Primary FRCA practice

How to prepare for the Primary FRCA

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.

What happens in the Primary FRCA exam: parts, timings and marking An example Primary FRCA station, with example feedback Primary FRCA dates and countdown

Step by step

  1. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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

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
  • Rote-learning facts. Examiners report that a lack of understanding sometimes shows on deeper questioning. source
  • Unstructured SOE answers that do not answer the question asked, leading to poor progression through the question and missed areas. source
  • Neglecting anatomy. Examiners say anatomy stations are commonly poorly answered, so revise it against the curriculum. source
  • 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
  • Letting a poor station affect the next ones. Examiners stress that one poor station does not mean you will fail the OSCE. source

Practise with MedMock

MedMock practises the Primary FRCA SOE only, as its two 30-minute parts: three pharmacology and three physiology and biochemistry questions, then three clinical questions (including a critical incident) and three on physics, clinical measurement, equipment and safety. An AI examiner asks each question aloud and you get marked feedback. The OSCE is not simulated, so use the College's OSCE videos and practice circuits for that half.

Practise the Primary FRCA viva Free trial, no card needed.

Questions candidates ask

Should I sit the current OSCE and SOE or wait for the CASE?

If you have passed the MCQ, you can sit the OSCE and SOE in 2026-27; if you have not attempted them by then, you will sit the CASE in 2027-28. The College's sit-or-wait page mainly concerns candidates near their final attempts, and it encourages you to discuss your options with your educational supervisor or College tutor.

Will the last OSCE stations look like the CASE?

No. The College says questions for the current OSCE will continue to come from the current OSCE question bank until the OSCE is retired.

What if I pass only one of the OSCE and SOE?

The component pass is valid for three years. In 2027-28 you can take the outstanding legacy component, or relinquish the partial pass and sit the CASE at a reduced cost; partial passes expire after June 2028.

What is the pass mark?

The SOE pass mark is set at 37 out of 48. The OSCE pass mark is the sum of station pass marks set before the exam by modified Angoff. The format page has the full detail.

What happens if I fail?

The College's feedback policy sets out the feedback for each component. If you fail a component more than once you can request one guidance interview with an examiner, and one is compulsory before a sixth attempt.

Sources

Checked on 27 September 2026.

Exams and their regulations change. MedMock is not affiliated with any examining body; always check the current guidance on the official site before you book.