VIVAs · 2020B

2020 Second Sitting VIVAs

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

View 2020B SAQs →

Exam outcomes

60% (41/68)Written pass · MCQ + SAQ

95% (39/41)Oral pass · VIVAs

57.4% (39/68)*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.

* 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

2020B

VIVA 1

Anti-Arrhythmic Agents and the Electrocardiogram

86%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore your knowledge of anti-arrhythmic agents and the electrocardiogram. Briefly describe the phases of an action potential of the SA nodal / pacemaker cell. (Image removed from report.)

Current · V5 (2025) D6.i · primary D2.i D7.iv

Official source: 2020B CICM Examiner Report · page 10

2020B

VIVA 2

Respiratory Physiology

76%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore your knowledge of respiratory physiology. What are the major differences between the systemic and pulmonary circulation?

Current · V5 (2025) C5.iii · primary

Official source: 2020B CICM Examiner Report · page 10

2020B

VIVA 3

Renal Physiology and Pharmacology

57%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore your knowledge of renal physiology and pharmacology. Describe the factors that determine the rate of movement of a solute across a semi-permeable membrane.

Current · V5 (2025) F1.i · primary

Official source: 2020B CICM Examiner Report · page 10

2020B

VIVA 4

Thyroid Physiology and Beta-Blockers

67%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore your knowledge of the thyroid physiology and beta-blockers. What is the fate of dietary iodine?

Current · V5 (2025) L1.iv · primary D7.iii

Official source: 2020B CICM Examiner Report · page 10

2020B

VIVA 5

Platelets and Antiplatelet Drugs

90%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore your knowledge of platelets and antiplatelet drugs. Can you outline how platelets are produced?

Current · V5 (2025) N4.i · primary

Official source: 2020B CICM Examiner Report · page 10

2020B

VIVA 6

Acid-Base Physiology

90%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore your knowledge of acid-base physiology. Please interpret this arterial blood gas: pH 7.30 pO2 400 mmHg (53.3 kPa) pCO2 30 mmHg (4 kPa) HCO3- 14 mmol/L BE - 8 mmol/L Na2+ 140 mmol/L K+ 4 mmol/L Cl- 120 mmol/L

Current · V5 (2025) G2.i · primary

Official source: 2020B CICM Examiner Report · page 11

2020B

VIVA 7

Physiology and Pharmacology in the Elderly

62%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore your knowledge of physiology and pharmacology in the elderly. Consider the respiratory system: Why does efficiency of gas exchange diminish with aging?

Current · V5 (2025) B3.iii · primary C8.iii

Official source: 2020B CICM Examiner Report · page 11

2020B

VIVA 8

Bacteria and Antibiotics

95%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore your knowledge of bacteria and antibiotics. What type of bacteria are demonstrated in the above gram stain? How can bacteria be classified? (Image removed from report.)

Current · V5 (2025) O1.i · primary O2.i

Official source: 2020B CICM Examiner Report · page 11

Day 2

2020B

VIVA 1

Physiology of Coronary Blood Flow

90%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore your knowledge of the physiology of coronary blood flow. How is coronary blood flow regulated? (Image removed from report.)

Current · V5 (2025) D4.iv · primary

Official source: 2020B CICM Examiner Report · page 11

2020B

VIVA 2

Respiratory Physiology

70%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore your knowledge of respiratory physiology. Can you outline the factors that affect respiratory rate?

Current · V5 (2025) C2.i · primary

Official source: 2020B CICM Examiner Report · page 12

2020B

VIVA 3

Measurement and Regulation of Body Water

85%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore your knowledge of measurement and regulation of body water. Describe the normal water content of a 70 kg adult male and how this water is distributed.

Current · V5 (2025) F1.ii · primary

Official source: 2020B CICM Examiner Report · page 12

2020B

VIVA 4

Body’s Response to a Noxious Stimulus

80%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore your knowledge of the body’s response to a noxious stimulus. What would happen if you have a sudden sharp cut to your hand?

Current · V5 (2025) H4.i · primary

Official source: 2020B CICM Examiner Report · page 12

2020B

VIVA 5

Coagulation

85%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore your knowledge of coagulation. According to the cell-based model, what happens during the initiation phase of coagulation?

Current · V5 (2025) N1.iv · primary

Official source: 2020B CICM Examiner Report · page 12

2020B

VIVA 6

Respiratory Physiology and Measurement

90%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore your knowledge of respiratory physiology and measurement. What is the oxygen content of blood and how is it transported?

Current · V5 (2025) C7.i · primary

Official source: 2020B CICM Examiner Report · page 12

2020B

VIVA 7

Central Nervous System Circulation and Receptors

100%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore your knowledge of the central nervous system circulation and receptors. What is normal cerebral blood flow?

