Count to 10 - Anaesthetic Primary Podcast EP49 – 2026.1 – Mini Review | CT10
Mar 3, 2026
A concise review of the 2026 SAQ paper with analysis of new, repeat and reworded questions. Specific recent items discussed include pre-oxygenation, calcium roles and volatile agent properties. Practical tips cover timing strategy, ordering answers and using question headings to structure responses. Trends noted include booklet formatting and clearer examiner prompts.
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New Questions Reuse Viva Themes
- Insight: New SAQ items usually rework existing viva topics rather than being wholly novel.
- Examples in 2026: pre-oxygenation, calcium roles in cardiomyocyte, and sevoflurane/desflurane properties using SVP and blood-gas partition.
Prioritise Recent Repeat Questions
- Do prioritise knowing which repeats were asked recently versus pre-2013 because recent repeats are easier to recall.
- Arnie notes repeats asked before 2013 are trickier and require broader SAQ revision across older papers.
Stick To Timing And Aim For Solid Threes
- Do stick to disciplined timing and aim for consistent 3s on repeat questions instead of chasing 5s.
- Arnie argues scoring 3 on repeat items preserves time for harder questions and keeps overall average achievable.