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How to Pass the Fellowship of the College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of South Africa (Intermediate Examination) [ Study Tips ](https://mdster.com/blog?category=study-tips) How to Pass the Fellowship of the College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of South Africa (Intermediate Examination) ========================================================================================================================== A blueprint-led, SBA-focused revision plan for busy Obstetrics & Gynaecology registrars preparing for the CMSA Intermediate paper [ MDster Editorial Team ](https://mdster.com/about) · Mar 27, 2026 · 7 min read · 83 [ 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) [ Obstetrics & Gynecology ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=obstetrics-gynecology) [ Study Tips ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=study-tips) [ FCOG(SA) ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=fcogsa) [ Obstetrics & Gynaecology ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=obstetrics-gynaecology) [ CMSA ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=cmsa) [ Board Exam Preparation ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=board-exam-preparation) ![How to Pass the Fellowship of the College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of South Africa (Intermediate Examination)](https://mdster.com/storage/blog/01KMSZBET38EJ4BV3M28R1HWT5.jpg) Share this article Share this post Most candidates who underperform in the FCOG(SA) Intermediate are not weak in Obstetrics and Gynaecology; they prepare for the wrong format. They study as if an oral or short-answer paper is coming, then face a fast digital SBA exam that rewards clean clinical judgment. As of March 2026, CMSA still frames the Intermediate as **one 3-hour digital paper with 150 single best answer questions and no oral**, and the current blueprint shows **110 of 150 marks are higher-order thinking**. This is not a ‘read more’ exam. It is a **choose the safest next step, fastest** exam. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") Start with the blueprint, not with the textbook ----------------------------------------------- If you divide your time equally across topics, you will underprepare. The current CMSA blueprint is weighted heavily toward **general gynaecology, general obstetrics, complicated obstetrics, oncology, critical care, and technical O&G**. Smaller sections such as statistics and ethics still deserve planned sessions because they are discrete, scorable marks and easy to neglect. [\[2\]](#cite-2 "Reference [2]") DomainApprox. questionsWhat to doGeneral gynaecology35Build algorithms for pelvic pain, miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, heavy menstrual bleedingGeneral obstetrics21Master antenatal care, labour, CTG basics, puerperium, HIV in pregnancyComplicated obstetrics20Drill PPH, hypertensive disorders, APH, VBAC, preterm birth, shoulder dystociaOncology16Focus on cervical pathology, CIN, GTD, endometrial disease, screening policyCritical care O&G11Practice shock, fluids, electrolytes, ABG interpretationTechnical O&G10Revise ultrasound principles, colposcopy, safe caesarean technique, instruments Now turn the **learning objectives** into a tracker. Make a spreadsheet with three columns: **objective**, **can I answer an SBA on it?**, and **last reviewed date**. If the verb is **assess, manage, interpret, or counsel**, study it as a vignette, not as a definition. That matters because the published objectives emphasise diagnosis, management, referral, ultrasound, CTG, ethics, local law, and emergency obstetrics. [\[3\]](#cite-3 "Reference [3]") > **Pro Tip:** Your first pass through a topic should end with **five self-written SBA stems**. If you cannot write a plausible distractor, you probably do not understand the decision point yet. [\[4\]](#cite-4 "Reference [4]") Train for SBA decision-making every week ---------------------------------------- For this paper, passive reading is too slow and too forgettable. Use **retrieval practice** as your default: answer questions, cover notes and reconstruct answers aloud, then review why each distractor is wrong. In education research, **practice testing** and **distributed practice** have consistently strong support, and spaced repetition has shown benefit in medical education and with case-based multiple-choice questions for physicians. That matches the Intermediate well. [\[5\]](#cite-5 "Reference [5]") A practical weekly structure is: - **3 sessions** of 25-30 timed SBA questions - **2 sessions** of focused revision from your error log - **1 mixed session** interleaving obstetrics and gynaecology - **1 short session** for statistics, ethics, and medico-legal work Your error log should have only three headings: 1. **Why I picked the wrong answer** 2. **What clue I missed** 3. **What rule I will use next time** Because the blueprint is **HOTS-heavy**, interleave similar topics that force discrimination: ectopic vs miscarriage, PPH vs retained tissue vs genital tract trauma, pre-eclampsia vs chronic hypertension, CIN management vs cervical screening intervals, stress vs urge incontinence. Mixed practice is much closer to the real paper than single-topic cramming. [\[2\]](#cite-2 "Reference [2]") Use South African framing in your answers ----------------------------------------- Candidates often know the international textbook answer but miss the **locally expected** answer. The CMSA learning objectives explicitly include **South African maternity care guidance**, **South African cervical cancer screening policy**, HIV in pregnancy, respectful care, gender-based violence, informed consent, and South African law relevant to O&G practice such as the TOP Act and Child Act. When two answers look reasonable, choose the one most aligned with **local policy, referral pathways, and safe resource-aware practice**. [\[3\]](#cite-3 "Reference [3]") Use resources in this order: - **CMSA blueprint + learning objectives** to decide what is examinable - **One core O&G text** for depth - **South African guidelines and policies** for final-answer framing - **A question bank or department-made SBA set** for daily practice - **A small study group** to argue through distractors, not just share notes CMSA also notes that since 2021 its exams have run on an online platform and questions remain in a secure bank, so published past questions are no longer available. Do not waste weeks hunting old papers. Build your own mock papers from objectives, departmental tutorials, journal-club cases, and ward problems. CMSA also hosts statistics lectures on the college page, which is useful because statistics still carries blueprint marks. