VIVAs · 2019B

2019 Second Sitting VIVAs

24 VIVA stations from the CICM examiner report for this sitting. Examiner wording, report provenance and reported performance data are preserved.

View 2019B SAQs →

Exam outcomes

57% (47/83)Written pass · MCQ + SAQ

100% (48/48)Oral pass · VIVAs

57.1% (48/84)*Overall pass · CICMWrecks-derived

How passing worked

Written pass: candidates successful in both written components (MCQ + SAQ) and progressing to the oral examination, divided by candidates presenting for the written examination.

Oral pass: candidates successful after the oral component, divided by candidates sitting the oral examination. The First Part oral component consists of VIVAs.

Carry-over: 1 candidate entered the oral component carrying a written pass from a previous sitting.

* Overall pass: a CICMWrecks-derived contextual figure: final successful candidates ÷ (candidates presenting for the written examination + candidates carrying a written pass). It is not a CICM-reported pass percentage.

Day 1

2019B

VIVA 1

Autonomic Nervous System

95%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will test your knowledge of the autonomic nervous system. Briefly describe the autonomic nervous system using the diagram. (Image removed from report.)

Current · V5 (2025) H3.ii · primary H3.iii H3.iv

Official source: 2019B CICM Examiner Report · page 8

2019B

VIVA 2

Rate of Administration on Pharmacodynamics of Sedative Drugs

85%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore the rate of administration on pharmacodynamics of sedative drugs. Would you anticipate a different response to an IV bolus of 100 mg of propofol versus a slow infusion of the same dose over 5 minutes?

Current · V5 (2025) H6.i · primary B1.vii

Official source: 2019B CICM Examiner Report · page 8

2019B

VIVA 3

Cerebral Blood Flow

90%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will test your knowledge of cerebral blood flow.

Current · V5 (2025) H2.ii · primary

Official source: 2019B CICM Examiner Report · page 8

2019B

VIVA 4

Your Understanding of Acid Base Balance

100%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore your understanding of acid base balance. What is the anion gap?

Current · V5 (2025) G1.iv · primary

Official source: 2019B CICM Examiner Report · page 8

2019B

VIVA 5

Drug Action

85%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will test your knowledge of drug action. With regards to the action of a drug, what does this graph tell us? (Image removed from report.)

Current · V5 (2025) B2.iii · primary

Official source: 2019B CICM Examiner Report · page 8

2019B

VIVA 6

Your Understanding of Glucose Metabolism

90%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will test your understanding of glucose metabolism. Describe how glucose is moved from the intestinal lumen to the blood.

Current · V5 (2025) J1.vi · primary K1.iii

Official source: 2019B CICM Examiner Report · page 9

2019B

VIVA 7

Liver

90%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will test your knowledge of the liver. Describe the blood supply of the liver.

Current · V5 (2025) J2.ii · primary

Official source: 2019B CICM Examiner Report · page 9

2019B

VIVA 8

Metabolism and Thyroid Hormone

95%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will test your knowledge of metabolism and thyroid hormone. Define basal metabolic rate.

Current · V5 (2025) K1.ii · primary L1.iv

Official source: 2019B CICM Examiner Report · page 9

Day 2

2019B

VIVA 1

Renal Physiology and Diuretics

100%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore your knowledge of renal physiology and diuretics. Describe how sodium is handled in the nephron.

Current · V5 (2025) E1.v · primary E3.i F1.v

Official source: 2019B CICM Examiner Report · page 9

2019B

VIVA 2

Acid-Base Physiology

65%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will test your knowledge on acid-base physiology. Describe the buffer systems.

Current · V5 (2025) G1.iii · primary

Official source: 2019B CICM Examiner Report · page 9

2019B

VIVA 3

Opioid Pharmacology

95%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore opioid pharmacology. In what parts of the body do opioids act?

