Dissertation Guide: Submitting the final dissertation
You should not submit your final dissertation until you have agreed its final form with your educational supervisor, and with any other advisors. Please ensure that all proof reading has been done and errors corrected before you submit to FOM. Errors at this stage will lead to delay. Following receipt of your final submission, FOM will appoint two independent assessors to evaluate your work (usually, these will be specialist occupational physicians).
Within about 2 months of assessors being recruited you should receive written feedback on the assessors’ views. They will agree a joint mark within bands (excellent pass, good pass, clear pass, marginal pass, marginal fail, clear fail) and will provide structured feedback to assist you. If you receive a fail mark, please bear in mind that feedback is intended to be constructive and is a part of the learning process. Experience suggests that few candidates ultimately fail to reach the required standard.
The assessors may also suggest areas in the curriculum which are not covered in the dissertation and which you may need to address elsewhere in your training.
A provision exists in the Regulations for you to appeal a decision by writing, in the prescribed timescale, to the Chief Examiner (Research Methods) setting out the basis for your appeal. A simple disagreement with the assessors’ decision is not a valid basis for an appeal.
