Critical
CriticalComplex anaesthetic decisions
Practise perioperative assessment, airway management and challenging cases across anaesthetic specialties.
ANZCA Final Exam Viva practice
Make your
reasoning visible
in the Final Exam
Viva.
Speak through complex anaesthetic decisions with an AI examiner who follows up on your answers.
Original exam-specific content On your schedule.
All pathwaysBackground and observations Opening question
Viva 09Candidate instructions
Preoperative cardiac risk assessment
2 minutes reading · 15 minutes viva
You are assessing a 76-year-old man with a newly diagnosed ascending-colon cancer for right hemicolectomy within six weeks. A systolic murmur was found at the surgical clinic. He reports slowing down over six months but attributes this to age.
- Hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypercholesterolaemia
- Heart rate 68 beats/min; blood pressure 154/78 mmHg
- Respiratory rate 16 breaths/min; SpO2 97% on room air
How would you determine whether the aortic stenosis is severe and symptomatic, and define the competing cardiac and cancer risks?
E
Examiner
How would you determine whether the aortic stenosis is severe and symptomatic, and define the competing cardiac and cancer risks?
You
I would clarify whether his reduced activity represents exertional dyspnoea, angina, presyncope or syncope, ask about heart failure symptoms and previous cardiac disease, then establish baseline function and frailty.
E
Examiner
He describes exertional chest tightness and near-syncope when walking uphill. Please outline the rest of your assessment, including how you would establish his functional capacity and the competing cancer risks.
100+published stations per pathway
1,720+stations completed
195+hours practised
ANZCA Final Exam Viva
Built for your examination.
Responsive viva questioning
Explain your approach and respond to examiner follow-up questions that explore your reasoning.
Specific feedback
Review your answers against the viva rubric and identify what to strengthen for your next attempt.
Explore the other exams
Inside an ANZCA Final Examination Viva
Reason aloud under viva questioning.
Explain your assessment and plan as further questions explore your decisions.
“He describes exertional chest tightness and near-syncope when walking uphill. Please outline the rest of your assessment, including how you would establish his functional capacity and the competing cancer risks.”
01Read
Review the stem, available information and opening question before the viva begins.
02Respond
Answer aloud, justify your decisions and respond to the examiner’s follow-up questions.
03Review
Review your feedback alongside the marking criteria and transcript.
Your practice
From station to feedback.
01Choose a stationDASHBOARD
ANZCA station libraryChoose what to practise next
- 01Cardiac & thoracicSevere aortic stenosis before colorectal surgery
- 02AirwayLaryngospasm and pulmonary oedema
- 03GeneralMyasthenia gravis before thymectomy
- 04ObstetricsMaternal cardiac arrest and resuscitative birth
02Give your answerSTATION RUNNER
E
Examiner
How would you determine whether the aortic stenosis is severe and symptomatic, and define the competing cardiac and cancer risks?
You
I would clarify whether his reduced activity represents exertional dyspnoea, angina, presyncope or syncope, ask about heart failure symptoms and previous cardiac disease, then establish baseline function and frailty.
E
Examiner
He describes exertional chest tightness and near-syncope when walking uphill. Please outline the rest of your assessment, including how you would establish his functional capacity and the competing cancer risks.
Type your response...
03Understand the resultFEEDBACK
Practice ratingAt Standard
You gave a structured cardiovascular assessment and recognised that the reported decline may represent important exertional symptoms. Next, link each finding to perioperative risk and state how it changes your investigation or anaesthetic plan.
Next focus: Link findings to risk and the next anaesthetic decision.
AI feedback can help you gauge your readiness, but cannot guarantee exam success.
Support between stations
Build on every attempt.
Your learning journey brings together recurring strengths and difficulties across your attempts.
Work through them with your AI coach using short spoken exercises, saved reminders and suggestions for your next station.
Included coaching minutes and unlock requirements vary by plan.
AI coach
“Your feedback across several stations mentions long answers that lose focus. Do you find it difficult to decide what matters, or do you know what matters but worry about leaving something out?”
You
“I worry that anything I leave out could cost me marks.”
AI coach
“Then working on shorter answers alone won’t address that worry. Let’s look at one of your attempts alongside its marking criteria and separate the detail that supported your answer from the detail that distracted from it.”
Why CriticalExam?
Alongside your usual preparation.
Use CriticalExam for additional spoken rehearsal between practice with colleagues and supervisors, alongside your reading and clinical experience.
Exam-specific stations
Written for your examination.
Original cases follow the relevant format, curriculum and marking criteria.
Feedback you can revisit
See the basis for your feedback.
Keep the station’s marking criteria, your transcript and feedback together for review.
Ready to get started?