# Practising for Anaesthetics (Primary FRCA SOE) with MedMock

Canonical page: https://medmock.com/exams/anaesthetics-primary-frca-soe

## 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.

An illustrative example station, written by MedMock with example feedback, is at https://medmock.com/exams/anaesthetics-primary-frca-soe/example

## What happens in the real Primary FRCA (checked against the official source on 2026-09-26)

The Primary FRCA OSCE and Structured Oral Examination (SOE) are the two in-person parts of the Royal College of Anaesthetists' Primary FRCA, taken after passing the written MCQ. The OSCE is a circuit of up to 16 five-minute stations, each marked out of 20, with the pass mark set by modified Angoff. The SOE is two 30-minute orals of six questions each; two examiners mark all 12 questions 0, 1 or 2 (maximum 48) and the pass mark is 37. Candidates must pass both to be awarded the Primary FRCA.

- **OSCE: circuit of up to 16 stations**: Up to 16 live stations of five minutes each, taken in succession, with one minute to read the guidance outside each station before a bell sounds. In a station an examiner may ask questions on a subject or an artefact, or the candidate may have to demonstrate a technical skill or the use of a piece of equipment, or talk with a patient played by an actor. The College puts the circuit at about 95 minutes.
- **SOE 1: pharmacology, physiology and biochemistry** (30 minutes): Three questions in pharmacology and three in physiology and biochemistry, with two examiners.
- **SOE 2: clinical topics; physics, clinical measurement, equipment and safety** (30 minutes): Three questions on clinical topics, including a critical incident, and three in physics, clinical measurement, equipment and safety, with two examiners.

Marking: OSCE: each station is marked out of 20. SOE: two examiners independently mark every one of the 12 questions, giving 2 for a pass, 1 for a borderline performance and 0 for a fail, for a maximum of 48 marks. The OSCE and the SOE each have a pass or fail outcome.

Passing: OSCE: the examiners set a pass mark for each station before the exam by modified Angoff, and the station pass marks are added together to give the pass mark for the whole OSCE. SOE: the pass mark is fixed at 37 out of 48, based on performance data from pre-2009 exams. A candidate must pass both the OSCE and the SOE to be awarded the Primary FRCA.

Sources: https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/examinations/primary-frca-examination https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/examinations/primary-frca-examination/primary-frca-osce https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/examinations/primary-frca-examination/frca-primary-soe https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/documents/examination-regulations-april-2026/3-structure-rcoa-delivered-examinations https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/documents/examination-regulations-april-2026/10-marking-criteria-standards https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/examinations/2027-launch-new-frca-exams https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/examinations/2027-launch-new-frca-exams/primary-frca-exam-pathways
Full format page: https://medmock.com/exams/anaesthetics-primary-frca-soe/format

## How to prepare for the Primary FRCA (facts checked against official sources on 2026-09-27)

The Primary FRCA OSCE and SOE are sat together at the College after the MCQ, and 2026-27 is the last year they run for everyone: from July 2027, subject to GMC approval, both are replaced by the Primary FRCA CASE. If you are sitting the current format, practise SOE answers aloud in five-minute slots with a clear structure and diagrams, and prepare for every OSCE station type, especially anatomy and interactive resuscitation, which the College's examiners report are often done poorly.

