Start with a baseline
Part A tests applied basic sciences and principles of surgery in general using single-best-answer questions. Read the current blueprint, then attempt a small mixed set under timed conditions. Classify mistakes as a knowledge gap, misreading, weak reasoning or time pressure. This gives your revision a more useful direction than a score alone.
Use a repeatable study cycle
A practical weekly cycle is to study a topic, answer questions, review explanations and revisit the difficult material after a gap. Include anatomy, physiology and pathology throughout your plan rather than leaving an entire discipline until the final week. Use your own concise notes for recurring errors.
- Explain why the best answer fits the question.
- Explain why plausible alternatives are less appropriate.
- Mix older topics into each week’s revision.
- Keep the workload achievable around nights and on-call shifts.
Move towards examination conditions
As your preparation progresses, add longer timed sessions and practise maintaining concentration. Review patterns in errors rather than repeatedly retaking familiar questions. In the final phase, protect sleep, confirm examination logistics and use the official guidance to check the format and permitted arrangements. This suggested study method is adaptable; it does not guarantee a pass or replace the syllabus.
Build your timetable from the rota
Start with the time you can repeat each week, rather than an ideal timetable that depends on every shift finishing early. Identify two or three short study sessions and one longer review session if your schedule allows. Protect recovery time after nights and avoid creating a plan that relies on consistently studying when exhausted.
The example below is a study structure, not a prescribed number of hours or a guaranteed route to passing. Adjust it after a baseline practice session and revisit it when your rota changes.
| Session | Suggested activity |
|---|---|
| Topic session | Learn one defined topic and write a few questions to test recall. |
| Practice session | Attempt relevant questions, then review both correct and incorrect reasoning. |
| Mixed session | Revisit topics from earlier weeks without relying on immediate familiarity. |
| Review session | Identify recurring errors, update the next week’s plan and include timed practice. |
Make your error log specific
After a practice question, identify why the answer went wrong. Was the underlying knowledge missing, was a clue overlooked, or did you struggle to apply knowledge under time pressure? Record a short explanation of the correct principle and one action to address the problem. Avoid copying whole explanations into a document you never revisit.
For example, if several anatomy questions are wrong because the relationships between structures are unclear, return to an appropriate diagram and practise explaining the relationships from memory. If mistakes occur mainly near the end of a timed set, review pacing and how you handle difficult questions.
Review progress without chasing a single score
Look for patterns across several practice sessions. A familiar question bank can make your score rise even when you are recognising wording rather than reasoning through a topic. Mix subjects, explain your choices and revisit errors after a gap. Use the official examination guidance when deciding how to simulate the current format.
In the final preparation period, prioritise recurring weaknesses, practical arrangements and a sustainable routine. Confirm identification, venue or test-centre instructions and the examining college’s requirements. If work, illness or an unexpected event disrupts your plan, check the official options rather than relying on informal advice about withdrawals or transfers.
PUT IT INTO PRACTICE
Your next steps
Suggested preparation checklist
- Map the official syllabus to a study schedule.
- Create an error log from a baseline question set.
- Use spaced review and mixed-topic practice.
- Complete timed practice and check exam-day requirements.
Official sources
Sources checked 26 October 2026. Follow the current guidance for your recruitment year and circumstances.
Independent educational guidance from Coursemia. Preparation suggestions are not official eligibility or ARCP requirements. Where guidance changes, the official provider’s current instructions take precedence.