and 6-month plans cheaper per month than monthly billing.