How long did you spend studying before sitting FANZCA primary?

Kevin O.OP

May 27, 2026

Hey everyone, I'm a PGY3 anaesthetics trainee about 7 months out from attempting the FANZCA primary exam and honestly the whole thing is overwhelming me. I've been lurking here for a while reading people's experiences but I'd love some advice specific to the primary written and viva components. My main struggle right now is knowing where to even start — do I go deep on physiology first or just do a broad sweep of everything?

I've been using a FANZCA practice test bank I found online and working through Power and Kam, but I'm not sure if I'm retaining enough or just fooling myself. Currently scoring around 65% on mocks and I know I need to push that closer to 75-80% to feel safe. Has anyone got a solid study guide framework they followed in the lead-up? I've heard the vivas are where people really come unstuck.

Any tips on timing, resources, or what topics the examiners love hammering would be genuinely appreciated. Feeling a bit isolated out here — my hospital only has two other trainees sitting the same diet and we're all equally lost.

Kevin O.

May 28, 2026

Honestly 65% on mocks at 7 months out isn't bad at all. I was sitting around 60% six months before my diet and scraped through fine. The study guide I kept coming back to was Pinnock's Fundamentals — it's dense but the explanations actually make sense. The written is passable if you're systematic, but yeah the vivas are a completely different beast. Practice speaking your answers out loud, not just thinking them. Sounds silly but it makes a huge difference under pressure.

Sofia R.

May 28, 2026

The physiology-first approach is exactly what worked for me. Spent the first three months almost exclusively on that, then layered in pharmacology. Don't underestimate renal and acid-base — they come up constantly in vivas. My exam tips for anyone reading: do at least two mock vivas a month with a consultant, even if it's uncomfortable. That exposure is irreplaceable. I sat the primary after about 14 months of solid part-time study alongside clinical work.

emily_w

May 28, 2026

Join the ANZCA trainees Facebook group if you haven't already — there's a whole file section with past viva questions people have compiled. Game changer for me. Also, don't neglect statistics and research methodology. Everyone ignores it and then gets a nasty question in the written that kills their score.

How long did you spend studying before sitting FANZCA primary?

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