This page contains resources likely to aid in assessment preparation for RGA trainees.
Further detail on assessments may be found in the Rural Generalist Anaesthesia Training Program Curriculum and Rural Generalist Anaesthesia Handbook for Training.
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A note on exam texts
Several acronyms are used repeatedly by the texts listed on this page. What follows is a summary of the key acronyms.
Recommended reading list
Recommended resources are listed below. The full ANZCA primary exam: recommended reading list of resources can be accessed via the ANZCA PEx guide.
Key texts
The First Year: What You Should Know After a Year of Anaesthesia Training (Revised Edition) by
***Highly recommended***
This book is not an exam primer nor is it a comprehensive textbook of anaesthesia. This is the book you give to the trainee specialist who is about to embark on their anaesthesia training. It contains the information they need to formulate and develop a safe practice of anaesthesia. This book lucidly describes and justifies the core knowledge, behaviours and practical skills that a junior trainee would be expected to possess after a year of anaesthesia. Written specifically for Australasian specialist anaesthetic trainees and those doing their Diploma of Rural Generalist Anaesthesia (DRGA), this book fills the gaping hole in the existing anaesthetic literature. The curriculum for the Introductory Training period and the DRGA is comprehensively addressed in this book.
Miller's Anesthesia, 9e by
***Highly Recommended*** Miller's Anesthesia, 9e, remains the preeminent reference in the field. Contains fully revised and updated content throughout, including numerous new videos online. Includes four new chapters: Clinical Care in Extreme Environments: High Pressure, Immersion, and Hypo- and Hyperthermia; Immediate and Long-Term Complications; Clinical Research; and Interpreting the Medical Literature.
Oxford Handbook of Anaesthesia, 5e by
Written for anaesthetists at all stages of their careers, from trainees sitting exams through to experienced consultants as well as ODPs and nurses involved in theatre area work and pre-assessment, this comprehensive guide to the anaesthetic world is as indispensable as ever. This new edition has been completely revised and brings you the most up-to-date guidance and information to keep pace with fast-moving areas of anaesthesia, including a completely revised regional anaesthesia chapter.
Smith and Aitkenhead's Textbook of Anaesthesia, 7e by
The goal for this Seventh Edition has remained to equip the reader with the basic knowledge and practical considerations required to administer anaesthesia and perioperative care for a whole range of surgical conditions in patients with all common medical comorbidities.
Recommended texts
Anaesthesia, Intensive Care and Perioperative Medicine A-Z, 6e by
The alphabetical arrangement with extensive cross-referencing ensures a full understanding of topics. The succinct and clear text and diagrams'make for easy quick reference. The exam preparation checklist is ordered by key topics to facilitate effective revision. The contents are easily accessible with the accompanying ebook.
Analgesia, Anaesthesia and Pregnancy: A Practical Guide, 4e by
Now in its fourth edition, Analgesia, Anaesthesia and Pregnancy is a concise guide to obstetric anaesthesia and analgesia. This essential text reviews every topic and clinical challenge faced during delivery and focuses on pre-empting problems and maximising quality of care. It also covers acute emergencies related to pregnancy. This new edition features eleven new chapters that cover the significant updates in the field over the last few years. Presented in a clearly structured format, this practical guide will be an invaluable source of key information for any anaesthetist encountering obstetric patients, whether they are a practised consultant or still in training.
Australasian Anaesthesia 2021 by 
Avoiding Common Anesthesia Errors, 2e by
The full-colour Avoiding Common Anesthesia Errors, significantly updated for this second edition, combines patient safety information and evidence-based guidance for over 300 commonly encountered clinical situations. With a format that suggests conversations between an attending and a trainee, the book helps you identify potential problems and develop a treatment plan to minimize the problem.
Coté and Lerman's A Practice of Anesthesia for Infants and Children, 6e by
Comprehensive in scope and thoroughly up to date, this 6th edition delivers unsurpassed coverage of every key aspect of pediatric anesthesia.
Decision Making in Anesthesiology: An Algorithmic Approach, 5e by
The 5th edition of this book has been fully revised with the latest advances in anaesthesia practice. Each chapter presents a step by step decision making algorithm with explanatory text and supplemental tables, providing clinicians and trainees with answers for nearly 250 anaesthetic management problems. General principles in anaesthesia care are discussed, as well as detailed examination of preoperative problems, anaesthesia in surgical specialty areas, postoperative management, and perioperative management.
