ENG1, MFA and Medical Care

Three separate certificates

This listing covers three distinct but related medical requirements that professional seafarers accumulate as their careers progress. The ENG1 Seafarer Medical Fitness Certificate is not a training course — it is a statutory medical examination conducted by an MCA-approved doctor to confirm you are physically and mentally fit to work at sea. Governed by the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006 and the UK Merchant Shipping (Medical Examination) Regulations, the ENG1 is the entry point: you must hold a valid ENG1 before any MCA Certificate of Competency (CoC) can be issued, and it must be renewed throughout your career.

The Proficiency in Medical First Aid (MFA) — STCW Regulation VI/4, Code Section A-VI/4-1 — is a mandatory four-day practical training course for seafarers designated to provide first medical response on board vessels where no doctor is present. It is required for Officer of the Watch (OOW) level and above across all commercially operated vessels, including superyachts, and is the direct prerequisite for the Medical Care certificate. The course is firmly maritime in scope: resuscitation, fracture and spinal management, burns, medical emergencies at sea, use of the onboard medical kit, and radio communication with shore-based medical services.

The Proficiency in Medical Care on Board Ship — STCW Regulation VI/4, Code Section A-VI/4-2 — is the advanced five-day certificate required of Masters, Chief Mates, and senior officers who will be designated as the Person in Charge of Medical Care on vessels without a ship's doctor. It builds on MFA to cover extended care planning, medication administration (IM, SC, IV), wound suturing, dental and obstetric emergencies, pharmacology basics, and co-ordination with telemedical assistance services such as CIRM. It is mandatory for all candidates seeking Master or Chief Mate CoC under STCW Regulation II/2.

Key Facts

ENG1 — Seafarer Medical Fitness Certificate

MFA — Proficiency in Medical First Aid (STCW A-VI/4-1)

Medical Care — Proficiency in Medical Care on Board Ship (STCW A-VI/4-2)

Renewal: The ENG1 renews by repeat examination every two years (book up to 40 days before expiry to allow time for any supplementary tests). MFA does not carry a formal certificate expiry date under the STCW code, but MCA requires evidence of continued proficiency every five years for CoC revalidation — typically a full retake or a two-day refresher. Medical Care (A-VI/4-2) expires after five years; renewal is either the full five-day course or a three-day Medical Care on Board Ship Update (MCOBU) course at an approved provider.