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[ Home ](https://mdster.com) 2. [ Blog ](https://mdster.com/blog) 3. [ Study Tips ](https://mdster.com/blog?category=study-tips) 4. Facharztprüfung Neurologie (First Part — Written Examination): A Practical Study Plan [ Study Tips ](https://mdster.com/blog?category=study-tips) Facharztprüfung Neurologie (First Part — Written Examination): A Practical Study Plan ======================================================================================= Prepare for the Swiss neurology written exam with a realistic schedule, targeted MCQs, and a four-hour pacing strategy. [ MDster Editorial Team ](https://mdster.com/about) · Oct 25, 2026 · 6 min read · 43 [ Reviewed by Dr. Ali Ragab, MBBCH, MSc, MCAI ](https://mdster.com/medical-reviewers/dr-ali-ragab) [Editorial Policy](https://mdster.com/editorial-policy) \| [Corrections Policy](https://mdster.com/corrections) [ Study Tips ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=study-tips) [ Neurology ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=neurology) [ Facharztprüfung Neurologie ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=facharztprufung-neurologie) [ Swiss Specialist Examination ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=swiss-specialist-examination) [ Neurology MCQs ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=neurology-mcqs) ![Facharztprüfung Neurologie (First Part — Written Examination): A Practical Study Plan](https://mdster.com/storage/blog/images/facharztprufung-neurologie-first-part-written-examination-a-practical-study-plan.png) Share this article Share this post On this page 1. [ Start With the Actual Written-Exam Blueprint ](#start-with-the-actual-written-exam-blueprint) 2. [ Make a one-page coverage map ](#make-a-one-page-coverage-map) 3. [ Study Schedule Template: Twelve Weeks Around Clinical Work ](#study-schedule-template-twelve-weeks-around-clinical-work) 4. [ Turn Every MCQ Into a Clinical Decision ](#turn-every-mcq-into-a-clinical-decision) 5. [ Translate terms, not entire questions ](#translate-terms-not-entire-questions) 6. [ Rehearse the Four-Hour Paper ](#rehearse-the-four-hour-paper) 7. [ Common Pitfalls to Correct Early ](#common-pitfalls-to-correct-early) 8. [ Key Takeaways: What to Do This Week ](#key-takeaways-what-to-do-this-week) 9. [ Frequently Asked Questions ](#blog-faqs) 10. [ References ](#references-heading) On this page 1. [ Start With the Actual Written-Exam Blueprint ](#start-with-the-actual-written-exam-blueprint) 2. [ Make a one-page coverage map ](#make-a-one-page-coverage-map) 3. [ Study Schedule Template: Twelve Weeks Around Clinical Work ](#study-schedule-template-twelve-weeks-around-clinical-work) 4. [ Turn Every MCQ Into a Clinical Decision ](#turn-every-mcq-into-a-clinical-decision) 5. [ Translate terms, not entire questions ](#translate-terms-not-entire-questions) 6. [ Rehearse the Four-Hour Paper ](#rehearse-the-four-hour-paper) 7. [ Common Pitfalls to Correct Early ](#common-pitfalls-to-correct-early) 8. [ Key Takeaways: What to Do This Week ](#key-takeaways-what-to-do-this-week) 9. [ Frequently Asked Questions ](#blog-faqs) 10. [ References ](#references-heading) You can manage a complex stroke consultation in German or French and still lose time decoding an English multiple-choice stem. That mismatch is why reading more neurology is not, by itself, a plan for the **Facharztprüfung Neurologie written examination**. You need to practise retrieving specialist knowledge, choosing between plausible options, and moving on when a question stalls you. Start With the Actual Written-Exam Blueprint -------------------------------------------- The Swiss examination’s first sitting is an **English-language, 120-question MCQ paper lasting four hours**. The later structured oral and practical assessments test different skills; the written paper is your immediate target. The examination regulations cover the entire neurology learning-objective catalogue, so do not mistake a familiar clinical rotation for complete syllabus coverage. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") As of October 2026, the written sitting on **August 21, 2026** has passed. The Swiss Neurological Society says it will publish 2027 dates in early December 2026; check its examination page before setting your final countdown. If you plan to sit early in training, also map when you could complete the oral and practical assessments: the society specifies a three-year period after the written examination. [\[2\]](#cite-2 "Reference [2]") ### Make a one-page coverage map - Copy the SIWF neurology learning objectives into a spreadsheet. Mark each area **secure**, **uncertain**, or **not yet studied**. - Group your questions under stroke and vascular neurology; epilepsy and EEG; headache; movement and cognitive disorders; neuroimmunology; neuromuscular disease; and emergencies. - Add separate rows for localisation, neuroimaging, CSF interpretation, neurophysiology, sleep–wake disorders, neuro-otology, rehabilitation, and pharmacotherapy. These prevent a ward-heavy study plan from leaving quieter syllabus areas untouched. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") > **Pro Tip:** Prioritize a topic when it is both a syllabus gap and a repeated source of wrong answers—not because someone claims to know how many marks it receives. The published programme defines broad objectives, not a topic-by-topic question allocation. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") Study Schedule Template: Twelve Weeks Around Clinical Work ---------------------------------------------------------- Use this as a rolling template rather than a requirement to study every day. On a demanding rota, protect four 30-minute weekday sessions and one 90-minute weekend session; add the longer mock sessions only when feasible. WeeksMain taskCheckpoint1–2Map objectives; take a mixed, timed baseline MCQ setRecord weak domains and slow questions3–6Rotate through major clinical domains and localisationComplete two topic-based sets weekly7–9Mix domains; revisit missed questionsTrack accuracy and time by domain10–11Complete full-length timed simulationsPractise finishing and reviewing within four hours12Revisit error patterns and concise notesStop expanding your resource list For a weekday session, answer 10–15 English-language MCQs before opening a textbook. Spend the remaining time explaining errors, then write one short recall prompt for each genuinely missing concept. On weekends, use your longer block for mixed questions and for objectives that your clinical job rarely exposes you to. Evidence from a randomized study in practising physicians supports spaced repetition for retaining medical knowledge, although it does not establish an ideal schedule for this particular exam. [\[3\]](#cite-3 "Reference [3]") Turn Every MCQ Into a Clinical Decision --------------------------------------- A question bank is useful only if you review *why* an option wins. Use non-commercial, specialist-level English MCQs where available; treat them as practice material, not as a replica or prediction of Swiss examination questions. 