Hadzic's Peripheral Nerve Blocks and Anatomy for Ultrasound-Guided Regional Anesthesia, 3e by
Hadzic's is the most comprehensive colour guide to the procedures and equipment used in ultrasound guided nerve blocking. Colour drawings and photographs are bolstered by concise, step-by-step instruction from the world-renowned St. Luke's Hospital in New York. The Third Edition has been updated to include more international contributors, and better align the book's content with the New York School of Regional Anesthesia's (NYSORA) standards of practice.
Maths, Physics and Clinical Measurement for Anaesthesia and Intensive Care by
This book covers these core topics in a logical and structured format, creating a more enjoyable learning experience that is accessible and easy to digest. Each chapter opens with a set of learning objectives and summary of chapter contents. Following this is a clinical scenario that relates to the themes of the chapter and a number of hypothetical questions relating to the scenario are laid-out. Clinical pearls are presented in boxes for more advanced learning opportunities. Each chapter closes with a set of MCQ or SBA self-test questions to test the readers' knowledge of the chapter. This book covers everything needed for the FFICM and FRCA exams, making it an essential text for exam candidates, tutors, and those working in theatres, anaesthesia and the ICU.
Morgan & Mikhail's Clinical Anesthesiology, 7e by
Morgan & Mikhail's Clinical Anesthesiology, 7e is an essential resource for all anaesthesia students and practitioners. Hailed as the best primer on the topic, this trusted classic delivers comprehensive coverage of the field's must-know basic science and clinical topics in a clear, easy-to-understand presentation. The text is also ideal for coursework, review, or as a clinical refresher.
An Overview of TCI and TIVA, 3e by
An Overview of TCI and TIVA is an invaluable source of information on the practice of total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) with or without target-controlled infusion (TCI) technology. In this long-awaited third edition of their popular book they have maintained the small size while thoroughly updating it to include recent developments and insights in the field, many of which have emerged from the work of their own research group.
Pharmacology and Physiology for Anesthesia: Foundations and Clinical Application, 2e by
Pharmacology and Physiology for Anesthesia: Foundations and Clinical Application, 2e, delivers the information you need in pharmacology, physiology, and molecular-cellular biology, keeping you current with contemporary training and practice. This thoroughly updated edition is your one-stop, comprehensive overview of physiology, and rational anaesthetic drug selection and administration, perfect for study, review, and successful practice.
Stoelting's Pharmacology and Physiology in Anesthetic Practice, 6e by
Stoelting's Pharmacology and Physiology in Anesthetic Practice provides trainees and practitioners an in-depth but concise presentation of those aspects of pharmacology and physiology that are relevant either directly or indirectly to the perioperative anaesthetic management of patients. This is a difficult topic but is foundational to the practice of anaesthesia and trainees face questions on it in their in-training and qualifying exams.
Anatomy
Anatomy for Anaesthetists, 9e by
The text explores in depth those areas of particular interest to anaesthetists: the respiratory pathway, the heart, the vertebral canal and its contents, the peripheral nerves, the autonomic nervous system, and the cranial nerves, and also includes sections on the anatomy of pain and other zones of anaesthetic interest.
Anatomy for the FRCA by
Anatomy questions are asked in all parts of the FRCA examinations, and for many trainees it is a particularly daunting part of the exams. This important new book provides a comprehensive, exam-orientated clinical anatomy book for anaesthetists preparing for all parts of the FRCA. It covers all body regions, relating underlying anatomy to practical procedures and anatomical principles, spanning the breadth of the curriculum and comprising exam-style questions: a chapter of SAQ questions, one of OSCE stations, one of SOE questions and one of MCQs. The text is highly illustrated in full colour with ultrasound images, diagrams and photographs of cadaveric material and models.
Clinical Measurement, Equipment and Safety
Anesthesia Equipment: Principles and Applications, 3e by
Anesthesia Equipment, 3e, provides detailed information on the intricate workings of each device or workstation, keeping you fully up to date and helping you meet both equipment and patient care challenges. Details the latest machines, vaporizers, ventilators, breathing systems, vigilance, ergonomics, and simulation.
Essentials of Equipment in Anaesthesia, Critical Care and Perioperative Medicine, 6e by
Essentials of Equipment in Anaesthesia, Critical Care and Peri-Operative Medicine is a highly practical textbook for trainees in anaesthesia and an invaluable guide for all those who work with anaesthetic equipment, including anaesthetic and intensive care nurses and operating department practitioners.
The Physics, Clinical Measurement and Equipment of Anaesthetic Practice for the FRCA, 2e by
This book explains the physical principles and applications of physics inanaesthesia, and the statistical methods that anaesthetists are required to understand. The book includes sections on equipment and safety in anaesthesia, and electrical safety. Fully updated for the second edition, the book also includes new chapters on the depth of anaesthesia and on electrical safety.
