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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. Fellowship of the Hong Kong College of Anaesthesiologists (Intermediate Fellowship Examinations): Study Tips That Work [ Study Tips ](https://mdster.com/blog?category=study-tips) Fellowship of the Hong Kong College of Anaesthesiologists (Intermediate Fellowship Examinations): Study Tips That Work ======================================================================================================================== A practical, exam-specific plan to master the written SAQs and oral viva without wasting time on the wrong material. [ MDster Editorial Team ](https://mdster.com/about) · Apr 06, 2026 · 6 min read · 332 [ 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) [ Anesthesiology ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=anesthesiology) [ Anesthesiology Study Tips ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=anesthesiology-study-tips) [ HKCA ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=hkca) [ Intermediate Fellowship Examination ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=intermediate-fellowship-examination) [ Oral Viva Prep ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=oral-viva-prep) [ Basic Sciences ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=basic-sciences) ![Fellowship of the Hong Kong College of Anaesthesiologists (Intermediate Fellowship Examinations): Study Tips That Work](https://mdster.com/storage/blog/images/fellowship-of-the-hong-kong-college-of-anaesthesiologists-intermediate-fellowship-examinat.jpg) Share this article Share this post On this page 1. [ Reverse-engineer the exam blueprint ](#reverse-engineer-the-exam-blueprint) 2. [ Pass the written before you polish the viva ](#pass-the-written-before-you-polish-the-viva) 3. [ Study Schedule Template ](#study-schedule-template) 4. [ Write answers the way HKCA marks them ](#write-answers-the-way-hkca-marks-them) 5. [ Train for the oral in 10-minute blocks ](#train-for-the-oral-in-10-minute-blocks) 6. [ Use resources in the right order ](#use-resources-in-the-right-order) 7. [ Common pitfalls ](#common-pitfalls) 8. [ Key Takeaways ](#key-takeaways) 9. [ Frequently Asked Questions ](#blog-faqs) 10. [ References ](#references-heading) On this page 1. [ Reverse-engineer the exam blueprint ](#reverse-engineer-the-exam-blueprint) 2. [ Pass the written before you polish the viva ](#pass-the-written-before-you-polish-the-viva) 3. [ Study Schedule Template ](#study-schedule-template) 4. [ Write answers the way HKCA marks them ](#write-answers-the-way-hkca-marks-them) 5. [ Train for the oral in 10-minute blocks ](#train-for-the-oral-in-10-minute-blocks) 6. [ Use resources in the right order ](#use-resources-in-the-right-order) 7. [ Common pitfalls ](#common-pitfalls) 8. [ Key Takeaways ](#key-takeaways) 9. [ Frequently Asked Questions ](#blog-faqs) 10. [ References ](#references-heading) Most candidates who struggle with the **HKCA Intermediate Fellowship Examination** do not fail because they are weak trainees. They fail because they prepare for the **wrong exam**. This is not the Final: it is a basic-science examination taken during Basic Training, focused on the scientific foundations of clinical anaesthesia. The written paper is also the gateway to the oral, so if you leave structured SAQ practice too late, your viva preparation may never matter. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") Reverse-engineer the exam blueprint ----------------------------------- The Intermediate exam covers **two subjects**: **Physiology including clinical measurement** and **Pharmacology including statistics**. For each subject, there is a written paper and an oral examination, and the written and oral sections carry **equal marks**. The syllabus explicitly emphasizes physiology and pharmacology with **direct application** to anaesthesia, intensive care, resuscitation, and pain management. [\[2\]](#cite-2 "Reference [2]") Your first job is to turn that blueprint into a revision tracker. - Create two master lists: **Physiology/Measurement** and **Pharmacology/Statistics** - Under each topic, add four prompts: **definition**, **mechanism**, **measurement/monitoring**, **clinical implication** - Prioritize topics that repeatedly drive anaesthetic decisions: **respiration, circulation, fluids/acid-base, autonomic pharmacology, anaesthetic agents, neuromuscular blockers, vasopressors/inotropes, monitoring