Resources for the
Primary FRCA SOE/Viva Exam

Books

Textbooks remain the foundation of FRCA preparation. Below are the most recommended books, grouped by subject area.

General Textbooks

• Get the "blue book" - the RCOA's Guide to the FRCA Examination. This is concise guidance from the FRCA with examples of SBA, OSCE, and SOE stations. Make sure you practice everything in that book, as candidates often report that some of their questions were very similar to those in the guide. Last time we checked, it was sold out, but do check on eBay or World of Books, where you can find used copies. Here's the college's shop page where you can check if it is available.
• Primary FRCA in a Box — Flashcards with key facts for quick review.
• FRCA Primary — The Candidate's Guide by El-Boghdadly — Exam strategy and clear explanations.

Check on Amazon

Physics, Pharmacology and Physiology for Anaesthetists

Authors: Matthew E. Cross, Emma V. E. Plunkett

Cambridge University Press, 6 Mar 2014 - 432 pages

A key requirement of the primary and final FRCA examinations is a sound understanding of the basic sciences behind anaesthetic practice. It is important to be able to describe these principles clearly, particularly in the viva section of the examinations. This fully updated new edition of a key title in the field of anaesthesia provides all the important graphs, definitions and equations which may be covered in the examinations, together with clear and concise explanations of how to present them to the examiner and why they are important. Packed full of precise, clear diagrams with well structured explanations, and with all key definitions, derivations and statistics, this is an essential study aid for all FRCA examination candidates.

Check on Amazon

Fundamentals of Anaesthesia - 4th Edition

Authors: Ted Lin, Tim Smith, Colin Pinnock, Chris Mowatt

Cambridge University Press, 2016 - 983 pages

Fundamentals of Anaesthesia is the gold standard text for the Primary FRCA, encapsulating the basic principles of modern anaesthesia in one easily accessible volume. Written and edited by experts with extensive FRCA examination experience, this text deliberately blends the expertise of invited authors in an unrivalled consistency of style more akin to that of a single author text. All of the subject matter required to pass the exam is condensed into an easy-to-read format.

This fully updated fourth edition includes new guidelines, an improved chapter structure, and a new section on clinical ultrasound. The generous use of summary boxes, bullet points, tables and diagrams creates a text that is clear, concise and easy to navigate. Each section covers one of the four components of the SOE. This is a unique revision aid for the Primary FRCA and an essential companion for all exam candidates.

- Fourth edition has been updated to reflect changes in FRCA curriculum and advances in practice
- Written with needs of trainee anaesthetists in mind and so it is focused on key areas to complement both their clinical work and preparation for exams
- Diagrams are deliberately simple to allow easy reproduction during an oral examination or in the operating theatre

Check on Amazon

Basic Physiology for Anaesthetists

Authors: David Chambers, Christopher Huang, Gareth Matthews

Cambridge University Press, 25 Jul 2019 - 464 pages

Every trainee in anaesthesia requires a thorough understanding of basic physiology and its application to clinical practice. Now in its second edition, this comprehensively illustrated textbook bridges the gap between medical school and reference scientific texts. It covers the physiology requirements of the Primary FRCA examination syllabus. Chapters are organised by organ system, with particular emphasis given to the respiratory, cardiovascular and nervous systems. The practical question-and-answer format helps the reader prepare for oral examinations, while 'clinical relevance' boxes translate the physiological concepts to clinical practice. This new edition has been thoroughly updated and revised throughout, and includes six new chapters, including the physiology of the eye, upper airway and exercise testing. It provides junior anaesthetists with an essential 'one stop' physiology resource.

Physiology

• Ganong's Review of Medical Physiology
• Physiology at a Glance
• The Anaesthesia Viva Book — Great physiology section.

Pharmacology

• Rang & Dale's Pharmacology
• Pharmacology for Anaesthesia and Intensive Care by Peck & Hill

Anatomy

• Gray's Anatomy for Students
• McMinn's Colour Atlas of Human Anatomy

Practice Question Books

• QBase Anaesthesia Vol 1
• CRQs for the Primary FRCA
• Structured Oral Examination Practice books

Online Resources

When starting to prepare for your SOE/OSCE Primary exam, we would suggest you follow the following steps:

• Check the college's website and ensure you read all the details about the exam and what is expected of you in the exam. Here are the links for the Primary FRCA SOE and Primary FRCA OSCE pages, where you'll find general information about each exam.
• Watch the college's videos on exam preparation - this is another invaluable resource and some questions have been reported to come up in the exam as well so make sure you watch those at least twice. The links to the video resources can the found here:
  • The RCOA Youtube playlist with all the videos (15 at the moment)
  • The RCOA page with SOE video guidance
  • The RCOA page with OSCE video guidance
• Go to the e-learning Anaesthesia page on the RCOA's website - the e-learning anaesthesia page mainly offers a redirect towards the e-LFH and is focused on passing the SBAs, however pay attention to Module 7 (Basic Science), there is guidance on the OSCE/SOE as well with a curriculum checklist which can also be useful as a guide of what to prepare for.

Question Banks

• FRCAQ.com — SBA-focused, exam-style questions.
• e-Learning Anaesthesia (e-LA) — Official RCoA modules, free for NHS users.
• PassMedicine — Popular with analytics and performance tracking.

Video and Visual Resources

• YouTube: FRCA Explained, Oxford Tutorials
• TeachMeAnatomy — Illustrated anatomy topics.
• Osmosis & Armando Hasudungan — Animated physiology and pharmacology.

Other Tools

• Anki Flashcards — Shared decks tailored to the FRCA syllabus.
• PubMed, NICE Guidelines — Evidence-based reference material.