Graphic Anaesthesia: Essential Diagrams, Equations and Tables for Anaesthesia by
Graphic Anaesthesiais a compendium of the diagrams, graphs, equations and tables needed in anaesthetic practice. The relevant illustration, equation or table is presented alongside a short description of the fundamental principles of the topic and with clinical applications where appropriate.
Basic Physics and Measurement in Anaesthesia, 5e [ACCESS VIA INTERNET ARCHIVE] by Physiology - General
Basic Physiology for Anaesthetists, 2e by
Every trainee in anaesthesia requires a thorough understanding of basic physiology and its application to clinical practice. Now in its second edition, this comprehensively illustrated textbook bridges the gap between medical school and reference scientific texts. It covers the physiology requirements of the Primary FRCA examination syllabus.
Principles of Physiology for the Anaesthetist, 4e by
This book provides readers with an anaesthesia-focused alternative to general physiology textbooks. The new edition has been reorganised with the trainee anaesthesist in mind and includes the physiology of all major organ systems, with specific emphasis on the nervous, respiratory, and cardiovascular systems as well as special sections on pain, aging, specific environments and obesity
Physiology - Respiratory
West's Respiratory Physiology: The Essentials, 11e by
West's Respiratory Physiology, 11e incorporates updates in many areas including blood-tissue gas exchange, mechanics, control of ventilation and the respiratory system under stress; all designed to aid clear understanding of pulmonary physiology. Clinical vignettes with questions emphasize how the physiology described can be applied to clinical situations, reinforcing reasoning and critical thinking. More than 100 USMLE-style multiple-choice questions with full explanations test reasoning skills for comprehension and exam preparation.
Nunn and Lumb's Applied Respiratory Physiology, 9e by
Nunn and Lumb's Applied Respiratory Physiology, 9e, is your concise, one-stop guide to all aspects of respiratory physiology in health, disease, and in the many physiologically challenging situations and environments into which humans take themselves - with coverage from basic science to clinical applications.
Physiology - Cardiovascular
Cardiovascular Physiology, 11e by
Gain a foundational understanding of cardiovascular physiology and how the cardiovascular system functions in health and disease. Cardiovascular Physiology, a volume in the Mosby Physiology Series, explains the fundamentals of this complex subject in a clear and concise manner, while helping you bridge the gap between normal function and disease with pathophysiology content throughout the book.
Pharmacology
Anesthetic Pharmacology: Basic Principles and Clinical Practice, 2e by
Anesthetic Pharmacology: Basic Principles and Clinical Practice, 2e, is an outstanding therapeutic resource in anesthesia and critical care: Section 1 introduces the principles of drug action, Section 2 presents the molecular, cellular and integrated physiology of the target organ/functional system and Section 3 reviews the pharmacology and toxicology of anaesthetic drugs. The new Section 4, Therapeutics of Clinical Practice, provides integrated and comparative pharmacology and the practical application of drugs in daily clinical practice.
Drugs in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, 5e by
The book describes the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of all the drugs commonly used by anaesthetists. The A-Z organisation allows rapid access to specific information on the properties and characteristics of almost 200 drugs.
Pharmacology and Physiology for Anesthesia: Foundations and Clinical Application, 2e by
Pharmacology and Physiology for Anesthesia: Foundations and Clinical Application, 2e, delivers the information you need in pharmacology, physiology, and molecular-cellular biology, keeping you current with contemporary training and practice. This thoroughly updated edition is your one-stop, comprehensive overview of physiology, and rational anaesthetic drug selection and administration, perfect for study, review, and successful practice.
Pharmacology for Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, 5e by
The fifth edition of this popular textbook continues to provide a solid foundation of pharmacological knowledge for all those working in anaesthesia and intensive care. The content has been thoroughly revised to include expanded chapters with clearer figures, ensuring readers are kept abreast of the ever-changing landscape of clinical pharmacology. Conveniently divided into four sections covering the basic principles of pharmacology, core drugs in anaesthetic practice, cardiovascular drugs, and other important drugs and complemented by new diagrams, tables and chemical formulae to facilitate learning.
Stoelting's Pharmacology and Physiology in Anesthetic Practice, 6e by
Stoelting's Pharmacology and Physiology in Anesthetic Practice provides trainees and practitioners an in-depth but concise presentation of those aspects of pharmacology and physiology that are relevant either directly or indirectly to the perioperative anaesthetic management of patients. This is a difficult topic but is foundational to the practice of anaesthesia and trainees face questions on it in their in-training and qualifying exams.
