DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START?
The viva guide you need
A practical guide to preparing for Long Cases, Short Cases and Table Viva. Read your notes, revise repeatedly, practise speaking your answers and learn to structure your thinking like an anaesthetist.
THE BASIC FORMULA
Read → Revise → Practise → Repeat
Aim for at least 2–3 revisions. Your final goal is rapid recall and structured answers — not reading every available book.
01 — START WITH YOUR NOTES
Don't start with ten books
Start with the notes you have already studied. Use review books to test yourself and fill gaps rather than trying to read everything from scratch.
02 — STUDY SYSTEM-WISE
Keep the preparation integrated
Prepare long case, short case and table-viva material together for each system. For example, complete respiratory viva preparation as one revision block.
LEARN ANESTHESIA VIVA
Short & Long Case Practice
Put your preparation into practice with the Learn Anesthesia Viva Simulator. Practise topic-wise Short Case and Long Case questions with validated answers designed to help you recall, structure and verbalise your responses.
Long Case
The long case is mainly practical. Treat the patient as you would in your preoperative clinic — but be systematic, efficient and ready to defend your plan.
History
- Practise focused history repeatedly.
- Do not miss comorbidity-specific questions.
- Write important points in shorthand.
- Ask if the patient has anything else to add.
Examination
- Develop one fixed sequence.
- Practise until it becomes automatic.
- Look specifically for comorbidity-related findings.
- Practise in front of a senior whenever possible.
After Examination
- Organise your findings.
- Request relevant investigations.
- Know why you are asking for each investigation.
- Present the case in a structured manner.
LONG CASE TIMING
7–8 minutes — History taking
7–8 minutes — Examination
5 minutes — Organising your findings
5 minutes — Asking for relevant investigations
15 minutes — Examiner Viva 1
15 minutes — Examiner Viva 2
Think like a medicine ward round — but in the context of anaesthesia.
Present your case in a clear, organised manner as you would when presenting a patient on a medicine ward, but keep bringing the discussion back to anaesthetic assessment, optimisation, perioperative risks and management.
Expect two styles of discussion:
Clinical discussion: diagnosis, definition, pathophysiology, complications, history and examination findings.
Anaesthesia discussion: assessment, optimisation, anaesthetic plan, intraoperative management, postoperative care, ICU and troubleshooting.
The Comorbidity Framework
Prepare common diseases using the same structure every time. This makes recall much easier under pressure.
1. Definition & aetiology
2. Classification & pathophysiology
3. Systemic effects & complications
4. Surgical concerns
5. Preoperative assessment
6. Optimisation
7. Anaesthetic plan
8. Intraoperative management
9. Postoperative management
10. Complications & troubleshooting
WHEN ASKED: “WHAT ARE YOUR ANAESTHETIC CONCERNS?”
Think in five directions: Patient → Comorbidities → Anaesthesia → Surgery → Medications
Keep the physiological goals in mind: normoxia, normotension, normocarbia, normovolaemia and normothermia.
Short Cases & Table Viva
Be prepared for two table-viva sessions involving four examiners. Keep your answers structured, concise and clinically relevant.
SHORT CASE / TABLE VIVA FORMAT
2 Table Viva sessions
4 examiners
30 minutes per table-viva session
TABLE VIVA 1
EXAMINER 1
Intensive Care
General ICU care, sepsis/SIRS and shock, organ/system support, ventilation and weaning, poisoning, ICU complications and common critical-care problems.
EXAMINER 2
Trauma & Surgical Disciplines
Trauma and emergency anaesthesia, thoracic and vascular cases, paediatrics, burns, ENT, eye, maxillofacial, dental, MRI/remote locations and day-care surgery.
TABLE VIVA 2
EXAMINER 1
Anaesthetic Management
Hepatobiliary and renal disease, obesity, anaemia/coagulation/ transfusion, geriatric patients, general surgery, urology, orthopaedics, endoscopy and regional anaesthesia.
EXAMINER 2
Pain & Applied Sciences
Acute and chronic pain, applied basic sciences, obstetric anaesthesia, neurosurgery, neuromuscular and neuropsychiatric disorders, and recent advances.
USE YOUR PAPER & PEN
You will have access to paper and pen during the viva. Use them intelligently to jot down important findings from the short-case scenario, organise your thoughts and structure your answer. Avoid writing everything — use the paper as a quick memory aid.
DURING EXAMINATION
During a physical examination, it is often helpful to verbalise your steps and findings so the examiner knows what you are doing and thinking. Continue unless the examiner asks you to stop or move on.
Exam-Day Essentials
A few simple things can make the exam day much easier.
Bring your examination kit
Bring your own examination equipment and keep it ready before your turn.
Wear formal dress
Dress professionally and appropriately for the examination.
Try to answer in English
Practise expressing your clinical reasoning clearly in English.
Use paper & pen
Use them to jot down important findings and organise your thoughts.
KNOW THE DAY
Plan for the whole examination day
Total examination time: approximately 3 hours
Total waiting time: approximately 3 hours
Break/waiting intervals: approximately 1 hour between the major viva sessions
Do not plan your day around the examination time alone. Be prepared for significant waiting between sessions.
How to Answer in the Viva
1. Listen
Make sure you understand exactly what was asked.
2. Pause
Take a few seconds to organise your answer.
3. Structure
Give key points in a logical order.
4. Expand if Asked
Don't give a long answer when a short answer is enough.
Remember: patient safety comes first. Practical knowledge counts. If you don't know something, don't invent it. Give the relevant knowledge you have and move on if necessary.
Practise With Others
Make a small practice group. Take turns asking and answering questions.
Start with one comorbidity
Then combine two.
Then combine three
Practise realistic patients.
Attend mocks
Especially if your centre offers them.
Practise aloud
Reading silently is not enough.
Review Resources
Use review books mainly for question-based revision and identifying gaps. Different books cover different topics.
Julian Barker • MasterPass Final FRCA • Cyprian • FFICM / ICU resources • Oxford Handbook • Secrets of Anesthesia
Your main preparation should remain focused. You do not need to complete every source.
And TOACS?
Don't let TOACS preparation overwhelm your viva preparation. Keep your core preparation going, then dedicate focused time to TOACS in the final few days before the exam.
YOUR PREPARATION PLAN
Know it. Say it. Repeat it.
1. Read your core notes
2. Prepare system-wise
3. Revise 2–3 times
4. Practise history & examination
5. Practise Long and Short Case questions aloud
6. Practise Table Viva topics
7. Attend mocks and practise with colleagues
8. Use the final days for focused revision and TOACS
READY TO PRACTISE?
Practise your Short & Long Cases
Don't just read the answers. Practise thinking, structuring and speaking like you will in the actual viva.
Open Learn Anesthesia Viva Simulator →
