100+ Free RACP DWE Paediatrics Practice Questions

Pass your RACP Divisional Written Examination (Paediatrics & Child Health) exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.

✓ No registration✓ No credit card✓ No hidden fees✓ Start practicing immediately

100+ Questions

100% Free

Loading practice questions...

2026 Statistics

Key Facts: RACP DWE Paediatrics Exam

170 questions

Two papers: 100 Clinical Applications + 70 Medical Sciences

RACP Divisional Written Examination

18 specialties

Paediatrics & Child Health blueprint domains with published item ranges

RACP DWE October 2026 / February 2027 pages

AUD $2,329

October 2026 Written Examination fee (Australia, incl. GST where applicable)

RACP fees / DWE October 2026

NZD $2,678.35

October 2026 Written Examination fee (Aotearoa New Zealand)

RACP DWE October 2026

Modified Angoff

Standard-setting method used each sitting (no fixed percentage pass mark)

RACP Divisional Written Examinations information

3 h 10 min + 2 h 10 min

Clinical Applications then Medical Sciences paper timings (incl. reading time)

RACP DWE format table

100

Free original practice questions in this bank

OpenExamPrep

The RACP Paediatrics & Child Health Divisional Written Examination is the written barrier exam in paediatric Basic Training in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. It has two selected-response papers (Clinical Applications 100 questions; Medical Sciences 70 questions; 170 total) mapped to an 18-specialty blueprint, with Modified Angoff standard setting and 2026 written fees of AUD $2,329 / NZD $2,678.35. This free bank offers 100 original MCQs weighted to that blueprint for Australasian paediatric basic trainees.

Sample RACP DWE Paediatrics Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your RACP DWE Paediatrics exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A 15-year-old girl requests contraception without parental knowledge. She understands benefits, risks and alternatives. Using Gillick-competence principles in Australasian adolescent practice, what is the most appropriate next step?

A.Mandate parental notification before any prescription

B.Refer to child protection without offering clinical care

C.Refuse until a parent consents in writing

D.Provide contraception if she is competent and it serves her best interests

Explanation: Mature minors who understand treatment may consent to contraception confidentially when competence and best interests are established, while still exploring safe family support.

2A 16-year-old with anorexia nervosa (BMI 14.5) is admitted with bradycardia. After nutritional rehabilitation starts, which electrolyte disturbance is the hallmark of refeeding syndrome?

A.Hypermagnesaemia

B.Hypernatraemia

C.Hyperkalaemia

D.Hypophosphataemia

Explanation: Refeeding drives insulin-mediated intracellular shifts, classically causing hypophosphataemia (with hypokalaemia and hypomagnesaemia). Phosphate monitoring and cautious refeeding reduce arrhythmia and respiratory failure risk.

3A 17-year-old presents after deliberate paracetamol overdose. After medical stabilisation, which action is most important before discharge?

A.Immediate discharge if LFTs are normal at 4 hours

B.Start long-term antipsychotics as first-line

C.Tell family that confidentiality forbids any risk information sharing

D.Structured psychosocial risk assessment and safety planning with mental-health input

Explanation: Intentional overdose requires structured risk assessment and safety planning before discharge. Confidentiality does not prevent sharing information needed to protect a young person at high risk.

4A 3-year-old has fever for 6 days with non-exudative conjunctivitis, strawberry tongue, cervical lymphadenopathy and extremity oedema. First-line therapy to reduce coronary complications is:

A.High-dose ibuprofen monotherapy

B.Immediate coronary bypass grafting

C.Oral prednisolone alone for 5 days

D.IVIG 2 g/kg single infusion plus aspirin

Explanation: Kawasaki disease is treated with IVIG 2 g/kg ideally within 10 days of fever onset, plus aspirin, to reduce coronary aneurysm risk. Steroids may be adjunctive in high-risk or refractory disease.

5A term neonate develops cyanosis and shock on day 2 as the ductus closes. Duct-dependent congenital heart disease is confirmed. Which medicine maintains ductal patency?

A.Indomethacin infusion

B.High-dose adrenaline bolus only

C.Oral digoxin loading

D.Prostaglandin E1 (alprostadil) infusion

Explanation: Prostaglandin E1 keeps the ductus open in duct-dependent lesions. Indomethacin promotes ductal closure and would be harmful here.

6A 7-year-old with known asthma develops sudden severe chest pain and worsening dyspnoea during a severe exacerbation. Examination shows unilateral reduced air entry and tracheal deviation away from that side. The most important next action is:

A.Reassure that chest pain is musculoskeletal in asthma

B.Urgent clinical assessment for tension pneumothorax and immediate decompression/escalation per emergency protocol

C.Increase only oral antihistamines

D.Discharge home with a spacer and no review

Explanation: Unilateral reduced air entry with tracheal deviation away from the affected side in severe asthma suggests tension pneumothorax. This is a life-threatening emergency requiring immediate assessment and decompression with senior/emergency support, not delayed outpatient care.

