Anaesthesia exams
In order to qualify as a specialist anaesthetist and become eligible for ANZCA fellowship, trainees need to successfully complete two exams.
Each exam consists of written and viva components. Some specialist international medical graduates may need to sit certain components of the exam.
Trainees should familiarise themselves with the format, minimum marks, and eligibility requirements for each of these important exams.
Primary exam
The primary exam (PEx) is taken during basic training and assesses a trainee's knowledge and understanding of applied physiology, pharmacology, anatomy, measurement, equipment, quality and safety through a combination written and viva components. Success in the primary exam is necessary to progress to advanced training.
Learning outcomes
The learning outcomes in the ANZCA Training Program curriculum guide the range of content that may be assessed. Trainees are expected to demonstrate an understanding of the subject matter and show their ability to integrate relevant information so that it is applicable to the practice of clinical anaesthesia.
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible to sit the PEx, trainees must:
- Be registered as a trainee with the college.
- Have completed all requirements for introductory training and commenced basic training at the time of the written exam.
- Been in clinical anaesthesia time or other clinical time within the previous 52 weeks.
- Paid all outstanding training fees and the primary exam application fee.
Format
The PEx consists of the following three sections, completed in two parts.
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Section
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Format
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Duration
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% total marks
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Multiple-choice questions (MCQs)
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150 questions.
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150 minutes
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Pass/fail
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|
Short-answer questions (SAQs)
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15 questions
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150 minutes
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50%
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Viva voce
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3 vivas
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20 minutes each with a two-minute reading time (66 minutes in total)
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50%
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Additional information regarding the exam components on the day of the exam is available on Learn@anzca.
Requirements for passing the primary exam
Trainees will be invited to attend the viva section of the primary exam if they pass the multiple-choice question section and score 40 per cent or higher in the short-answer question section.
To be successful at the exam, trainees must obtain a mark of at least 50 per cent in the sum of the short-answer (50 per cent) and viva (50 per cent) sections. If a trainee fails to attend the written exam (no show) after enrolling for the primary exam, it will be counted as an unsuccessful attempt at the primary exam.
Candidates who have failed to achieve the standard in the written components of the exam are considered unsuccessful and this will count as an unsuccessful attempt at the primary exam.
Primary exam reports
We've made all past primary exam (PEx) reports available to help you prepare for your primary exam.
Dates and venues
2025 Primary exam dates
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2025.1
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2025.2
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Closing date
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8 January 2025
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10 June 2025
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Withdrawal fee date
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17 February 2025
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4 August 2025
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Written
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4 March 2025
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19 August 2025
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Written Venues
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Auckland, Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Canberra, Darwin, Hobart, Launceston, Melbourne, Newcastle, Perth, Sydney, Townsville and Wellington.
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Viva
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14-16 May 2025
Melbourne
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13-15 October 2025
Brisbane
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Updated : 11 September 2024
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Final exam
The final exam is taken during advanced training and is the final formal assessment of competence and knowledge. Trainees must successfully complete the final exam as part of the training program requirements.
Learning outcomes
The purpose of this exam is to determine whether trainees can integrate knowledge, judgement and skills to address realistic anaesthetic scenarios. The curriculum guides the range of content that may be assessed. As this is the final exam, responses should demonstrate a consistent level of prioritisation, judgement, integration and decision making.
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible to sit the final exam, trainees must have:
- Completed introductory training and basic training.
- 26 weeks full-time equivalent (FTE) of approved vocational training in advanced training.
- At least 88 weeks FTE clinical anaesthesia time as part of approved vocational training.
- Been in clinical anaesthesia time or other clinical time within the previous 52 weeks.
- Paid all outstanding training fees and the final exam application fee (paid in full).
Format
The final exam consists of four sections, completed in two parts.
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Section
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Format
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Duration
|
|
Multiple-choice questions (MCQs)
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150 questions
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150 minutes
|
|
Short-answer questions (SAQs)
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15 Questions
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150 minutes
|
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Medical vivas
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2 vivas
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15 minutes each
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Anaesthesia vivas
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8 vivas
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15 minutes each
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The SAQ and the MCQ exam are held on the same day with the medical vivas held on alternate days with the anaesthetic vivas.
Requirements for passing the final exam
Candidates will be invited to attend the medical and anaesthetic vivas if they get:
- A mark of at least 40 per cent in the multiple choice exam (MCQ) and
- A mark of at least 40 per cent in the short answer exam (SAQ).
We'll confirm eligibility to attend the medical and anaesthesia vivas approximately three weeks before.
Candidates must achieve:
- A mark of at least 50 per cent overall.
- A pass in the anaesthetic viva section.
- A pass in at least one other section of the exam
- A candidate must pass (achieve a score of ≥5 of 10) at least four (4) out of the eight (8) anaesthesia vivas.
- A candidate who scores 3 marks or less (≤ 3 out of 10) in three (3) or more anaesthesia vivas will be deemed to have failed the Final Examination
Candidates who do not achieve the above criteria will be counted as an unsuccessful attempt of the final exam.
Final exam reports
We've made all past final exam (FEx) reports available to help you prepare for your final exam.
Dates and Venues
2025 final exam dates
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2025.1
|
2025.2
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Closing date
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13 January 2025
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16 June 2025
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Withdrawal date
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3 March 2025
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28 July 2025
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Written date
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18 March 2025
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12 August 2025
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Written venues
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Adelaide, Auckland, Brisbane, Cairns, Canberra, Darwin, Hobart,
Melbourne, Newcastle, Perth, Sydney, Townsville, Wellington
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Medical viva
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30 May 2025
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31 October 2025
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Anaesthesia viva
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29 May and 31 May 2025
Melbourne
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30 October and 1 November 2025
Brisbane
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updated : 11 September 2024
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Information for SIMG candidates
Specialist international medical graduates (SIMGs) who are required to sit the final exam - regardless of when they were assessed - will no longer need to sit the written components; only the medical and anaesthesia viva sections.
To be eligible to sit the SIMG exam, candidates must have:
- A satisfactory CPA report covering at least three months.
- The most recent CPA report must be satisfactory and within 12 months of the date of sitting the exam
- Paid all outstanding college fees and the final exam application fee (paid in full).
Apply for AU SIMG Apply for NZ SIMG
Candidates will need the following scores to pass the exam:
- A pass in the anaesthesia viva section and
- An overall score of 30 marks or more.
- A candidate must pass (achieve a score of ≥5 of 10) at least four (4) out of the eight (8) anaesthesia vivas.
- A candidate who scores 3 marks or less (≤ 3 out of 10) in three (3) or more anaesthesia vivas will be deemed to have failed the Final Examination
SIMG candidates assessed after 1 December 2018 will be allowed up to five attempts at the exam. SIMGs assessed before 1 December 2018 will continue to be allowed seven attempts.
Training & Exams Resource Hub
This hub has been designed for trainees and educators participating in the ANZCA, FPM, RGA and DHM training programs to identify suitable training and education resources, and includes program-specific guides and online access to the Primary Exam reading list and ETA reference readings.
Find out more