Exam preparation, explained plainly
How the ACEM, ANZCA and RACS GSSE exams are structured, how to study around a clinical roster, and how to know when you are ready.
The ACEM Primary exam: what it is and how to prepare for each part
The ACEM Primary has two parts that ask different things of you. Knowing the difference early changes how you spend your study time.
How to study for the ACEM Primary around a full clinical roster
You do not have six-hour blocks. Most registrars have thirty minutes on a good day. That is enough, if the thirty minutes go to the right place.
The ANZCA Primary exam: the MCQ, the SAQ and the viva
The ANZCA Primary asks you to show your knowledge three different ways. Each rewards a different kind of preparation.
How to know when you’re ready to sit your specialist exam
Most candidates decide they are ready by how they feel. Feelings are a poor guide: confidence rises with familiarity, and familiarity is not the same as knowing.
The ACEM Primary gives you three attempts. How to decide when to sit
The limit turns a simple question, “can I sit this one?”, into a harder one: “is this the right sitting?”
ACEM Primary Written vs viva: two different exams
Both parts examine the same four sciences, but they ask for different skills. Preparing for one does not prepare you for the other.
The ACEM Fellowship Written exam: the SAQ and SCQ papers
The Fellowship Written has two papers that test different things. Strong candidates prepare for both deliberately.
The ACEM Fellowship OSCE: how to prepare for the Clinical Exam
The OSCE is a performance exam. Knowing the material is necessary, but it is the practice of doing it aloud, to time, that separates candidates.
The ANZCA Primary SAQ: 15 questions in 150 minutes
The short-answer paper rewards technique as much as knowledge. Candidates who know the content still lose marks to timing and structure.
ACEM Primary exam dates for 2027
There are two sittings of each part in 2027. The dates below come from ACEM’s published 2027 Primary Examination Dates, so check ACEM’s website for any change.
ANZCA Primary exam dates for 2027
There are two Primary exam sittings in 2027. The dates below come from the primary exam dates published on ANZCA’s anaesthesia exams page, so check ANZCA’s website for any change.
The RACS GSSE: exam format, structure and what each exam asks
The Generic Surgical Sciences Examination (GSSE) tests anatomy, pathology and physiology, and every surgical specialty training board requires it for selection. Here is how it is built, so you can aim your study at what is actually marked.
GSSE question types explained: Type A, Type B and Type X
The GSSE does not use one multiple-choice format. It uses three, and each rewards a slightly different way of thinking. Knowing them before you practise saves you from learning them in the exam.
RACS GSSE exam dates 2027: sittings, registration and locations
RACS publishes the GSSE sittings and registration windows in advance. Here are the 2027 dates it lists, and how to plan around them.
How the GSSE is marked and passed: component minimums and the overall mark
Passing the GSSE is not only about a total score. You also have to reach a minimum in each component, which changes where it is worth spending your time.