Anaesthetics (Primary FRCA SOE)
Sit your Primary FRCA viva after rehearsing every answer out loud
Rehearse Primary FRCA Anaesthetics viva scenarios out loud against a senior examiner who probes your reasoning. Get examiner-style feedback on any station you finish, in seconds.
What is the Primary FRCA viva, and how do you practise for it?
The Royal College of Anaesthetists' Primary FRCA Structured Oral Examination, sat in person by Stage 1 anaesthesia, ACCS and ICM trainees who have passed the Primary MCQ and hold the Initial Assessment of Competence. Two 30-minute parts: SOE 1 has three pharmacology and three physiology and biochemistry questions; SOE 2 has three questions on a clinical case (including a critical incident) and three on physics, clinical measurement, equipment and safety. Each of the 12 questions is marked 0, 1 or 2 by two examiners (pass mark 37/48). The RCoA plans to replace the Primary OSCE and SOE with the new Primary FRCA CASE examination from July 2027, subject to GMC approval, so 2026/27 is the final year of this format. MedMock lets you practise it out loud against an AI examiner, with examiner-style feedback on any part you finish.
Last updated 29 October 2026
Primary FRCA viva practice, on demand
MedMock gives you a senior examiner who probes your reasoning, available 24/7. Pick a part, have a spoken conversation, and ask for examiner-style feedback when you finish, scored against what genuinely matters in the Primary FRCA.
How it works
Choose a part
Pick from the Primary FRCA parts — both of them, or let MedMock surprise you the way exam day will.
Have the conversation
Speak naturally, out loud. The AI examiner listens, follows up and probes further, exactly like the viva.
Get instant feedback
The moment you finish, you get specific, examiner-style feedback and a score — what you did well, what cost you marks, and precisely what to fix before the next attempt.
Practise every station
MedMock covers the parts you will face in the Primary FRCA viva. Rehearse each one until it feels routine.
Basic Sciences Section
30-min oral covering three pharmacology questions plus three physiology and biochemistry questions. Two examiners mark every question independently. Assesses the basic-science foundations of anaesthetic practice per the RCoA Primary FRCA syllabus.
Clinical & Equipment Section
30-min oral covering three clinical topics (including a critical incident) plus three physics, clinical measurement, equipment and safety questions. Two examiners mark every question independently. Assesses Stage 1 anaesthetic decision-making and the safety principles of anaesthetic equipment.
Sample Primary FRCA questions
Two questions from the topics that come up most in MedMock's Primary FRCA bank.
“Describe the pathways involved in nausea and vomiting, and classify antiemetics according to where they act.”
“Take me through the events of the cardiac cycle on the left side of the heart, relating pressures, volumes and valve movements.”
Example scenarios
A sample of the Primary FRCA scenarios you can practise, each as a spoken conversation.
“Describe the mechanism of action of propofol, its principal cardiovascular side effects, and the features and risk thresholds of propofol infusion syndrome.”
“Walk me through the physiology of oxygen transport, the oxyhaemoglobin dissociation curve, and the factors that shift it.”
“You are anaesthetising a 42-year-old for elective hernia repair. Five minutes after induction her end-tidal CO2 drops, airway pressures climb and her BP collapses. Talk me through your management.”
“Name the safety mechanisms on a modern anaesthetic machine that prevent delivery of a hypoxic gas mixture.”
Primary FRCA dates 2026–27
The next Primary FRCA sitting we hold is: Week commencing 16 November 2026. Checked against Royal College of Anaesthetists on 23 September 2026.
Time until Week commencing 16 November 2026
— d — h — m — sThe Primary FRCA OSCE and SOE are sat together in the same week. From July 2027 the Primary FRCA moves to a new two-component format — check the RCoA’s 2027 launch pages if you will be a first-time candidate after that date.
Exam dates change. MedMock is not affiliated with Royal College of Anaesthetists; confirm every date, application window and venue on the official site before you book. Royal College of Anaesthetists
Primary FRCA practice — your questions answered
How does the feedback work?
When you finish a part you can have it marked, and the scorecard comes back in seconds — what you did well, what cost you marks, and exactly what to work on next. Scorecards, mark schemes and model answers are included at no extra credit cost.
Can I practise specific Primary FRCA parts?
Yes. You can pick either part to drill a weak area, or run a mixed set to simulate the real exam.
How much does it cost?
You can start with a one-off £5 taster: 30 credits, which is 30 minutes of speaking practice, with no subscription. After that, or at any time, you can choose a monthly plan, which includes a monthly credit allowance. Current prices are on the pricing page.
Formats change from year to year: check the official candidate guidance or applicant handbook from the body that runs your exam or interview (the Royal Colleges, NHS England, the GMC and others) for your sitting.
Ready for your Primary FRCA viva?
Rehearse real Primary FRCA scenarios out loud and get instant, examiner-style feedback.
- Instant, personalised feedback
- Real voice-to-voice conversation
- Repeatable attempts, a different run every time
Guides to help you prepare
Be ready for your Primary FRCA viva before you walk in
Start with the £5 taster, a one-off payment for 30 credits: practise Primary FRCA viva scenarios out loud and get any of them marked when you are ready.
Practise the Primary FRCA viva