The Primary FRCA consists of three separate components, which are split into two examinations. In order to progress to stage 2 training (ST4 onwards), it is necessary to have passed all three components. In this article, we’ll outline the structure of the Primary FRCA to provide more context for how our Primary FRCA question bank is helpful.
Overview
The components of the Primary FRCA are as follows:
- A single best answer paper, consisting of 90 questions
- A 4 station Structured Oral Examination, often referred to as the ‘viva’
- A 16+ station OSCE
We’ll now discuss each of these in more detail.
Single Best Answer Paper
The Single Best Answer (SBA) paper consists of 90 questions, split across equally across three broad domains of physiology, pharmacology and clinical/physics. The questions are designed to be challenging, such that multiple answers are factually correct, but a combination of experience, factual recall and reasoning from first principles may be required to elicit the ‘best’ answer.
There are three sittings available each year, in September, November and February.
To be successful, general advice is to allow 4-6 months of revision, with time split between learning the content and doing practice with Primary FRCA questions.
Primary FRCA Questions
When the trainees behind TeachMeAnaesthetics went through this process, they felt the question banks on offer were flawed. They were felt to be expensive, had not been updated to reflect recent changes to the exam (multiple true/false as opposed to SBAs), and it was felt that some questions were not written for the FRCA, but rather duplicated from question banks for a different exam.
To address this, our 1000+ Primary FRCA questions are each written specifically to address a learning point in the curriculum, are all SBAs to reflect the current exam format, and are priced competitively. Follow this link to sign up today.
Structured Oral Examination (SOE)
The SOE is commonly referred to as the ‘viva’, and forms the next component of the Primary FRCA. It consists of four, 15 minute stations, during which you are assessed on three topics within each domain of physiology, pharmacology, physics and clinical practice.
It is structured into two x30 minute assessments. Pharmacology and physiology are first, with a break before the second set of clinical and physics. Each station has two examiners, who ask you questions on one topic each. You will have different examiners for the second 30 minute station.
In order to sit the SOE, you must first pass the SBA.
OSCE
The OSCE is the final component, and is sat on the same day as the SOE. It consists of a minimum of 16 live stations, with a variable number of rest stations and test stations added. Neither yourself or the examiner will be aware of which stations are test stations and which ones are live.
Each station is scored out of 20, with a pass mark of around 210-230/320, depending on the difficulty of the stations. Topics include communication, equipment, anatomy, history taking, physical examination, simulated emergencies, resuscitation and more.
In order to sit the OSCE, you must first pass the SBA. On your first sitting, you must sit both the OSCE and the SOE. In the event of being unsuccessful, you can resit one or both components at a time.