1. Read the final line first: are you choosing a diagnosis, localisation, investigation, or next management step? 2. Identify the decisive clues before looking at options. For example, distinguish a peripheral pattern of weakness from a spinal-cord syndrome before weighing tests. 3. Select an answer, then state why the closest alternative is less suitable for **this** patient. 4. Log the error as a knowledge gap, misread qualifier, English terminology problem, or timing problem. Give each category a different remedy. Use a current specialist textbook or institutional teaching material to resolve a disputed explanation, not to reread an entire chapter after every miss. For treatment questions, check current Swiss-relevant guidance before converting a practice-bank answer into a memorized rule. Ask a study partner to challenge your reasoning on two disputed items each week; keep the discussion focused on discriminating clues rather than rehearsing a full oral-exam presentation. ### Translate terms, not entire questions If you usually work in another language, keep a two-column list of terms that slow you down: for example, *foot drop*, *length-dependent*, or *gaze-evoked nystagmus*. Review each term inside a short clinical stem. This builds reading speed without spending your preparation time translating concepts you already know. Rehearse the Four-Hour Paper ---------------------------- **Four hours for 120 questions averages two minutes per question**, including review time. In a simulation, aim to complete an initial pass in about three hours, leaving the remainder for marked items and answer checking. This is a practice strategy, not an official pacing rule. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") - At 60 minutes, check whether you are near question 30; adjust your pace rather than dwelling on one difficult vignette. - If a stem remains unclear after a focused read, mark it and move on. Return once you have secured quicker answers. - In your final review, revisit questions with a specific unresolved clue first. Avoid changing an answer solely because it feels unfamiliar. - Check the examination instructions before using any unanswered-question or guessing strategy; do not assume a particular scoring or penalty rule. > **Pro Tip:** After each full mock, record *where* time disappeared: lengthy English stems, unfamiliar investigations, or repeatedly reconsidering two options. Your next practice session should target that cause, not simply add another mock. Common Pitfalls to Correct Early -------------------------------- - **Studying only your subspecialty:** Compare your question log with the full SIWF objectives every fortnight; schedule one neglected domain next. - **Collecting resources instead of testing recall:** Choose one question source and one reliable reference for explanations before adding material. - **Treating every miss as a fact to memorize:** Separate misreading and timing errors from genuine knowledge gaps. - **Preparing a spoken case presentation for a written paper:** Use concise diagnostic and management decisions now; reserve detailed bedside rehearsal for the later assessments. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") Key Takeaways: What to Do This Week ----------------------------------- - Download the SIWF learning objectives and mark your least familiar domains. - Complete one timed English-language MCQ set and classify every error. - Book four short question sessions and one mixed weekend review. - Check the Swiss Neurological Society page for the next examination announcement. Your first goal is not to know every rare disorder. It is to build broad syllabus coverage, make defensible choices under MCQ time pressure, and know exactly which errors to fix next. Frequently Asked Questions ---------------------------- ### How many questions are in the Facharztprüfung Neurologie written examination? The SIWF examination regulations specify 120 multiple-choice questions in four hours. Practise timed sets using that format. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") ### Should I practise neurology questions in English if I work in German or French? Yes. The written examination is in English, so practise reading English stems and answer options while keeping a short list of unfamiliar clinical terms. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") ### Can I take the written examination before finishing neurology training? The written part may be taken earlier, but plan for the subsequent structured oral and practical assessments within the specified three-year period. Confirm your circumstances with the examining body. [\[2\]](#cite-2 "Reference [2]") ### When will the next written examination date be available? As of October 2026, the society says it will publish 2027 examination dates in early December 2026. Check its examination page for the announcement. [\[2\]](#cite-2 "Reference [2]") References (3) ------------------ 1. 1. [ SIWF, Facharzt für Neurologie: Weiterbildungsprogramm und Prüfungsreglement ](https://www.siwf.ch/files/pdf22/neurologie_version_internet_d.pdf) [↩](#cite-ref-1-1 "Back to text") 2. 2. [ Schweizerische Neurologische Gesellschaft, Facharztprüfungen ](https://www.swissneuro.ch/bildung/weiterbildung/facharztpruefungen) [↩](#cite-ref-2-1 "Back to text") 3. 3. [ Spaced repetition and knowledge transfer in practising physicians, PubMed ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39250798/) [↩](#cite-ref-3-1 "Back to text") Keep going Build momentum in Neurology with a focused study pathway ---------------------------------------------------------- - Exam‑style questions for Neurology - Smart review to target weak topics - Progress tracking that keeps you accountable [ Start your free trial ](https://mdster.com/user/dashboard) [ Explore Neurology ](https://mdster.com/speciality/neurology) [ View pricing ](https://mdster.com/pricing) [ Explore features ](https://mdster.com/features) No credit card required. Full access to all features\*. No commitment. Cancel anytime. \*AI SOE Examiner is limited to 10 cases monthly for Advanced & Bundle subscribers. 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