QMED is the U.S. Coast Guard’s Qualified Member of the Engine Department rating. Drill the Oiler, Junior Engineer, and Electrician/Refrigerating Engineer exams with original questions calibrated to the NMC format — every answer cited to a public source.
QMED stands for Qualified Member of the Engine Department — a Coast Guard rating for unlicensed engineers who stand and support the engine-room watch. The current ratings under 46 CFR 12.501 are Oiler, Junior Engineer, Electrician/Refrigerating Engineer, Boiler Technician/Watertender, and Pump Technician/Machinist. Pass every rating and the endorsement reads “QMED—any rating.”
The 2024 QMED rules renamed two ratings for the official record — Fireman/Watertender became Boiler Technician/Watertender and Pumpman/Machinist became Pump Technician/Machinist — but the exam module codes were unchanged, and the older names still carry search and shipyard usage.
We drill the three most-searched ratings today; the Boiler Technician/Watertender and Pump Technician/Machinist ratings are examined by the NMC too, with drills on the way.
| Rating | NMC exam | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Oiler | QMED03 · Q804 + Q805 | Entry engine-room rating — propulsion support, lube/fuel systems, watch duties. |
| Junior Engineer | QMED01 · Q800 + Q801 | Broadest rating — propulsion, electrical, refrigeration, hydraulics, thermodynamics. |
| Electrician/Refrigerating Engineer | QMED02 · Q802 + Q803 | Electrical theory, motors and generators, switchboards, and the refrigeration cycle. |
| Boiler Technician/Watertender | QMED04 · Q806 | Renamed from Fireman/Watertender in 2024. Boilers, steam plant, and watch duties in one module. Also examined by the NMC — drills coming. |
| Pump Technician/Machinist | QMED05 · Q807 + Q808 | Renamed from Pumpman/Machinist in 2024. Machine tools, pumps, and cargo/ballast systems. Also examined by the NMC — drills coming. |
Exam structure
Each module is 70 multiple-choice questions with a 70% pass mark, 3.5 hours per module. Most ratings have two modules. Engine modules are open to 46 CFR and 33 CFR only.
Sea service (46 CFR 12.503)
6 months of service in a rating at least equal to Wiper or Coal Passer. Approved training-ship graduates qualify without further service; other approved training can substitute for up to half.
Fees (46 CFR 10.219)
$280 in Coast Guard fees — $95 evaluation + $140 exam + $45 issuance — plus the CG-719K medical, drug test, and TWIC.
QMED ratings stack. An applicant who has passed the modules for Electrician/Refrigerating Engineer plus Oiler plus Boiler Technician/Watertender can be issued Junior Engineer without further testing, provided the other requirements are met. Pass every rating and the credential is endorsed “QMED—any rating” (46 CFR 12.501(b)(1)).
The path runs application → NMC approval-to-test → exam at a Regional Examination Center. You can pay the 46 CFR 10.219 fees by phase or all at once, and you’ll need a TWIC (46 CFR 10.203) before the credential issues.
Document your sea service
6 months in a rating at least equal to Wiper or Coal Passer (46 CFR 12.503), on the sea-service form (CG-719S for small vessels) or a company letter.
Pass the medical & drug test
USCG medical certificate (CG-719K, 46 CFR part 10 subpart C) and a chemical test for dangerous drugs (46 CFR 16.220).
Get a TWIC
A Transportation Worker Identification Credential is required before the MMC issues (46 CFR 10.203 / 10.209).
Submit your application to the NMC
File CG-719B (or the NMC online portal) with the sea-service, medical, and drug-test evidence and the fees (46 CFR 10.219).
Get your Approval to Test, then test at a REC
Once the NMC approves the application, schedule each 70-question module at a Regional Examination Center and pass at 70%.
You test at a Regional Examination Center after approval. See where candidates test near you in the state-by-state guide and REC locations.
QMED stands for Qualified Member of the Engine Department — a U.S. Coast Guard engine-room rating for unlicensed engineers. Current ratings are Oiler, Junior Engineer, Electrician/Refrigerating Engineer, Boiler Technician/Watertender, and Pump Technician/Machinist (46 CFR 12.501). Passing every rating earns the endorsement 'QMED—any rating'. The 2024 QMED rules renamed some ratings; the exam module codes were unchanged.
Under 46 CFR 12.503 an original QMED of any rating requires 6 months of service in a rating at least equal to Wiper or Coal Passer. Graduates of an approved training ship qualify with no further service, and other approved training can substitute for up to half of the requirement.
Each QMED module is 70 multiple-choice questions with a 70% passing score and a three-and-a-half-hour limit. Most ratings have two modules (for example Oiler is Q804 + Q805); Boiler Technician/Watertender is a single module. In the engine-room exam room you may reference 46 CFR and 33 CFR only.
The Coast Guard fees for an original qualified-rating endorsement are $95 evaluation + $140 examination + $45 issuance = $280 under 46 CFR 10.219, payable by phase or all at once on pay.gov. Add the cost of the CG-719K medical exam, drug test, and TWIC on top of that.
Submit a CG-719B application (or through the NMC online portal) with drug-test evidence, sea-service evidence, and your medical certificate. After the NMC reviews it, you receive an Approval to Test letter and schedule the exam at a Regional Examination Center. You also need a TWIC before the credential issues.
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