Everything Parents & IP Students Should Know About the International Medicine and Disease Olympiad (IMDO)

Q: What does Everything Parents & IP Students Should Know About the International Medicine and Disease Olympiad (IMDO) cover?
A: Origin story, eligibility, exam format.

TL;DR
The International Medicine and Disease Olympiad (IMDO) is an annual biomedical competition launched in 2015. It is currently run online and the organiser publishes the paper format and proctoring rules each cycle IMDO rules. National organisers (e.g., USMDO) run their own qualifiers; always check the current official notice for dates, fees, and exact format.

Status: IMDO site and rules page checked 2025-11-30 - competition remains online with format/proctoring set each cycle; national qualifiers (e.g., USMDO) still gate entry; latest posted rules dated Jun 2024 with no 2026 calendar yet.

Registration quick answer (Singapore): Students don’t enter IMDO directly; join via the official national qualifier (USMDO/IMDO). Dates and fees change each cycle - confirm on the official sites before paying: https://www.imdolympiad.org/ and https://www.usmdo.org/

1 What exactly is the IMDO?

• The IMDO is a student biomedical competition launched in 2015 and run by the IMDO Foundation Board.
• Recent editions have been held online; refer to the current rules page for the latest delivery mode and schedule IMDO rules.
• Participation figures and scoreboards are published by the organiser on the official site after each cycle.

1.1 Why parents of IP learners should care

Biomedical case-analysis forces students to convert prose into flow-charts, crunch proportional data and defend conclusions-skills that map directly onto IP WA graph questions and Paper 4 practical evaluation paragraphs.

2 Exam structure

The organiser publishes the section breakdown, timings, and proctoring rules in the current year’s regulations. Expect a mix of objective and free-response items focused on biomedical reasoning; consult the official rules page for the latest format and calculator/aid policy IMDO rules.

3 Pathway for Singapore students

1. National qualifier - run by the country’s organiser (e.g., USMDO); dates, duration, and format are set locally.
2. Training - organiser-led preparation sessions where offered.
3. International round - held online per the current IMDO schedule; check the site for dates and delivery details.