1. **Decide which format you will sit** — The remaining OSCE/SOE sittings are in the weeks of 16 November 2026, 1 February 2027 and 17 May 2027. From July 2027 you sit the CASE, one circuit of 13 nine-minute stations, unless you hold a partial pass, and no legacy attempts are available after July 2028. If you are near your final attempts, read the College's 'Deciding whether to sit or wait' page and discuss it with your educational supervisor or College tutor.
2. **Check eligibility and attempts** — You need a Primary MCQ pass from the last three years and the Initial Assessment of Competence in Anaesthesia or a recognised equivalent. Each component allows six attempts, a pass in one is valid for three years, and before a sixth attempt you must submit an Additional Educational Training form and attend a guidance interview.
3. **Revise to the Stage 1 syllabus, and start early** — Both components are aligned to the stage 1 curriculum, and the College's Examination Syllabus Stage 1 codes what questions may cover. The College's Primary FRCA page suggests starting to plan revision at least three to four months before sitting each component.
4. **Practise SOE answers aloud in five-minute slots** — The College's advice is to practise under exam conditions, allowing five minutes for each question, and to practise with tutors and educational supervisors. Its examiners suggest writing structured model answers for common questions with an opening statement that classifies the topic, saying them to yourself, then to peers, then in formal viva practice of three five-minute questions.
5. **Learn the core topics in depth, and draw them** — Examiners expect very detailed knowledge of the drugs anaesthetists use every day, and you should be able to draw the oxygen dissociation curve quickly and accurately while explaining the physiology. Practise the key graphs and diagrams of pharmacology, physiology and physics aloud, and keep up with emergency guidelines for the clinical and critical incident questions.
6. **Prepare for every OSCE station type** — Stations include simulation, interactive resuscitation, technical skills, history taking, measurement and monitoring, physical examination, equipment, communication, anatomy, clinical data and hazards. The College advises practising the key aspects of each station, watching its OSCE videos and doing at least one full practice OSCE. In history and communication stations, half the marks are for the content you elicit and half for communication.
7. **Get to know your equipment at work** — Examiners advise being inquisitive about every piece of equipment you use: what it is, how it works, when to use it and its safety features. Use your theatre lists for this, and simulate timed five-minute stations with peers, acting on the feedback.

Official resources:

- Primary FRCA OSCE (https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/examinations/primary-frca-examination/primary-frca-osce): The College's OSCE page: structure, marking, eligibility, dates and guidance interviews.
- FRCA Primary SOE (https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/examinations/primary-frca-examination/frca-primary-soe): The College's SOE page: the two 30-minute parts, marking, eligibility and dates.
- Primary OSCE video series (https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/examinations/primary-frca-examinations/primary-frca-osce-examination/primary-osce-video-series): Run-through videos plus six station 'spotlight' videos showing satisfactory and unsatisfactory performances.
- FRCA Primary SOE Resources (https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/examinations/primary-frca-examination/primary-frca-soe-examination/frca-primary-soe-resources): Example SOE videos in physiology, pharmacology, physics and clinical; watch them for how answers are delivered, not as model answers.
- Examination Syllabus Stage 1 (https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/documents/examination-syllabus-stage-1): The Primary FRCA syllabus, coded to the curriculum; use it as your revision checklist.
- Annual report, Primary and Final FRCA Examination 2024-2025 (https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/media/51666): Section 5 gives examiners' candidate guidance on common strengths and pitfalls in the Primary SOE and OSCE.
- Deciding whether to sit or wait (https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/examinations/2027-launch-new-frca-exams/deciding-whether-sit-or-wait): The College's scenarios and recommendations for candidates near their final attempts before the 2027 change.
- Primary FRCA Exam Pathways (https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/examinations/2027-launch-new-frca-exams/primary-frca-exam-pathways): What happens after a pass, partial pass or fail in 2026-27, and who can still sit the legacy OSCE/SOE in 2027-28.

Common mistakes examiners report:

- Underestimating the depth needed on core topics. Examiners expect very detailed knowledge of core anaesthesia drugs, enough to answer a five-minute question confidently. (source: https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/media/51666)
- Rote-learning facts. Examiners report that a lack of understanding sometimes shows on deeper questioning. (source: https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/media/51666)
- Unstructured SOE answers that do not answer the question asked, leading to poor progression through the question and missed areas. (source: https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/media/51666)
- Neglecting anatomy. Examiners say anatomy stations are commonly poorly answered, so revise it against the curriculum. (source: https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/media/51666)
- Being unable to identify the cardiac rhythm in the interactive resuscitation station, which examiners call surprisingly common. Be up to date with Advanced Life Support guidelines. (source: https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/media/51666)
- Letting a poor station affect the next ones. Examiners stress that one poor station does not mean you will fail the OSCE. (source: https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/media/51666)

