EUNACOM

Overview

EUNACOM (Examen Único Nacional de Conocimientos de Medicina) is the national general-medicine exam for doctors in Chile. It has run since 2009 and replaced the theory-only Examen Médico Nacional (2003-2008). The State entrusts it to the Association of Medical Faculties of Chile (ASOFAMECH). The official site and rules are in Spanish, and this page summarises them in English. All amounts are in Chilean pesos (CLP).

Chilean law requires a minimum EUNACOM result, set by the Ministry of Health, for a doctor to:

• be hired in medical posts in public health services or municipal health establishments;

• sign FONASA free-choice service agreements;

• apply to state-funded specialist training programmes or ones run in state health establishments;

• issue medical leave certificates, from May 24, 2026, under law 21.746 (as stated in the 2026 rules).

For a doctor with a foreign degree, passing EUNACOM automatically validates the degree to practise in Chile with no other requirement for that purpose. Doctors qualified in Chile before April 20, 2009, and foreign-qualified doctors who validated their degree before that date, cannot be required to pass.

Who can apply

You can register for the theory section (EUNACOM-ST) if you are:

• a doctor qualified in Chile or abroad after April 20, 2009;

• a Chilean graduate (egresado) endorsed by your medical school, including final-year interns who will finish before the exam date;

• a doctor qualified in Chile between 2003 and 2008, if an employer asks for a result; or

• a doctor with a foreign degree from before April 20, 2009 who has not validated it in Chile.

Foreign degrees must be presented with an apostille. Chilean graduates who are still waiting for their degree register through their medical school, not directly.

Exam pattern

EUNACOM has two sections, and you need both to pass the exam as a whole.

EUNACOM-ST. The FAQ says the exam is written in one morning in two sessions of 1 hour 45 minutes each, with a break between them. Each session has 90 questions. It is held in person in Chile, never online and never in embassies. Bring the identity document you registered with, a No. 2 or HB pencil and an eraser, and no electronic devices.

EUNACOM-SP. Each stage is an objective structured clinical examination (ECOE) in a real or simulated care setting, on-site only. The home page describes four stages of about five hours each. Medical schools that are ASOFAMECH members and have at least five graduating classes act as examiners, and ASOFAMECH assigns you a school and offers you dates.

Syllabus

The theory exam covers the clinical areas of general medicine, in the proportions of the exam matrix. The topics and the depth expected for each are listed in the Knowledge Profile (Perfil de Conocimientos). A third version of the Profile takes effect from the December 2026 exam. It has 1,557 topics, up from 1,542, with 23 topics added and 8 removed. Version 2 applies to the exam of July 2026. Read the Profile on the official site for your exam date.

The practical stages assess the patients, clinical situations and procedures listed in the Profile. They may also assess communication, patient dignity and confidentiality, hygiene and safety, and patients' rights and duties.

Marking and results

• The theory score runs from 0 to 100, to two decimals. 51 points or more passes.

• A pass in the theory section stays valid for 2 years, during which you must register for, or be granted exemption from, the practical section.

• The practical section is passed when all four stages are passed. A passed stage is valid for 2 years. You are told the result of each stage within 7 days.

• The EUNACOM score is the theory score. Once the exam is passed, the certificate of approval has no expiry.

• Papers are not reviewed. Candidates within one point below the pass mark may ask to check that their answer card was read correctly, without seeing the questions.

• Individual theory scores were emailed about two weeks after the exam in 2025 and 2026. For the July 8, 2026 exam, scores were due on July 17, and certificates are now sent digitally.

Important dates

• For 2026, the theory exam was held on July 8 and is scheduled for December 16, 2026. Registration for December 16 closes on October 30.

• The theory exam is held at least once a year, with dates announced at least four months in advance.

• The practical section is held on dates throughout the year, depending on places at examining schools. Once you register, ASOFAMECH has 45 days to propose a date and school. You may reject the proposal once, and a second rejection withdraws your registration.

Fees

Fees on the registration page as of the reviewed date, in CLP:

Graduates of ASOFAMECH member schools pay a reduced price for their first registration, if they sit the first exam after getting their degree. According to the August 2025 notice, this is $20.000 from the July 2026 exam and$40.000 from 2027. Repeat candidates and graduates of non-member schools pay the full price. Refunds for missing documents or wrong payments keep 3.5% for operating costs.

How to apply

Registration depends on your situation.

• In person: doctors qualified in Chile or abroad registering for the first time, and Chilean-qualified doctors whose first sitting was as a graduate. Collect the required documents, pay online, book an appointment on the booking system and attend the registration office. A third party can do this with a simple power of attorney.

• Online: doctors qualified abroad who have sat before, and Chilean-qualified doctors who last registered themselves.

• Through your school: students in their final training and graduates without their degree.

For the practical section, registration is online, with a photo of your identity document. You may only register once you hold a valid theory pass. Everything must be received before the registration deadline, and the official contact is the email address you give on the form.

After the exam

• Graduates of accredited Chilean medical schools get the practical section recognised automatically when they pass the theory section.

• Foreign-qualified doctors from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Spain, the United Kingdom and Uruguay, whose degrees are recognised under bilateral agreements, can ask for exemption from the practical section. Doctors who completed the revalidation process at the University of Chile can too. You need the degree recognition certificate, and the exemption is not automatic.

• The Certificate of Approval states the score. The site also issues a Situation Certificate, which lists your attempts for people who have not passed yet.

Preparation tips

• Study the Knowledge Profile for your exam date and the sample questions on the official site. They are 21 questions, one per speciality. The official site says they are only for learning the format and style, and past exam questions are not published.

• Read the current rules before you register, since the rules changed on January 1, 2026.