MCQs for the Primary FRCA

Abstract

MCQs for the Primary FRCA consists of 540 five-part MCQ questions presented in six papers as they might appear in the Primary FRCA examination, with 30 physiology questions, 30 pharmacology questions, and 30 physics, clinical measurement, and statistics questions. The source of the questions is information remembered by recent candidates for the London FRCA examination. The authors hope that although the questions may not be worded exactly as they would have appeared in the examination, they will be of similar difficulty and cover the same range of topics, and they seem to achieve this objective. The book consists of six examination papers followed by a lengthy answers section which, in addition to the true or false answers, explains the given answers. The opportunity is taken also to provide brief revision notes on a number of core topics and information on other sources which may aid in improving examination technique. Overall, the quality of questions and the subsequent answers and explanations given is good, but it is possible to take issue with some aspects. Presumably, the authors themselves have provided the answers and as is to be expected with any large collection of MCQs, the answers given are occasionally open to debate. There is a degree of repetition and overlap between questions which is understandable. More surprisingly, in at least one case, a question is repeated verbatim in different papers but with different answers provided. It may be that this reflects different authors being independently responsible for different sections of the text and as is frequently the case with MCQs having differing views as to the correct answer. In this respect, the book would certainly have benefited from more rigorous editing to ensure greater consistency. There are also instances where the given true or false answer appears to be contradicted by the subsequent explanation. Readers would do well to bear this in mind when using the book to prepare for the examination and not assume all answers to be indisputably correct. Despite these reservations, I think this book will prove attractive to trainees preparing to sit the Primary FRCA MCQ examination, and possibly also to those involved in preparing trainees for the exam. It complements other sources of Primary FRCA MCQ practise questions such as the Royal College of Anaesthetists own ‘Guide to the FRCA examination’ and the Anaesthesia UK website. In particular, those parts of the answer section which expand on the answers provide succinct, easily read summaries of many key topics and this will certainly add to the book’s appeal, giving extra value when compared with other resources. The authors acknowledge that the use of such books alone cannot totally prepare candidates for the examination, but they provide a useful means of assessing the progress of their revision and acting as a guide to the range of topics covered and providing the opportunity to improve examination technique, and this particular book appears well suited to this purpose.