VIVAs · 2021B

2021 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 2021B SAQs →

Exam outcomes

56% (56/100)Written pass · MCQ + SAQ

89% (51/57)Oral pass · VIVAs

50.5% (51/101)*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

2021B

VIVA 1

Renal Physiology

100%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will assess your knowledge of renal physiology. Please interpret the following blood gas: Temperature 37.5°C pH 7.31 BE -4 mEq/L pCO2 39 mmHg (5.2 kPa) Na+ 136 mmol/L pO2 84 mmHg (11.2 kPa) K+ 3.0 mmol/L HCO3 18 mmol/L Cl- 101 mmol/L FiO2 30% Lactate 3.4 mmol/L

Current · V5 (2025) G2.i · primary K1.v

Official source: 2021B CICM Examiner Report · page 7

2021B

VIVA 2

Glucose Absorption and Metabolism

95%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will assess your knowledge of glucose absorption and metabolism. Describe the breakdown of carbohydrates and subsequent absorption in the gastrointestinal tract.

Current · V5 (2025) J1.vi · primary

Official source: 2021B CICM Examiner Report · page 7

2021B

VIVA 3

Coagulation

100%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will assess your knowledge of coagulation. What are the principles behind viscoelastic haemostatic assays like TEG and ROTEM? (Image removed from report).

Current · V5 (2025) N3.i · primary N1.iv

Official source: 2021B CICM Examiner Report · page 7

2021B

VIVA 4

Sedative Pharmacology

100%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will assess your knowledge of sedative pharmacology. Describe the pharmaceutics of propofol.

Current · V5 (2025) H6.i · primary

Official source: 2021B CICM Examiner Report · page 7

2021B

VIVA 5

Endocrine Physiology and Pharmacology

70%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will assess your knowledge of endocrine physiology and pharmacology. Outline the structure and secretions of the adrenal gland.

Current · V5 (2025) L1.v · primary

Official source: 2021B CICM Examiner Report · page 7

2021B

VIVA 6

Respiratory Mechanics

100%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will assess your knowledge of respiratory mechanics. Using the letters in Figure 1 below, what are the components of the work of breathing? (Image removed from report).

Current · V5 (2025) C3.x · primary

Official source: 2021B CICM Examiner Report · page 8

2021B

VIVA 7

Central Venous Pressure (CVP) and Its Measurement

95%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will assess your knowledge of central venous pressure (CVP) and its measurement. What are the cardiac events related to the roman numerals in the CVP trace below? (Image removed from report).

Current · V5 (2025) D6.iii · primary

Official source: 2021B CICM Examiner Report · page 8

2021B

VIVA 8

Microbiology and Antimicrobials

95%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will assess your knowledge on microbiology and antimicrobials. The microscopic image (pink colour) above is from a septic patient. How are bacteria classified? (Image removed from report).

Current · V5 (2025) O1.i · primary

Official source: 2021B CICM Examiner Report · page 8

Day 2

2021B

VIVA 1

Acid-Base

89%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will assess your knowledge on acid-base. Define pH. Describe how pH is measured by the blood gas machine?

Current · V5 (2025) G2.i · primary G1.i

Official source: 2021B CICM Examiner Report · page 8

2021B

VIVA 2

End-Tidal CO2 and Pulmonary Vasculature

95%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will assess your knowledge on end-tidal CO2 and pulmonary vasculature. What are the factors that lead to increase in the difference between PaCO2 and PETCO2?

Current · V5 (2025) C9.ii · primary

Official source: 2021B CICM Examiner Report · page 8

2021B

VIVA 3

Thiopentone Pharmacology

63%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will assess your knowledge on thiopentone pharmacology. Why does thiopentone have a rapid onset of action?

Current · V5 (2025) H6.i · primary

Official source: 2021B CICM Examiner Report · page 9

2021B

VIVA 4

GIT Physiology

100%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will assess your knowledge on GIT physiology. Outline the functions of the stomach. How do proton pump inhibitors act?

Current · V5 (2025) J4.i · primary

Official source: 2021B CICM Examiner Report · page 9

2021B

VIVA 5

Cardiovascular Physiology

56%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will assess your knowledge on cardiovascular physiology. Outline the structure of cardiac muscle and explain how it contracts.

Current · V5 (2025) I1.i · primary I1.ii

Official source: 2021B CICM Examiner Report · page 9

2021B

VIVA 6

Thermoregulation

84%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will assess your knowledge on thermoregulation. What is temperature and how can it be measured?

Current · V5 (2025) M1.iii · primary

Official source: 2021B CICM Examiner Report · page 9

2021B

VIVA 7

Hepatic Function and Lactate Physiology

50%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will assess your knowledge of hepatic function and lactate physiology. Which letter on the diagram points to the functional unit of the liver? (Image removed from report).

Current · V5 (2025) J2.i · primary K1.v

Official source: 2021B CICM Examiner Report · page 9

2021B

VIVA 8

Coagulation System

89%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will assess your knowledge of the coagulation system. This figure represents a thrombo-elastography tracing. Describe what it shows and what is indicated by a, b, c, & d. (Image removed from report).

Current · V5 (2025) N1.iv · primary

Official source: 2021B CICM Examiner Report · page 9

Day 3

2021B

VIVA 1

Opioids

78%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will assess your knowledge of opioids. What classification of opioid receptors do you know?

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

Official source: 2021B CICM Examiner Report · page 10

2021B

VIVA 2

Cardiac Anatomy and Physiology

83%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will assess your knowledge of cardiac anatomy and physiology. Describe the anatomy and distribution of the left and right coronary arteries.

Current · V5 (2025) D1.i · primary

Official source: 2021B CICM Examiner Report · page 10

2021B

VIVA 3

Pharmacology of Antiepileptics and Anti-Depressants

61%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will assess your knowledge of pharmacology of antiepileptics and anti-depressants. What are the mechanisms of actions of phenytoin?

Current · V5 (2025) H6.vi · primary H6.iv

Official source: 2021B CICM Examiner Report · page 10

2021B

VIVA 4

Respiratory Physiology

100%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will assess your knowledge of respiratory physiology. Define the “closing capacity” of the lung and explain how it can be measured using the diagram below. (Image removed from report).

Current · V5 (2025) C4.iii · primary

Official source: 2021B CICM Examiner Report · page 10

2021B

VIVA 5

Renal Water Handling

44%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will assess your knowledge of renal water handling. Explain how the kidney concentrates urine.

Current · V5 (2025) E1.v · primary

Official source: 2021B CICM Examiner Report · page 10

2021B

VIVA 6

Cardiac Action Potential and Anti-Arrhythmic Drugs

67%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will assess your knowledge of the cardiac action potential and anti-arrhythmic drugs. This image shows the phases of the cardiac muscle action potential. Describe the electrophysiological processes responsible for each phase. (Image removed from report).

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

Official source: 2021B CICM Examiner Report · page 11

2021B

VIVA 7

Anatomy of the Sensory and Motor Pathways

67%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will assess your knowledge of the anatomy of the sensory and motor pathways. Describe the pathway that a sensory impulse felt in the periphery takes to the cortex.

Current · V5 (2025) H1.iv · primary

Official source: 2021B CICM Examiner Report · page 11

2021B

VIVA 8

Haematology

94%Successful candidates

Opening prompt

This viva will assess your knowledge of haematology. Describe the formation of red blood cells.

Current · V5 (2025) N1.ii · primary

Official source: 2021B CICM Examiner Report · page 11