# Practising for Cardiothoracic Surgery (FRCS oral) with MedMock

Canonical page: https://medmock.com/exams/cardiothoracic-surgery-frcs-oral

## What is the FRCS Cardiothoracic Surgery viva, and how do you practise for it?

The Intercollegiate Specialty Examination in Cardiothoracic Surgery (FRCS CTh) Section 2, set by the JCIE for surgeons completing UK cardiothoracic training. Section 2 is a clinical and oral examination: a cardiac and a thoracic intermediate case session with volunteer patients, cardiac and thoracic instruments and imaging/investigations, orals on cardiac and on thoracic critical conditions, intensive care and trauma, and an oral in the sub-specialty you choose at application. MedMock runs every session as spoken practice, without physical examination. MedMock lets you practise it out loud against an AI examiner, with examiner-style feedback on any question you finish.

## What happens in the real FRCS Cardiothoracic Surgery (checked against the official source on 2026-09-27)

Section 2 of the FRCS (Cardiothoracic Surgery) is the clinical part of the exam, taken after passing the written Section 1. It has four clinical sessions: a 45-minute cardiac and a 45-minute thoracic intermediate case session, in each of which three volunteer patients are seen, and a 30-minute cardiac and a 30-minute thoracic session in which six scenarios on instruments and on imaging or investigations are discussed. There are also three 30-minute orals: one on cardiac and one on thoracic critical conditions, ICU and trauma, and one in the sub-specialty, cardiac or thoracic surgery, chosen at application. Examiners mark against the JCIE's marking descriptors on a scale of 4 to 8, and the pass standard is set at the level of a day one consultant in the generality of the specialty.

- **Clinical: Cardiac Surgery intermediate case** (45 minutes): One 45-minute session in which three volunteers are seen. Volunteers are past or present patients relevant to the specialty, recruited by the host examiner.
- **Clinical: Thoracic Surgery intermediate case** (45 minutes): One 45-minute session in which three volunteers are seen.
- **Clinical: Cardiac Surgery instruments and imaging/investigations** (30 minutes): One 30-minute session in which six clinical scenarios are discussed: three of 5 minutes on instruments and three of 5 minutes on imaging or investigations.
- **Clinical: Thoracic Surgery instruments and imaging/investigations** (30 minutes): One 30-minute session in which six clinical scenarios are discussed: three of 5 minutes on instruments and three of 5 minutes on imaging or investigations.
- **Oral: Cardiac Surgery – Critical Conditions/ICU/Trauma** (30 minutes): A 30-minute oral on critical conditions, intensive care (ICU) and trauma in cardiac surgery.
- **Oral: Thoracic Surgery – Critical Conditions/ICU/Trauma** (30 minutes): A 30-minute oral on critical conditions, intensive care (ICU) and trauma in thoracic surgery.
- **Oral: Sub-specialty in Cardiac Surgery or Thoracic Surgery** (30 minutes): A 30-minute oral in the sub-specialty, cardiac surgery or thoracic surgery, that you select when you apply.

Marking: Examiners use the JCIE marking descriptors, a rating scale from 4 to 8 covering basic knowledge, higher order processing, clinical skills and professionalism. A 4 describes poor basic knowledge and a lack of understanding to a level of concern; a 6 describes competent knowledge, no major errors and safe practice; an 8 describes excellent basic knowledge and knowing the breadth and depth of the topic.

Passing: The JCIE states that the pass mark is set at the level of a day one consultant in the generality of the specialty. It does not publish a numerical pass mark for Section 2 or how the marks are combined.

Sources: https://www.jcie.org.uk/Utils/DocumentGenerator.aspx?Type=CMS&docID=456de175-d22b-44bd-abdb-55f6aacf3889 https://www.jcie.org.uk/content/content.aspx?ID=13 https://www.jcie.org.uk/Utils/DocumentGenerator.aspx?Type=CMS&docID=0932059d-9864-4ed1-8710-81ce020fdf44 https://www.jcie.org.uk/Utils/DocumentGenerator.aspx?Type=CMS&docID=386bbc69-2612-4727-8ed5-a0d8808ba9e7 https://www.jcie.org.uk/Utils/DocumentGenerator.aspx?Type=CMS&docID=58EA3EC7-DE60-4160-9D15-D8757F511D14 https://www.jcie.org.uk/content/content.aspx?ID=4 https://www.jcie.org.uk/Utils/DocumentGenerator.aspx?Type=CMS&docID=52bb7306-cbbd-4bd9-ba1e-f3d597feeb03 https://www.jcie.org.uk/content/content.aspx?ID=6 https://www.jcie.org.uk/content/content.aspx?ID=10
Full format page: https://medmock.com/exams/cardiothoracic-surgery-frcs-oral/format

