EDAIC Part 1 Exam Day: Checklist, Timing and MTF Tips

EDAIC Part 1 exam day has two MTF papers: Paper A and Paper B. Your admission instructions determine the centre, reporting time, permitted items and whether you use paper or a computer. Check those details before packing or planning your pacing.

Use this guide for a practical checklist, a timing plan and ways to handle nerves. Your centre's instructions and any approved individual arrangements take priority over general advice here.

Before You Arrive: Final Preparations

In the final week, consolidate material you have already covered, practise your timing and resolve travel arrangements. Check the date and venue in your official admission information; the 2027 dates guide is a planning reference, not a replacement for your candidate instructions.

Pack only the items allowed for your sitting. Plan to be there by the required reporting time, with a travel buffer; do not substitute a generic arrival recommendation for the time on your admission document.

Arrival and Registration at the Centre

Follow the registration, identification and seating procedure given by the centre. Paper candidates should check their answer-sheet details; computer candidates should follow the workstation instructions. If something is wrong, raise it with an invigilator before starting.

The ESAIC Diploma Guide specifies 60 MTF stems per paper, with 120 minutes on paper or 90 minutes on computer. Follow the actual instructions and approved timing for your sitting. Ask staff how breaks and supervised exits work rather than assuming all centres use the same arrangement.

The EDAIC Format: Two Papers, One Day

The EDAIC format for Part 1 consists of two written papers sat on the same day, usually with a break between them:

• Paper A focuses on Basic Sciences: anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology, physics and clinical measurement, equipment, and statistics.
• Paper B covers Clinical Anaesthesia and Intensive Care: general and regional anaesthesia, sub-specialty anaesthesia (paediatric, obstetric, cardiac, neuro, thoracic), intensive care medicine, emergency medicine, and pain management.

Each paper comprises Multiple True/False (MTF) questions. A typical question presents a clinical stem or scientific statement followed by five items labelled A through E. Each item is an independent statement that you must judge as True or False. There is no negative marking: a correct answer scores a mark, an incorrect or blank answer scores zero. This is a crucial point — you should answer every single item. Leaving a statement blank guarantees zero; marking it gives you a chance, and educated guesses based on partial knowledge often succeed.

Each of the 60 stems has five independent statements, giving 300 decisions per paper. Both papers must be passed. The current ESAIC Diploma Guide is the reference for examination format and marking.

Pacing and Time Management

With 60 stems per paper, plan around your confirmed format: 120 minutes on paper or 90 minutes on computer. One practice strategy is to reserve the final 10 minutes for checking, leaving 110 or 80 minutes for your initial answers and flagged items. These are suggested practice allocations, not ESAIC rules.

1. First pass: Work through the paper steadily and make an initial answer to every statement. Read negatives, qualifiers and numerical thresholds carefully. Monitor progress against the total time available; do not spend your review reserve deliberating over a single stem.

2. Flagged items: Revisit uncertain statements within the time you actually have left. Change an answer when you identify a specific reason, such as a misread qualifier or recalled fact, rather than simply because it feels uncomfortable.

3. Final check: Check for unanswered statements and, on paper forms, skipped rows or misaligned marks. Confirm candidate details where required. If your initial pass overruns, prioritise completing unanswered items over repeatedly reconsidering the same stem.

Exam tip: Because there is no negative marking, never leave an item blank. If you have no idea, mark your best guess (True or False) and move on. A 50% chance beats zero.

Between papers, follow the announced timetable and rules for leaving the examination area. Use the break to rest, eat or drink where permitted, and prepare for Paper B. Avoid reconstructing or sharing questions: respect examination confidentiality and save your attention for the next paper.

Managing Nerves on the Day

Nerves do not mean you are unprepared. Choose a simple routine you have already tried during practice:

• Pause before the first stem, put your feet on the floor and let your breathing settle naturally.
• If you get stuck, return to one concrete task: read the next statement and identify its qualifiers.
• Replace an all-or-nothing thought with a useful instruction: “One statement at a time.”
• During a break, relax your shoulders, move if permitted and stop replaying earlier answers.

These are practical coping suggestions, not a guarantee of better scores. The aim is to recover your attention and continue at a manageable pace.

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

• Misreading stems: MTF questions often hinge on a single word. Underline or circle key terms ("always", "never", "commonly", "rarely", specific numbers) as you read. If a statement says "Propofol always causes pain on injection," the word "always" makes it False (propofol commonly causes pain, but not invariably).

• Overthinking: Change an answer when you identify a specific reason, such as a misread qualifier or a recalled fact. Neither your first nor your second answer is automatically more reliable. Avoid spending your remaining time repeatedly reconsidering one item.

• Misaligning the answer sheet: On optical forms, skipping a question in the booklet but forgetting to skip the corresponding row on the answer sheet misaligns all subsequent answers — a disaster. Check that the question number matches the answer row. Make only the marks permitted by the answer-sheet instructions; use the approved method for correcting an answer.

• Running out of time: Keep an eye on the clock. Pace yourself steadily through the paper. If you spend too long on one difficult stem, you must make it up elsewhere. Move on and return later.

After the Exam: What Happens Next

Stop when instructed and follow the collection or computer-submission process. Do not take away or share examination material. Use ESAIC's official communications for results and next steps.

A Part I pass does not by itself settle Part II eligibility: check the specialist-diploma or final-year training requirements before booking an oral sitting. If you need to resit, use your candidate report to plan revision and check the current resit rules with ESAIC; do not assume an individual paper pass carries forward.

Frequently Asked Questions

What identification do I need on EDAIC exam day?

Bring the identification specified in your admission instructions and check that your details match. Resolve uncertainty with the examination office before travelling rather than assuming another document will be accepted.

Can I bring water, snacks or a watch?

Check the rules issued for your centre and sitting. Do not assume an item allowed during preparation is permitted at the examination desk.

What happens if I need the toilet during the exam?

Ask the invigilator and follow the centre's supervised-exit procedure. Do not assume the examination clock stops or leave your desk without permission.

Is there negative marking on the EDAIC Part 1 written exam?

No. Negative marking was abolished in 2014. A correct answer scores a mark; an incorrect or blank answer scores zero. Therefore, you should answer every item — even an educated guess is better than leaving it blank.

Your final check

Confirm your admission details, practise with the correct timing and make a plan for answering all statements. On the day, focus on the next task you can control: read carefully, keep moving and check your answers within the available time.

For preparation before exam day, use our MTF strategy guide or practise EDAIC questions.

Correction — 7 October 2026: Part 1 timing and question counts have been corrected: 60 stems per paper, 120 minutes on paper or 90 minutes on computer. Checked against the ESAIC Diploma Guide.