Practical Clinical Anaesthesia
Oxford Handbook of Anaesthesia, 5e by
Written for anaesthetists at all stages of their careers, from trainees sitting exams through to experienced consultants as well as ODPs and nurses involved in theatre area work and pre-assessment, this comprehensive guide to the anaesthetic world is as indispensable as ever. This new edition has been completely revised and brings you the most up-to-date guidance and information to keep pace with fast-moving areas of anaesthesia, including a completely revised regional anaesthesia chapter.
The First Year: What You Should Know After a Year of Anaesthesia Training (Revised Edition) by
***Highly recommended***
This book is not an exam primer nor is it a comprehensive textbook of anaesthesia. This is the book you give to the trainee specialist who is about to embark on their anaesthesia training. It contains the information they need to formulate and develop a safe practice of anaesthesia. This book lucidly describes and justifies the core knowledge, behaviours and practical skills that a junior trainee would be expected to possess after a year of anaesthesia. Written specifically for Australasian specialist anaesthetic trainees and those doing their Diploma of Rural Generalist Anaesthesia (DRGA), this book fills the gaping hole in the existing anaesthetic literature. The curriculum for the Introductory Training period and the DRGA is comprehensively addressed in this book.
Anaesthetic Crisis Manual by
The Anaesthetic Crisis Manual is a practical quick-reference handbook giving step-by-step instructions for the management of the most common anaesthetic crises encountered in the OR. 20 crisis management protocols cover all major scenarios that require immediate therapeutic intervention to prevent a catastrophic outcome, including cardiac arrest, acute haemorrhage, anaphylaxis, aspiration, LAT, acutely elevated airway pressure, difficult airway, CICV, malignant hyperthermia, neonatal resuscitation and paediatric life support, acute bronchospasm, air embolism, ACM ischaemia, hyperkalaemia, laryngospasm, maternal collapse, post-partum haemorrhage and transfusion reaction
A Guide to Pediatric Anesthesia, 2e by
The second edition of the successful book "Your Guide to Pediatric Anesthesia" offers a practical approach to pediatric anesthesia with a concise account of the topic in a reader-friendly format. The book begins with an overview of pediatric anesthesia then continues with chapters related to different pediatric surgeries and the relevant anesthetic issues, including a chapter of emergency scenarios in pediatric anesthesia.
Exam preparation texts
Recommended resources are listed below. The full list of Exam Preparation resources can be accessed via the Exam preparation guide.
General
The ANZCA Primary Exam Companion by
***Highly Recommended*** The only ANZCA Primary Exam primer book written by an examiner. This book addresses all components of the anaesthetics primary exam with a focus on the vivas. Exam resources, exam technique, diagrams, opening viva questions, practice SAQs, a study template and 500 short format questions and answers that traverse the entire curriculum are contained within this book.
Essential Pharmacology for the ANZCA Primary Examination by
This book is designed to assist in the preparation for sitting the pharmacology component of the primary examination of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anesthetists. The main aim is not to offer yet another heavy duty textbook but to organise the material that you would normally highlight in those texts into a practical and concise source of information.
Examination Anaesthesia: A Guide to the Final FANZCA Examination, 2e by
This updated exam guide keeps pace with these developments and assists anaesthetic trainees in preparation for the exam. Examination Anaesthesia is a comprehensive study guide that focuses solely on the anaesthetic exam, eliminating confusion between this and the intensive care exams.
Yao & Artusio’s Anesthesiology: Problem-Oriented Patient Management, 9e by
Case-based and easy to use, Yao & Artusio's Anesthesiology: Problem-Oriented Patient Management is the bestselling study and review reference preferred by both residents and practicing anesthesiologists. The revised Ninth Edition prepares you for the oral and written boards with more than 60 real-world cases accompanied by questions that conform to the four areas of questioning on the oral boards, reinforcing step-by-step critical thinking about today's surgical anesthesia and patient management.
MCQ resources
1,000 Practice MTF MCQs for the Primary and Final FRCA by
Written for anaesthesia trainees, this comprehensive text covers all the MCQ preparation required for both the Primary and Final FRCA exams. Broken down into five sections, there are 150 questions for each of the physics, pharmacology, anatomy, and physiology sections, and a fifth section of 400 questions covering clinical anaesthesia. The first four sections of 150 questions match the Primary exam and are laid out to follow its format. The fifth clinical section covers the entire clinical syllabus. The authors are educators in anaesthesia and surgery and their wealth of experience has been brought together in this text to benefit the next generation of anaesthetists. Covering the entire syllabus, with 1,000 expertly distributed questions, this is the most comprehensive text available for MCQ preparation for both parts of the FRCA.
