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Viva & oral-board practice, topic by topic

Viva Station runs timed spoken practice vivas with an AI examiner — one question at a time, marked to the standard. Pick the exam you're sitting and the area you want to drill. Every page below covers how that topic is examined and how to build an answer out loud.

ANZCA Primary

Overview

The Primary tests applied physiology, pharmacology, anatomy and measurement. The viva rewards a candidate who can build an answer out loud under time, not just recall facts.

Physiology

Respiratory physiologyCardiovascular physiologyNeurophysiologyRenal physiologyFluids and electrolytesAcid-base physiologyGastrointestinal and hepatic physiologyThermoregulationHaematologyCellular physiologyMetabolic and endocrine physiologyMaternal and foetal physiology

Pharmacology

General pharmacology and pharmacokineticsInhalational anaesthetic agentsIntravenous anaesthetic agentsOpioidsNeuromuscular blocking agents and reversalLocal anaestheticsCardiovascular pharmacologyMiscellaneous pharmacology

Pain

Pain physiology and management

Measurement, equipment & other

Clinical measurementAnaesthetic equipmentAnatomyStatistics and research methodsIntegrated clinical scenario

ANZCA Final

Overview

The Final tests clinical judgement across subspecialty anaesthesia, perioperative medicine and crisis management. The viva rewards a safe, structured plan defended out loud, not a recited list.

Subspecialty anaesthesia

Airway managementCardiac anaesthesiaThoracic anaesthesiaVascular surgery and interventional radiologyENT and maxillofacial surgeryNeurosurgical anaesthesiaObstetric anaesthesiaPaediatric anaesthesiaOphthalmic anaesthesiaOrthopaedic surgeryPlastics, reconstructive and burnsGeneral surgeryUrologyGynaecology

Practice & principles

General anaesthesia and sedationRegional anaesthesia and ultrasoundPerioperative medicinePain medicine

Critical care & emergencies

Intensive careResuscitationTrauma and crisis management

Applied science & evidence

Equipment and monitoringLandmark studies and evidence-based practiceGeneral medicine

US Oral Boards (SOE)

Overview

The SOE tests the reasoning behind clinical decisions — judgment, adaptability when the case changes, and how clearly you organize and present your thinking under questioning.

Perioperative medicine

Preoperative evaluation and optimizationPostoperative complications and PACU careCritical care and resuscitationAcute and chronic pain management

Subspecialty management

Cardiac anesthesiaThoracic anesthesiaNeuroanesthesiaObstetric anesthesiaPediatric anesthesiaTrauma anesthesiaVascular anesthesiaAmbulatory and non-operating-room anesthesiaRegional anesthesia and blocks

Core clinical challenges

Airway managementHemodynamic instability and shockVentilation and respiratory managementTransfusion and coagulationEquipment, monitoring and patient safety

The complex patient

Obesity and obstructive sleep apneaHepatic and renal diseaseEndocrine and metabolic disordersCardiac disease in noncardiac surgeryGeriatric anesthesia

Final FRCA (SOE)

Overview

The Final FRCA SOE tests clinical judgement and applied science out loud — a safe, structured answer defended under questioning, in the register of a UK college oral.

Clinical anaesthesia

Airway managementCardiothoracic anaesthesiaNeuroanaesthesiaObstetric anaesthesiaPaediatric anaesthesiaTrauma and resuscitationVascular anaesthesiaRegional anaesthesiaENT and maxillofacial anaesthesiaOphthalmic anaesthesiaOrthopaedic anaesthesiaGeneral, urological and gynaecological surgeryDay surgery and anaesthesia outside theatrePerioperative medicineIntensive care medicineAcute and chronic pain

Applied basic science

Applied cardiovascular and respiratory physiologyApplied neuro, renal and metabolic physiologyApplied pharmacologyApplied anatomyPhysics, clinical measurement and equipmentStatistics and evidence

Professional practice

Consent, law and ethicsPatient safety and human factors

CICM First Part

Overview

The CICM First Part vivas test intensive care basic sciences — physiology, pharmacology and measurement applied to the ICU, built out loud under ten minutes of structured questioning.

Physiology

Respiratory physiologyCardiovascular physiologyRenal physiology and acid-baseNeurophysiologyFluids and electrolytesGastrointestinal, hepatic and nutrition physiologyEndocrine and metabolic physiologyHaematology and immunologyThermoregulation and cellular physiology

Pharmacology

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamicsSedatives and analgesics in ICUNeuromuscular blocking agentsVasoactive and inotropic drugsAntimicrobialsAnticoagulants and antiplatelet drugsMiscellaneous ICU pharmacology

Measurement & equipment

Monitoring and clinical measurementVentilators and respiratory equipmentRenal replacement technologyStatistics and research methods

CICM Second Part

Overview

The CICM Second Part structured orals test clinical intensive care — prioritising, supporting failing organs and defending a plan for the complex ICU patient under questioning.

Organ support & failure

Acute respiratory failure and ARDSMechanical ventilation and weaningShock and haemodynamic supportAcute kidney injury and renal replacementECMO and mechanical circulatory supportLiver failure

Presentations

Sepsis and severe infectionTraumatic brain injury and neurocritical careMultitraumaCardiac surgical and cardiology ICUPoisoning and toxicologyObstetric critical careBurns and major tissue injuryPost-arrest care and prognostication

The unit

End-of-life care, ethics and organ donationICU-acquired weakness, nutrition and rehabilitationTransfusion and coagulopathyICU organisation, safety and outreach

ACEM OSCE

Overview

The ACEM Fellowship OSCE tests emergency practice in seven-minute stations — resuscitation, management, communication and teaching, performed aloud against the clock.

Resuscitation & critical care

Cardiac arrest and post-arrest careShock and undifferentiated hypotensionAirway management in the EDMajor traumaToxicology and envenomation

Clinical management

Chest pain and acute coronary syndromesSepsis in the EDAcute abdominal presentationsNeurological emergenciesPaediatric emergenciesObstetric and gynaecological emergenciesPsychiatric presentations and behavioural emergenciesGeriatric emergency care

Communication & teaching

Breaking bad news and difficult conversationsHandover, referral and escalationTeaching a junior doctorComplaints, open disclosure and ethics

New to the format? Read how the ANZCA Primary viva works or how the ANZCA Final viva works.

Practise this out loud.

Your first 2 stations are free. Email sign-in, no password, no card — just you and the examiner.

Start practising