Current · V5 (2025) H2.ii · primary

Official source: 2020B CICM Examiner Report · page 12

2020B

VIVA 8

Midazolam and the Actions of Benzodiazepines

80%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore your knowledge of midazolam and the actions of benzodiazepines. What is midazolam? What are some of the effects of midazolam?

Current · V5 (2025) H6.i · primary

Official source: 2020B CICM Examiner Report · page 13

Day 3

2020B

VIVA 1

Anatomy of the Cardiac Ventricles and Pharmacology of Beta-Blockers

91%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore your knowledge of the anatomy of the cardiac ventricles and pharmacology of beta-blockers. Can you describe the structure of the left ventricle?

Current · V5 (2025) D7.iii · primary

Official source: 2020B CICM Examiner Report · page 13

2020B

VIVA 2

Oxygen and Respiratory Physiology

100%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore your knowledge of oxygen and respiratory physiology. Can you describe the oxygen cascade?

Current · V5 (2025) C7.i · primary

Official source: 2020B CICM Examiner Report · page 13

2020B

VIVA 3

Renal Physiology and Pharmacology

65%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore your knowledge of renal physiology and pharmacology. Describe the factors that determine the rate of movement of a solute across a semi-permeable membrane.

Current · V5 (2025) F1.i · primary

Official source: 2020B CICM Examiner Report · page 13

2020B

VIVA 4

Cranial Nerves Anatomy and the Physiology of Brain Stem Reflexes

74%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore your knowledge of cranial nerves anatomy and the physiology of brain stem reflexes. Please describe the pupillary light reflex.

Current · V5 (2025) H1.i · primary

Official source: 2020B CICM Examiner Report · page 13

2020B

VIVA 5

Central Venous Pressure

91%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore your knowledge of central venous pressure. Can you describe the cardiac events that give rise to the labelled fluctuations in right atrial pressure? (Image removed from report.)

Current · V5 (2025) D6.iii · primary

Official source: 2020B CICM Examiner Report · page 14

2020B

VIVA 6

Acid-Base Physiology and Albumin

91%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore your knowledge of acid-base physiology and albumin. Describe the Henderson Hassebalch Equation.

Current · V5 (2025) G1.iv · primary

Official source: 2020B CICM Examiner Report · page 14

2020B

VIVA 7

Smooth Muscle and G Proteins

61%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore your knowledge of smooth muscle and G proteins. What types of smooth muscle are there?

Current · V5 (2025) B2.ii · primary

Official source: 2020B CICM Examiner Report · page 14

2020B

VIVA 8

Liver Physiology and Biliary Metabolism

87%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore your knowledge of liver physiology and biliary metabolism. What are the functions of the liver?

Current · V5 (2025) J2.iii · primary

Official source: 2020B CICM Examiner Report · page 14

Day 4

2020B

VIVA 1

100%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

The viva will explore your knowledge of the body’s response to blood loss. Describe the physiological sensing and response following the loss of 1 litre of blood over 10 minutes in an adult male.

Current · V5 (2025) D5.i · primary F1.ii

Official source: 2020B CICM Examiner Report · page 14

2020B

VIVA 2

Respiratory Physiology

77%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore your knowledge of respiratory physiology. What is compliance?

Current · V5 (2025) C3.iii · primary

Official source: 2020B CICM Examiner Report · page 15

2020B

VIVA 3

Renal Anatomy and Physiology

100%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore your knowledge of renal anatomy and physiology. Describe the anatomy of Bowman’s capsule.

Current · V5 (2025) E1.i · primary

Official source: 2020B CICM Examiner Report · page 15

2020B

VIVA 4

GABA (Gamma Amino Butyric Acid) Signalling

82%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore your knowledge of GABA (Gamma Amino Butyric Acid) signalling. Can you outline the pharmaceutics of propofol?

Current · V5 (2025) H6.i · primary

Official source: 2020B CICM Examiner Report · page 15

2020B

VIVA 5

Coagulation

95%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore your knowledge of coagulation. Please describe the classical intrinsic pathway.

Current · V5 (2025) N1.iv · primary

Official source: 2020B CICM Examiner Report · page 15

2020B

VIVA 6

Opioids and Their Pharmacology

36%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore your knowledge of opioids and their pharmacology. What classifications of opioid receptors do you know?

Current · V5 (2025) H4.ii · primary H6.iii

Official source: 2020B CICM Examiner Report · page 15

2020B

VIVA 7

Placental and Foetal Physiology

100%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore your knowledge of placental and foetal physiology. What is the uterine blood flow at term? What percentage goes to the placenta?

Current · V5 (2025) P1.iii · primary P2.iii

Official source: 2020B CICM Examiner Report · page 15

2020B

VIVA 8

Pharmacology of Aminoglycoside Antibiotics

82%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will explore your knowledge of the pharmacology of aminoglycoside antibiotics. How does gentamicin work against bacteria?

Current · V5 (2025) O2.i · primary

Official source: 2020B CICM Examiner Report · page 16