principles, and core statistics**. [\[3\]](#cite-3 "Reference [3]") > **Pro Tip:** If you cannot explain why a physiology or pharmacology topic matters at induction, during ventilation, during haemodynamic instability, or during monitoring, you are revising too broadly for this exam. [\[3\]](#cite-3 "Reference [3]") Pass the written before you polish the viva ------------------------------------------- Each written paper has **12 short-answer questions in 2 hours**, answered in **English**. The College recommends **10 minutes per question**. Note-style answers, symbols, and abbreviations are acceptable if they are understandable, but handwriting must be clear and legible. You must reach an acceptable standard in the written section to be invited to the oral. [\[2\]](#cite-2 "Reference [2]") That means your schedule should be **paper-first, viva-second**. Study Schedule Template ----------------------- Time before writtenMain focusWeekly target12-8 weeksBuild core notes from syllabus1 Physiology SAQ set + 1 Pharmacology/Stats SAQ set7-4 weeksTimed writing and gap-filling2 timed papers per week + same-day self-marking3-1 weeksExam simulation1 full mock exam day each week + 2 micro-vivasAfter written resultOral sprintDaily 30-40 min viva drills on weak topics Do **not** “throw” one weak area. A pass in one subject can only be carried forward if you pass that subject **and** achieve the minimum score requirement in the other; the carry-forward lasts for a maximum of **four subsequent consecutive exams**. [\[2\]](#cite-2 "Reference [2]") Write answers the way HKCA marks them ------------------------------------- HKCA uses a **closed marking system** with scores from **2 to 8**, where **5 is the pass mark**. Written questions are independently marked by two examiners, and the FAQ warns that leaving questions unattempted is very hard to compensate for later. [\[2\]](#cite-2 "Reference [2]") So your written technique should be mechanical, not artistic: 1. **Start with a definition or classification**. 2. **List the key mechanisms** in bullets. 3. **Add one anaesthetic implication** or source of monitoring error. 4. **Stop at 10 minutes** and move on. For example, for **pulse oximetry**, train yourself to give: principle, factors affecting accuracy, causes of falsely low/high readings, limitations in poor perfusion, and why this matters during induction or shock. That structure scores better than a vague essay. > **Pro Tip:** A consistent **5/8 answer on all 12 questions** is safer than two excellent answers and two blanks. [\[2\]](#cite-2 "Reference [2]") Train for the oral in 10-minute blocks -------------------------------------- For each subject, the oral has **2 tables**. Each table lasts **20 minutes** with **2 examiners**, and each examiner usually questions you for **10 minutes** over about **2 topics**. HKCA also uses external examiners for quality control and benchmarking. [\[2\]](#cite-2 "Reference [2]") The best viva practice is therefore **short, structured, and spoken aloud**: - Practise in **10-minute bursts**, not hour-long rambling sessions - Use a fixed opening: **definition → mechanism → clinical significance** - After every answer, add: **“Clinically, this matters because…”** - Rehearse **comparisons**: rocuronium vs atracurium, NIBP vs invasive BP, mean vs median, sensitivity vs specificity - Make your partner interrupt you if you speak for 90 seconds without structure Statistics is especially vulnerable in the oral. Many candidates can recognize a test on paper but cannot **say out loud** when to use it, what assumptions apply, or what bias/confounding means. Build a spoken script for common terms. Use resources in the right order -------------------------------- HKCA provides **past papers**, the **exam FAQ**, the **curriculum**, and **suggested readings** on its examination page, and it runs a **Basic Sciences Course** and mock-viva opportunities for Intermediate candidates. [\[4\]](#cite-4 "Reference [4]") Use resources in this order: 1. **Official past papers first**: do the last 4-6 sittings under time pressure. 2. **Core textbook second**: only read the chapter needed to fix the question you missed. 3. **One-page summary sheets**: especially for capnography, cardiac output, acid-base, autonomic drugs, neuromuscular blockers, and stats tests. 