Current · V5 (2025) H6.iii · primary

Official source: 2019B CICM Examiner Report · page 9

2019B

VIVA 4

Your Understanding of Basic Pharmacology and Oxygen

95%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore your understanding of basic pharmacology and oxygen. Why are dose-response curves often represented on “Log[dose]” scales?

Current · V5 (2025) B2.iii · primary C2.ii

Official source: 2019B CICM Examiner Report · page 10

2019B

VIVA 5

80%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will initially test your knowledge on structure-activity relationships. Can you name this chemical compound? (Image removed from report.)

Current · V5 (2025) B2.ii · primary

Official source: 2019B CICM Examiner Report · page 10

2019B

VIVA 6

Your Understanding of Arterial Blood Gases and Carbon Dioxide

100%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will examine your understanding of arterial blood gases and carbon dioxide. Interpret this arterial blood gas. pH 7.27 pCO2 55 mmHg (7.3 kPa) pO2 144 mmHg (19.1 kPa) HCO3 24 mmol/L BE 1 mEq/L

Current · V5 (2025) G2.i · primary

Official source: 2019B CICM Examiner Report · page 10

2019B

VIVA 7

Central Nervous System

100%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will assess your knowledge of the central nervous system. Describe the Monro-Kellie doctrine.

Current · V5 (2025) H2.i · primary

Official source: 2019B CICM Examiner Report · page 10

2019B

VIVA 8

Cardiovascular Physiology and Oxygen

100%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will test your knowledge of cardiovascular physiology and oxygen. Explain the mechanical events shown in the left ventricular pressure-volume loop below: (Image removed from report.)

Current · V5 (2025) D3.vii · primary

Official source: 2019B CICM Examiner Report · page 10

Day 3

2019B

VIVA 1

Pharmacology of Neuromuscular Blocking Drugs, and Local Anaesthetics

100%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will test your knowledge of the pharmacology of neuromuscular blocking drugs, and local anaesthetics.

Current · V5 (2025) H6.ii · primary I3.i

Official source: 2019B CICM Examiner Report · page 11

2019B

VIVA 2

Pharmacology of Resuscitation Fluids

100%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore the pharmacology of resuscitation fluids. What is the effect of the infusion of 5 litres of normal saline on Acid-Base in-vivo?

Current · V5 (2025) F2.i · primary

Official source: 2019B CICM Examiner Report · page 11

2019B

VIVA 3

Hypoxia

100%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore hypoxia. Interpret this arterial blood gas. Patient is breathing O2 at 6 litres/minute via a Hudson mask. pH 7.50 PaO2 55 mmHg PaCO2 30 mmHg HCO3- 22 mmol/L BE -2

Current · V5 (2025) G2.i · primary C10.ii

Official source: 2019B CICM Examiner Report · page 11

2019B

VIVA 4

Your Understanding of Anticoagulation and Arterial Pressure

100%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore your understanding of anticoagulation and arterial pressure. Describe the physiology of coagulation after tissue trauma.

Current · V5 (2025) N1.iv · primary N4.i

Official source: 2019B CICM Examiner Report · page 11

2019B

VIVA 5

Contractility

63%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will test your knowledge on contractility. Define contractility as it relates to cardiac function.

Current · V5 (2025) D3.iv · primary D3.ii

Official source: 2019B CICM Examiner Report · page 11

2019B

VIVA 6

Potassium

88%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will test your knowledge of potassium. How is total body potassium regulated?

Current · V5 (2025) F1.v · primary

Official source: 2019B CICM Examiner Report · page 12

2019B

VIVA 7

Pulmonary Physiology

100%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will assess your knowledge of pulmonary physiology. This is spirometry from a young adult during a vital capacity breath. Can you describe the volumes and capacities? (Image removed from report.)

Current · V5 (2025) C9.iii · primary C4.i

Official source: 2019B CICM Examiner Report · page 12

2019B

VIVA 8

Renal Physiology

100%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will test your knowledge of renal physiology. What are the functions of the kidney?

Current · V5 (2025) E1.ii · primary

Official source: 2019B CICM Examiner Report · page 12