EDAIC Part 1: Your Final Seven-Day Revision Plan

Day 6: Mixed-Topic Retrieval Practice (Paper A Focus)

Today, simulate exam conditions with a timed session of Paper A topics: anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology, physics and clinical measurement. Use questions you have not seen in the past week, either from a question bank or a mock paper.

Set a timer for 90 minutes and attempt 30–40 MTF stems (150–200 individual True/False statements). Work at exam pace: read each stem carefully, judge each statement independently, and mark your answer for every statement—remember, there is no penalty for a wrong answer, so never leave a statement blank.

After the session, review your answers immediately. Focus on:

Statements you answered incorrectly: why did you choose the wrong option?
Statements you guessed: can you now explain why the correct answer is correct?
Statements you answered correctly but slowly: is there a quicker reasoning pathway?

Log any new errors and add them to your review list for Day 4.

Exam tip: In the real Part 1 examination, each paper lasts three hours and contains approximately 60 MTF stems (300 statements). Practising in 90-minute blocks of 30 stems mirrors half a paper and keeps your concentration sharp without fatigue.

Day 5: Mixed-Topic Retrieval Practice (Paper B Focus)

Repeat yesterday's approach, but today work through Paper B topics: clinical anaesthesia (including regional techniques, obstetric, paediatric, cardiac, thoracic, neuro, and trauma anaesthesia), intensive care, emergency medicine, and pain management.

Again, set a 90-minute timer and attempt 30–40 MTF stems under exam conditions. Paper B questions often present clinical scenarios; read the stem carefully to identify the key clinical context (patient age, comorbidities, urgency of surgery) before judging each statement.

After marking, review every incorrect or uncertain answer. Paper B questions frequently test clinical decision-making and guideline-based management, so cross-reference your answers against widely recognised protocols (e.g., the Difficult Airway Society guidelines for airway management, the Surviving Sepsis Campaign for intensive care). If a particular sub-specialty (e.g., obstetric anaesthesia, neuroanaesthesia) has yielded multiple errors, spend an extra 30 minutes reviewing the core principles for that domain.

Day 4: Targeted Review of Persistent Weak Spots

By now you have completed two timed sessions and accumulated a fresh list of errors. Today is a targeted review day: no new questions, only consolidation.

Identify the 3–4 topics that have caused the most difficulty across Days 6 and 5. Common weak spots include:

Cardiovascular physiology: pressure–volume loops, Frank–Starling curves, coronary blood flow regulation.
Respiratory physiology: ventilation–perfusion relationships, hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction, carbon dioxide transport.
Pharmacokinetics: context-sensitive half-time, effect-site equilibration, drug interactions.
Statistics: sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, confidence intervals, p-values.
Regional anaesthesia: dermatomal levels, local anaesthetic toxicity, ultrasound-guided techniques.
Intensive care: sepsis definitions, acute respiratory distress syndrome criteria, renal replacement therapy.

For each weak topic, spend 45–60 minutes:

Re-read a concise summary (a single textbook chapter or a high-quality review article).
Draw or annotate a diagram (e.g., a pressure–volume loop, an oxygen–haemoglobin dissociation curve, a dermatome map).
Attempt 10–15 MTF statements on that topic from your question bank, checking your answers immediately.

The goal is not to become an expert in four days, but to ensure you can answer the most commonly examined aspects of these topics correctly.

Day 3: Full-Length Mock Paper (Paper A or Paper B)

Three days before the exam, complete one full-length mock paper under strict exam conditions. Choose either Paper A or Paper B (whichever you feel less confident about, or alternate if you have time for both).

Find a quiet space, turn off your phone, and set a three-hour timer.
Attempt all 60 MTF stems (or the number in your mock paper) without interruption.
Answer every statement: if you are uncertain, make your best-informed guess.

Do not review your answers immediately after finishing. Take a 30-minute break, then mark the paper and calculate your score. A full-length mock gives you a realistic sense of pacing, concentration and stamina. Note which sections felt rushed, which topics you found straightforward, and which you found difficult.

Review your errors that evening, but do not dwell on your overall score. Mock-paper performance is a learning tool, not a predictor of your final result—criterion-referenced standard setting means the pass mark reflects a defined level of competence, and your mock score (taken under imperfect conditions, with questions that may not perfectly match the exam's difficulty) is only a rough guide.

Key point: If you have access to the AnesCORE mock exam guide, follow the structured debrief process: categorise errors by topic and error type (knowledge gap, misread stem, logical error), then prioritise the highest-yield gaps for review on Day 2.

Day 2: Light Review and Exam Logistics

Two days before the exam, resist the urge to cram. Your brain needs time to consolidate what you have revised. Today is a light review and logistics day.