Anesthesiology Examination and Board Review, 7e by
Anesthesiology Examination and Board Review is the most time-proven and effective way to prepare for the ABA written examinations. This powerful study guide delivers 1,500 board-style multiple-choice questions with referenced, paragraph-length discussions for each answer.
Get Through Primary FRCA: SBAs by
With 300 brand new single best answer questions and reasoned answers, this comprehensive revision guide provides the candidate with the definitive, revision resource for the newly introduced inclusion of SBA questions as part of the Primary FRCA examination.
MCQs for the Primary FRCA by
Designed specifically for the revised Primary FRCA examination, this book contains true/false multiple choice questions. It is divided into the three specific areas outlined in the FRCA curriculum: physics and measurement, physiology, and pharmacology. Each section includes a brief introduction, 170 mcqs and answers with explanations. Uniquely the book includes answers with explanations and cross-references to key textbooks, allowing you to read more on difficult areas.
MCQs for the Primary FRCA by
Designed specifically for the Primary FRCA examination, this book contains true/false multiple choice questions. It is divided into the three specific areas outlined in the FRCA curriculum: physics and measurement, physiology, and pharmacology. Each section includes a brief introduction, 170 mcqs and answers with explanations.
This text also includes answers with explanations and cross-references to key textbooks, allowing you to read more on difficult areas.
VIVA resources
The Clinical Anaesthesia Viva Book, 2e by
The second edition of the hugely popular The Clinical Anaesthesia Viva Book builds on the success of the first by providing a thorough review of short and long case questions typically given to Final FRCA Viva candidates.
Dr Podcast Scripts for the Final FRCA [ACCESS VIA INTERNET ARCHIVE] by
Dr Podcast (www.dr-podcast.com) is a great way to revise for the FRCA exams and has been met with widespread enthusiasm from candidates. It provides podcasts of questions and model answers with no redundant material. Dr Podcast scripts are now available in print format. Containing the scripts of all 103 individual podcasts from the Dr Podcast Final FRCA collection, they also include diagrams the reader can draw to explain their answers. They cover the entire syllabus for the Final FRCA, allowing the readers to experience the style of the questions likely to be asked and providing tips on how to excel in the exam. Each podcast is written by a successful candidate who has insight and experience of the exam, and all material has been reviewed by experienced consultants with detailed knowledge of the educational standards. For those preparing for the Final FRCA exams, Dr Podcast scripts are a must.
Dr Podcast Scripts for the Primary FRCA by
Dr Podcast (www.dr-podcast.com) is a great way to revise for the FRCA exams and has been met with widespread enthusiasm from candidates. It provides podcasts of questions and model answers with no redundant material.
Passing the Primary FRCA SOE: A Practical Guide by
The Structured Oral Examination can be the hardest component of the Primary FRCA examination to prepare for, but help is at hand. This book has been specifically designed to give realistic practice questions and to show you how to phrase and develop your answers. The questions included have been mapped to the FRCA examination curriculum and reflect both core and niche subject areas. Questions are presented as full mock examinations and also divided by section, enabling you to use the book in whichever way you find most effective.
The Primary FRCA Structured Oral Exam Guide 1, 2e by
The Primary FRCA Structured Oral Examination Study Guide 1 is the definitive revision aid to the Primary FRCA structured oral examination. This second edition is revised and updated in line with the new Royal College of Anaesthetists 'Guide to the Primary FRCA', with over 20 new topics to reflect changes to the RCoA's model questions and major revisions to graphs, diagrams and many of the pre-existing sections.
The Primary FRCA Structured Oral Exam Guide 2, 2e by
The Primary FRCA Structured Oral Examination Study Guide 2 is the definitive revision aid to the Primary FRCA structured oral examination. This second edition is revised and updated in line with the new Royal College of Anaesthetists 'Guide to the Primary FRCA', with over 20 new topics to reflect changes to the RCoA's model questions and major revisions to graphs, diagrams and many of the pre-existing sections.
Each issue of BJA Education includes tests designated for potential CPD (the term CME may be interchangeably used) recognition. Each test is based on an article published in BJA Education and consists of a series of multiple-choice questions followed by a brief optional post-test evaluation on how the knowledge gained can be used. Recognition for each test may be earned for up to five years after publication after which time the tests will expire on this site.
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