Sources: https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/examinations/primary-frca-examination https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/examinations/primary-frca-examination/primary-frca-osce https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/examinations/primary-frca-examination/frca-primary-soe https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/examinations/2027-launch-new-frca-exams https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/examinations/2027-launch-new-frca-exams/primary-frca-exam-pathways https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/examinations/2027-launch-new-frca-exams/deciding-whether-sit-or-wait https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/examinations/2027-launch-new-frca-exams/new-exam-format-faqs https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/documents/examination-syllabus-stage-1 https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/media/51666 https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/examinations/primary-frca-examinations/primary-frca-osce-examination/primary-osce-video-series https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/examinations/primary-frca-examination/primary-frca-soe-examination/frca-primary-soe-resources https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/documents/examination-regulations-april-2026/10-marking-criteria-standards
Full guide: https://medmock.com/exams/anaesthetics-primary-frca-soe/prepare

Upcoming sittings: Week commencing 16 November 2026; Week commencing 1 February 2027; Week commencing 17 May 2027 (source: Royal College of Anaesthetists, checked 2026-09-23).
All Primary FRCA dates: https://medmock.com/exams/anaesthetics-primary-frca-soe#dates

## Stations you can practise

- **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

- *Basic Sciences Section:* Describe the pathways involved in nausea and vomiting, and classify antiemetics according to where they act.
- *Basic Sciences Section:* Take me through the events of the cardiac cycle on the left side of the heart, relating pressures, volumes and valve movements.

## Example scenarios

- *Basic Sciences Section:* Describe the mechanism of action of propofol, its principal cardiovascular side effects, and the features and risk thresholds of propofol infusion syndrome.
- *Basic Sciences Section:* Walk me through the physiology of oxygen transport, the oxyhaemoglobin dissociation curve, and the factors that shift it.
- *Clinical & Equipment Section:* 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.
- *Clinical & Equipment Section:* Name the safety mechanisms on a modern anaesthetic machine that prevent delivery of a hypoxic gas mixture.

## How a practice session works

1. **Choose a part** — Pick from the Primary FRCA parts — both of them, or let MedMock surprise you the way exam day will.
2. **Have the conversation** — Speak naturally, out loud. The AI examiner listens, follows up and probes further, exactly like the viva.
3. **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.

## Price

Start with a one-off £5 taster: 30 credits (30 minutes of speaking practice), not a subscription. After that, or instead, £69 per month for 350 credits. One credit is one minute of spoken practice, or two typed exchanges, and where the examiner or patient speaks first, that opening line is free. Examiner scorecards, mark schemes and model answers for finished sessions are included at no extra credit cost. Cancel at any time. Full details: https://medmock.com/pricing

## Frequently asked questions

### 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.

## About MedMock

MedMock is a web app for practising the spoken parts of UK medical and dental exams and interviews out loud. The candidate talks; an AI patient, examiner or interview panel answers in real time by voice; and when the station ends MedMock marks the performance against that exam's assessment domains and shows the model answer.

It covers 104 spoken exams and interviews — OSCEs, vivas, structured oral exams, simulated consultations, and specialty-training and consultant interviews. It does not cover written or multiple-choice papers, and it is not a question bank.

It was founded by Mr Sam Nahas, MBBS BSc MEd FRCS (Tr & Orth), a practising consultant orthopaedic surgeon in the UK, with co-founder and CTO Arjan Jandu. It is operated by VirtualPatients Ltd (company no. 16303492).

Pricing: a one-off £5 taster of 30 credits to try it (not a subscription, one per account), and a monthly subscription from £20 to £129 depending on the exam (student exams cost least, fellowship exit exams and consultant interviews most), or £199 to £275 for the Intensive plans, which carry more credits. One credit is one minute of spoken practice, or two typed exchanges, and where the examiner or patient speaks first, that opening line is free. Examiner scorecards, mark schemes and model answers for finished sessions are included at no extra credit cost. Subscriptions can be cancelled at any time.

It runs in a web browser on a laptop or phone; spoken practice needs a microphone. There is no public demo: practice needs an account with credits, usually from the taster or a monthly plan.

MedMock is for adults aged 18 or over. Sign-up asks every new account to confirm it.

MedMock is a revision tool. The patients, examiners and cases are fictional and AI-generated; it is not clinical guidance and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any Royal College, the GMC, the GDC or any examining body.

Start with the £5 taster: https://medmock.com/auth/signup