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") > **Pro Tip:** Write one-page ‘South Africa first’ summaries for **cervical screening, maternity care referral thresholds, HIV in pregnancy, consent and TOP, and GBV assessment**. These are compact, revisable, and disproportionately examinable. [\[3\]](#cite-3 "Reference [3]") Study Schedule Template ----------------------- Use a **6-week ramp**, not endless unfocused revision. Simulate the real paper early enough to fix pace. WeekMain focusNon-negotiable task6Blueprint mapping + general gynaeBuild tracker; do 60 timed SBAs5General + complicated obstetricsMake emergency algorithms; do 60 timed SBAs4Oncology + technical O&G + fetusReview imaging, CTG, and colposcopy concepts3Critical care + urogynae + paeds gynae + geneticsOne mixed 75-question block2Full mixed revisionTwo 150-question, 3-hour simulations1Error log, stats, ethics, local policyRapid reviews only; no new major topics In the exam, pace yourself at roughly **72 seconds per question**. If a stem is messy, choose the best answer, mark it mentally, and move on; SBA exams punish perfectionism. Your final two weeks should include at least **two full 150-question simulations on screen**, because stamina, cursor discipline, and screen-reading speed are part of performance here. [\[2\]](#cite-2 "Reference [2]") Common Pitfalls --------------- - Spending equal time on all topics instead of following the blueprint. [\[2\]](#cite-2 "Reference [2]") - Reading whole chapters without converting them into SBAs, algorithms, or error-log rules. [\[5\]](#cite-5 "Reference [5]") - Ignoring **local** guidelines and law until the final week. [\[3\]](#cite-3 "Reference [3]") - Leaving statistics and ethics because they seem small; together they still represent blueprint marks and are often easier to improve than borderline clinical topics. [\[2\]](#cite-2 "Reference [2]") - Preparing as if this were the Final. The Intermediate is a written digital SBA paper; it is not an OSCE, OSPE, or oral exam. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") Key Takeaways ------------- - Print the blueprint and mark your red-flag topics today. - Convert **30 learning objectives** into SBA stems this week. - Sit **two timed 30-question blocks** before the weekend. - Build one-page algorithms for **PPH, hypertensive disorders, miscarriage and ectopic, labour dystocia, CIN and cervical screening, and CTG interpretation**. - Schedule one study-group session where the rule is: **justify the best answer and reject every distractor**. If you do those five things this week, you stop ‘covering content’ and start rehearsing the exact decisions the FCOG(SA) Intermediate asks you to make. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") References (9) ------------------ 1. 1. [ Colleges of Medicine of South Africa. Fellowship of the College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of South Africa: FCOG(SA) ](https://cmsa.co.za/fellowship-of-the-college-of-obstetricians-and-gynaecologists-of-south-africa-fcogsa/) [↩](#cite-ref-1-1 "Back to text") 2. 2. [ Colleges of Medicine of South Africa. FCOG(SA) Intermediate Blueprint - December 2024 ](https://cmsa.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/FCOGSA-Intermediate-Blueprint-Dec-2024.pdf) [↩](#cite-ref-2-1 "Back to text") 3. 3. [ Colleges of Medicine of South Africa. FCOG(SA) Intermediate Learning Objectives (2024) ](https://cmsa.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/FCOG-intermediate_Learning-Objectives.2024.pdf) [↩](#cite-ref-3-1 "Back to text") 4. 4. [ Karpicke JD, Blunt JR. Retrieval Practice Produces More Learning Than Elaborative Studying With Concept Mapping. Science. 2011. ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21252317/) [↩](#cite-ref-4-1 "Back to text") 5. 5. [ Dunlosky J, Rawson KA, Marsh EJ, Nathan MJ, Willingham DT. Improving Students' Learning With Effective Learning Techniques. Psychol Sci Public Interest. 2013. ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26173288/) [↩](#cite-ref-5-1 "Back to text") 6. 6. [ Colleges of Medicine of South Africa. FCOG(SA) Regulations - December 2024 ](https://cmsa.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/FCOGSA-Regulations-December-2024.pdf) 7. 7. [ National Department of Health, South Africa. Guidelines for Maternity Care in South Africa - 2016 ](https://knowledgehub.health.gov.za/elibrary/guidelines-maternity-care-south-africa-2016) 8. 8. [ National Department of Health, South Africa. Cervical Cancer Prevention and Control Policy ](https://knowledgehub.health.gov.za/elibrary/cervical-cancer-prevention-and-control-policy) 9. 9. [ McConnell MM, et al. The Effectiveness of Spaced Repetition in Medical Education: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Med Educ. 2026. ](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41601436/) Next step Build confidence in OB/GYN with focused practice -------------------------------------------------- - Labor & delivery + postpartum essentials - Gynecology, screening, and common procedures - Review weak topics and improve faster [ Start practicing ](https://mdster.com/user/dashboard) [ Explore Obstetrics & Gynecology ](https://mdster.com/speciality/obstetrics-gynecology) [ 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. 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