Morning: High-Yield Flashcard Review

Spend 60–90 minutes reviewing flashcards or summary notes for the highest-yield topics:

Anatomy: brachial plexus, epidural and spinal anatomy, airway anatomy, surface landmarks.
Physiology: oxygen cascade, cardiac output determinants, renal handling of sodium and water, cerebral blood flow regulation.
Pharmacology: induction agents, volatile agents, opioids, neuromuscular blockers, local anaesthetics—mechanisms, side-effects, contraindications.
Physics: pressure measurement, flow measurement, electrical safety, ultrasound principles.
Clinical: ASA physical status, WHO analgesic ladder, basic life support and advanced life support algorithms, common drug doses (adrenaline, atropine, suxamethonium, rocuronium, sugammadex).

Use active recall: cover the answer, state it aloud, then check. Do not passively re-read pages of notes.

Afternoon: Confirm Logistics

Check the following:

Exam centre location and travel time: confirm the address (available on the official ESAIC Part I examination page) and plan your route. If travelling from another city, confirm accommodation and transport.
Identification and confirmation: ensure you have valid photographic identification (passport or national ID card) and your exam confirmation email or letter.
Materials: you will need pens (black or blue ink); the exam centre provides answer sheets. Do not bring notes, mobile phones, smart watches or any electronic devices into the examination room.
Timing: the Part 1 examination typically begins in the morning (exact start times are communicated by the exam centre). Arrive at least 30 minutes early.

Evening: Rest

Finish revising by early evening. Prepare your clothes and bag for tomorrow, eat a balanced meal, and go to bed at a reasonable hour. Sleep is non-negotiable: a well-rested brain recalls information faster and makes fewer careless errors.

Day 1 (The Day Before): Minimal Revision, Maximum Rest

The day before the EDAIC Part 1 examination is not a study day. Your knowledge is now consolidated; additional cramming will increase anxiety without improving performance.

Morning: Brief, Confidence-Boosting Review

If you feel you must revise, limit yourself to 30–45 minutes of light review: flip through your highest-confidence flashcards, skim a summary sheet of drug doses or anatomical landmarks, or re-read the EDAIC Part 1 syllabus checklist to reassure yourself that you have covered the core domains. Do not attempt new questions or open a textbook chapter you have never read.

Afternoon and Evening: Practical Preparation

Pack your bag: identification, pens, a watch (non-smart), a bottle of water, a snack for the break between papers.
Travel: if your exam centre is in another city, travel today and check into your accommodation. Familiarise yourself with the route to the centre.
Relaxation: go for a walk, watch a film, meet a friend for coffee. Avoid discussing the exam in detail with anxious colleagues—anxiety is contagious.
Early night: aim for 7–8 hours of sleep. If you struggle to fall asleep, practise slow breathing or listen to calming music. Do not revise in bed.

Exam Day: Execute Your Plan

On exam day, wake at a sensible hour, eat a substantial breakfast, and arrive at the exam centre early. During the examination:

Read each stem carefully: identify the clinical context and the precise question being asked.
Judge each statement independently: do not assume that if four statements are True, the fifth must be False—each stands alone.
Answer every statement: there is no negative marking, so never leave a statement blank. If you are uncertain, make your best-informed guess.
Manage your time: you have three hours per paper (approximately three minutes per MTF stem). If a question is taking too long, mark your best answer and move on—you can return to it if time permits.
Stay calm: if you encounter a difficult question, remember that the pass mark is set by expert consensus on what a competent trainee should know, not by a fixed percentage. A few difficult questions do not determine your result.

After the examination, resist the urge to discuss every question with colleagues or search for answers online. The ESAIC will release results several weeks later; until then, trust that your preparation was sufficient and focus on the next stage of your training.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do if I have not finished my revision by the final week?

Focus on the highest-yield topics for each paper: cardiovascular and respiratory physiology, pharmacology of induction agents and analgesics, and common clinical scenarios (airway management, regional anaesthesia, basic intensive care). Accept that you cannot cover everything in seven days—answer what you can on exam day and leave the rest. The EDAIC Part 1 is passable without perfect knowledge of every topic.

Should I attempt a full mock paper the day before the exam?

No. A full three-hour paper the day before will exhaust you and increase anxiety. If you have not completed a mock by Day 3, it is too late—use the final day for light review and rest instead.

How many hours should I revise in the final week?

Days 7–5: 4–6 hours of focused, active revision (questions, error review, targeted reading). Days 4–2: 2–4 hours (lighter review, flashcards, logistics). Day 1: ≤1 hour maximum, ideally none. Quality and rest matter more than quantity in the final week.

Can I still register for the 2026 Part 1 sitting?

The registration deadline for the 19 September 2026 Part 1 examination has now closed. For information on future examination cycles and registration windows, visit the official ESAIC EDAIC page or your myESAIC account to check current deadlines and upcoming dates.

The final week before the EDAIC Part 1 is about consolidation, confidence and calm. Follow this day-by-day plan, trust your preparation, and walk into the exam centre ready to demonstrate your competence. Good luck.

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