Upcoming sittings: from 19 May 2027 (Sheffield); from 20 October 2027 (Glasgow) (source: JCIE (the four surgical Royal Colleges), checked 2026-09-23).
All FRCS Cardiothoracic Surgery dates: https://medmock.com/exams/cardiothoracic-surgery-frcs-oral#dates

## Stations you can practise

- **Cardiac Surgery – Intermediate Case** — 45 minutes with three volunteer patients who have had, or are living with, cardiac surgical conditions. Take a focused history from each; the examiner gives the examination findings you ask for, then discusses investigations and management.
- **Thoracic Surgery – Intermediate Case** — 45 minutes with three volunteer patients with thoracic surgical conditions. Take a focused history from each; the examiner gives the examination findings you ask for, then discusses investigations and management.
- **Cardiac Surgery – Instruments and Imaging/Investigations** — 30 minutes, six 5-minute scenarios: three on cardiac surgical instruments and devices, then three on images or investigation results. On MedMock the examiner names each instrument.
- **Thoracic Surgery – Instruments and Imaging/Investigations** — 30 minutes, six 5-minute scenarios: three on thoracic surgical instruments and devices, then three on images or investigation results. On MedMock the examiner names each instrument.
- **Cardiac Surgery – Critical Conditions/ICU/Trauma** — 30-minute oral on cardiac critical conditions, intensive care and trauma. The examiners take you through several scenarios.
- **Thoracic Surgery – Critical Conditions/ICU/Trauma** — 30-minute oral on thoracic critical conditions, intensive care and trauma. The examiners take you through several scenarios.
- **Sub-specialty – Cardiac Surgery** — 30-minute oral for candidates who chose cardiac surgery as their sub-specialty at application. The examiners take you through several scenarios.
- **Sub-specialty – Thoracic Surgery** — 30-minute oral for candidates who chose thoracic surgery as their sub-specialty at application. The examiners take you through several scenarios.

## Sample FRCS Cardiothoracic Surgery questions

- *Cardiac Surgery – Critical Conditions/ICU/Trauma:* How would you select and manage temporary mechanical circulatory support, including Impella and TandemHeart, as a bridge to recovery in post-cardiotomy cardiogenic shock?
- *Cardiac Surgery – Critical Conditions/ICU/Trauma:* A 59-year-old woman develops a rapidly rising transaminase level, jaundice and a rising INR after several days of low cardiac output following cardiac surgery. Which mechanisms and differential diagnoses would you consider?

## Example scenarios

- *Cardiac Surgery – Intermediate Case:* This 71-year-old man had coronary artery bypass grafting three years ago and has come to talk to you today. Please take a focused history.
- *Thoracic Surgery – Intermediate Case:* This 58-year-old woman had a right upper lobectomy for lung cancer last year and has come to talk to you today. Please take a focused history.
- *Cardiac Surgery – Instruments and Imaging/Investigations:* This is an intra-aortic balloon pump. How does it work, and how do you time it?
- *Thoracic Surgery – Instruments and Imaging/Investigations:* A 67-year-old man is being assessed for a lobectomy. Here are his lung function results. Talk me through them.
- *Cardiac Surgery – Critical Conditions/ICU/Trauma:* A 65-year-old man is four hours after coronary artery bypass grafting. His drains have suddenly stopped, his central venous pressure is rising and his blood pressure is falling. What do you do?
- *Thoracic Surgery – Critical Conditions/ICU/Trauma:* A 34-year-old man arrives after a stab wound to the right chest. He is hypotensive and 1,800 ml of blood drains when a chest drain is inserted. How do you manage him?
- *Sub-specialty – Cardiac Surgery:* A 76-year-old woman with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis is discussed at the heart team meeting. How do you decide between surgical and transcatheter valve replacement?
- *Sub-specialty – Thoracic Surgery:* A 62-year-old woman has a 1.8 cm peripheral adenocarcinoma of the right upper lobe with no nodal disease on staging. What operation would you offer, and why?

## How a practice session works

1. **Choose a question** — Pick from the FRCS Cardiothoracic Surgery questions — all 8 that MedMock runs, 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, £119 per month for 600 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 question 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 FRCS Cardiothoracic Surgery questions?

Yes. You can pick any of the 8 questions 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