4. **Small study group**: one person writes the SAQ stem, one answers, one converts it into a viva. If you keep collecting books, notes, and screenshots without writing answers, you are not revising for HKCA Intermediate; you are curating a library. Common pitfalls --------------- - Treating Intermediate as a **mini Final** and over-reading broad clinical management. - Ignoring **statistics** or **clinical measurement** until the last week. [\[2\]](#cite-2 "Reference [2]") - Writing long paragraphs instead of visible marking points. - Starting viva practice only after written results. - Not asking for help after repeated failures; HKCA states candidates can request debriefing support through the Board of Examinations. [\[2\]](#cite-2 "Reference [2]") Key Takeaways ------------- - Download and timetable the last **4-6 official papers**. - Build a **two-subject tracker** from the syllabus this week. - Book **two timed SAQ sessions** before your next weekend on call. - Run **two 20-minute viva tables** with a colleague. - Make one-page sheets for **pulse oximetry, capnography, cardiac output, acid-base, vasopressors, and core statistics**. This exam becomes much more manageable when you study the exam that actually exists: **basic science, direct clinical application, timed SAQs, and short viva answers**. Do that consistently, and you give yourself a very realistic route to passing and progressing to Higher Training. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") Frequently Asked Questions ---------------------------- ### How should I split my preparation between written and oral components? Front-load the written. The oral is only available to candidates who reach an acceptable written standard, so spend most of your pre-exam time on timed SAQs, then switch to an oral-focused sprint after written results. [\[2\]](#cite-2 "Reference [2]") ### Do I need to study all of clinical anaesthesia for the Intermediate exam? No. The Intermediate exam focuses on the scientific foundations of clinical anaesthesia: physiology, pharmacology, clinical measurement, and statistics with direct application to anaesthesia, ICU, resuscitation, and pain management. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") ### What is the most effective way to practise SAQs for this exam? Use official past papers, answer every question in 10 minutes, and write in short headed bullet points. HKCA accepts note-style answers if they are understandable and legible. [\[2\]](#cite-2 "Reference [2]") ### What happens if I pass one subject but fail the other? A pass in one subject can be carried forward if you pass that subject and meet the minimum score requirement in the other subject; the carry-forward lasts for up to four subsequent consecutive exams. [\[2\]](#cite-2 "Reference [2]") ### How should I handle statistics in the viva? Memorize short spoken definitions and test-selection rules. The curriculum expects understanding of data distribution, central tendency, dispersion, parametric versus non-parametric tests, inference errors, bias, confounding, and risk estimation. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") References (4) ------------------ 1. 1. [ www.hkca.edu.hk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Resources-college\_guideline-E01.pdf ](https://www.hkca.edu.hk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Resources-college_guideline-E01.pdf) [↩](#cite-ref-1-1 "Back to text") 2. 2. [ www.hkca.edu.hk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Exam\_FAQ\_202112\_Intermediate-Exam.pdf ](https://www.hkca.edu.hk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Exam_FAQ_202112_Intermediate-Exam.pdf) [↩](#cite-ref-2-1 "Back to text") 3. 3. [ www.hkca.edu.hk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/ANS-exam-intermediate-syllabus.pdf ](https://www.hkca.edu.hk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/ANS-exam-intermediate-syllabus.pdf) [↩](#cite-ref-3-1 "Back to text") 4. 4. [ www.hkca.edu.hk/anaesthesiology/examinations ](https://www.hkca.edu.hk/anaesthesiology/examinations/) [↩](#cite-ref-4-1 "Back to text") Next step Build momentum in Anesthesiology with focused, exam‑style practice -------------------------------------------------------------------- - Airway, ventilation, and crisis drills - High‑yield anesthesia pharmacology made practical - Track weak topics and improve faster [ Start practicing ](https://mdster.com/user/dashboard) [ Explore Anesthesiology ](https://mdster.com/speciality/anesthesiology) [ 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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