A case can feel familiar when your notes are open and the model answer is beside you. A viva rehearsal should remove those supports. You need to retrieve what you know aloud, respond to new information and hear where your reasoning becomes unclear.
ANZCA describes the Final Examination as testing whether trainees can integrate knowledge, judgement and skills in realistic anaesthetic scenarios. Its published outcomes include prioritisation and decision-making. The ANZCA Final Examination guide covers exam format and requirements; this article focuses on building a repeatable practice routine. For the structure of an individual spoken answer, see how to structure an ANZCA Final viva answer.
Make each session a retrieval task
Choose one case and put the notes away. The candidate hears only the opening information and answers aloud. A partner can hold back later details and introduce them when they fit the discussion, rather than showing the whole case or steering the candidate towards a prepared answer.
The aim is not to reproduce every feature of the examination. It is to practise speaking without notes and adapting when the information changes. Ask the partner to observe a small number of behaviours: whether the candidate answers the question asked, makes decisions clearly and adjusts the plan when new information matters. Avoid judging confidence or fluency alone; neither tells you exactly what to practise next.
Run a three-pass rehearsal
Pass one: the cold attempt. Begin without a warm-up or written outline. Let the candidate work through the case as they would in an oral examination. The partner listens and makes brief notes, but does not correct or rescue the answer. This shows what the candidate can retrieve in the moment, not what they can reconstruct after studying the model response.
Pass two: add a change. Introduce a finding, patient preference or practical constraint that requires the candidate to reconsider part of the plan. Keep the prompt relevant rather than obscure. The candidate should respond to the changed situation rather than simply continue the original answer. If they miss the significance, let them finish before giving feedback.
Pass three: debrief and replay. Choose one important gap, describe the behaviour you want to hear instead, and repeat that part of the case. For example, the target might be making a decision sooner or explaining why a new finding changes the plan. Immediate repetition gives the candidate another chance to retrieve and apply the correction while the problem is still clear.
Make practice build from session to session
A routine works better when it revisits weak areas instead of treating every case as a fresh start. At the next session, begin by testing the previous target briefly. Then move to a related but unfamiliar case. The familiar case checks whether the correction is retrievable; the new one tests whether the reasoning transfers beyond a memorised answer.
Space these sessions across your revision rather than compressing every attempt into one long block. Distributed and retrieval practice are useful learning approaches in health-professions education, and oral rehearsal puts both into practice: you recall information without notes, then return to the task after a gap. Vary the wording and details of the prompts so the response depends on understanding, not a remembered script.
Increase the challenge gradually. Add follow-up prompts or a changing clinical picture after the candidate is comfortable answering a straightforward case aloud. A full mock examination is not required every time. Often a short drill on one weak decision, followed by feedback and another attempt, is more useful than a long session that ends without a chance to practise the correction.
Keep a feedback log that guides the next drill
Record observable behaviours, not general impressions. A short log makes it easier to choose what to revisit and to see whether the previous target has improved.
| What to notice | What to record | Next rehearsal |
|---|---|---|
| Missed priority | The key concern was not made clear early | Practise stating the main concern before moving to other details |
| Delayed decision | Options were discussed without choosing a next step | Practise making the decision, then giving its rationale |
| Unclear explanation | The action was stated but its reason was hard to follow | Repeat the answer and explain the reason for each key action |
| Poor adaptation | The original plan continued after relevant new information | Replay the changed part of the case and make the adjustment explicit |
Keep the log selective. One or two targets are enough for the next session. Record the case, the behaviour to improve and the drill that will test it again. That creates a practical loop: attempt, feedback, targeted practice and a fresh attempt.
Practise alone with a recording
A partner helps, but you can still rehearse aloud alone. Choose a case, start a recording and answer without notes. At a planned point, introduce a new fact yourself and continue. This does not reproduce the interaction of a mock viva, but it exposes whether you can keep speaking and reconsider your answer without relying on a written outline.
Listen back once and choose one specific gap: perhaps you lost the question, took too long to decide or failed to respond to the new information. Repeat that section. Recordings only help when what you hear changes the next practice attempt; a folder of unreviewed answers is not a feedback routine.
Use prompts without mistaking them for feedback
ANZCA's final viva preparation courses usually include mock vivas and feedback from mock examiners, although local course details vary. If you attend one, carry a specific target from your practice log into the session.
The Final/Advanced Anesthesia Structured Oral Examination (SOE) bank can provide prompts for spoken rehearsal. A prompt gives you a starting point; a partner, supervisor or focused self-review helps you identify what to practise next. Use the exam guide for published format and requirements, and the answer-structure article when you want to work on how to organise one response.
Practise the routine, not a script
Read to build knowledge, then rehearse aloud to retrieve it. End each practice session with one clear target and a deliberate repeat. Return to that target after a gap and test it in a different case. Over time, the aim is not to remember a perfect speech, but to make your reasoning usable when the next prompt changes.
Frequently asked questions
How should I structure an ANZCA Final viva practice session?
Start with a cold answer without notes, add follow-up prompts that change the scenario, then debrief one or two observable behaviours and repeat the weakest section.
How can I practise ANZCA Final vivas without a partner?
Record a cold answer, introduce a planned new finding partway through, and continue aloud. Listen for one specific gap, then repeat the relevant section.
How should a partner give feedback in a mock viva?
Let the candidate finish before coaching. Name one or two behaviours to improve, such as a delayed decision or failure to adapt, and ask them to repeat that section.
Does ANZCA offer mock viva practice?
ANZCA's final viva preparation courses usually include mock vivas and feedback from mock examiners. Course details vary by local committee.