7A haemodynamically stable 8-year-old has narrow-complex tachycardia at 220/min. After vagal manoeuvres fail, preferred next drug therapy is:

A.IV amiodarone as first agent

B.Oral digoxin only

C.IV adenosine as a rapid push with saline flush

D.Unmonitored long-acting beta-blocker infusion

Explanation: For stable paediatric SVT, rapid-push adenosine is first-line after vagal manoeuvres. Unstable patients need synchronised cardioversion.

8In Australian communities with high rheumatic heart disease burden, secondary prophylaxis after acute rheumatic fever most commonly uses:

A.Daily oral aciclovir

B.A single lifetime azithromycin dose

C.Anticoagulation with warfarin for all ARF cases regardless of valve disease

D.Intramuscular benzathine penicillin G every 21–28 days

Explanation: Secondary prevention uses regular intramuscular benzathine penicillin G (usually every 28 days; every 21 days may be used if breakthrough infections occur). Duration depends on carditis severity per Australian RHD guidelines.

9A 12-year-old has exertional syncope and QTc 520 ms. The most appropriate initial management priority is:

A.Start flecainide in primary care without specialist input

B.Discharge without further investigation if neurology is normal

C.Reassure that this QTc is a normal athletic variant

D.Avoid QT-prolonging drugs, restrict high-risk triggers as advised, and arrange urgent cardiology review

Explanation: Pathologic QT prolongation with exertional syncope suggests long QT syndrome and sudden-death risk. Avoid QT-prolonging drugs and obtain urgent specialist care for beta-blockers and risk stratification.

10Antibiotic prophylaxis before dental procedures is most clearly indicated in which paediatric patient?

A.Well child with an innocent Still murmur

B.Child whose small VSD closed spontaneously years ago

C.Child with resolved physiological peripheral pulmonary stenosis

D.Child with a prosthetic mitral valve

Explanation: Prophylaxis is reserved for highest-risk conditions such as prosthetic valves, prior endocarditis and selected unrepaired cyanotic lesions—not innocent murmurs or resolved simple defects.

About the RACP DWE Paediatrics Exam

The RACP Divisional Written Examination (DWE) in Paediatrics & Child Health is the written barrier examination in Basic Training for paediatric physician trainees in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. It comprises two selected-response papers—Clinical Applications (100 questions) and Medical Sciences (70 questions)—totalling 170 questions, with specialty coverage defined by the official Paediatrics blueprint (including neonatal medicine, emergency care, cardiology, endocrinology, infectious diseases, neurology, respiratory medicine, genetics/metabolism, and clinical pharmacology/epidemiology). There is no fixed pass mark; standards are set each sitting by the Modified Angoff method. Passing the DWE is required before the Divisional Clinical Examination.

Assessment

Two selected-response papers for Paediatrics & Child Health: Clinical Applications (100 questions = 92 A-type MCQ + 8 EMQ) and Medical Sciences (70 questions = 66 MCQ + 4 EMQ). Question distribution across specialties follows the RACP Paediatrics & Child Health blueprint (item ranges published per specialty).

Time Limit

Clinical Applications paper 3 hours 10 minutes (including 10 minutes reading time); Medical Sciences paper 2 hours 10 minutes (including 10 minutes reading time), usually sat on the same day.

Passing Score

No fixed percentage. The pass mark is determined for each sitting by the Modified Angoff standard-setting method, based on expert judgement of how a borderline candidate would perform on each item.

Exam Fee

October 2026 Written Examination fee: AUD $2,329.00 (Australia) or NZD $2,678.35 (Aotearoa New Zealand), including GST where applicable. Confirm the fee for your sitting on the RACP website. (Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP))

RACP DWE Paediatrics Exam Content Outline

Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine

Consent, mental health, eating disorders and adolescent preventive care.

Cardiology

Congenital heart disease, Kawasaki, arrhythmias, RHD and heart failure.

Clinical Sciences – Pharmacology

Paediatric dosing, pharmacokinetics, toxicology and adverse effects.

Clinical Sciences – Epidemiology

Screening, study design, biostatistics and outbreak response.

Dermatology

Paediatric dermatoses and dermatologic emergencies.

Emergency Medicine

Anaphylaxis, status epilepticus, sepsis, trauma and critical care.

Endocrinology

DKA, CAH, thyroid, growth, hypoglycaemia and calcium disorders.

Gastroenterology

Coeliac, IBD, pyloric stenosis, liver and nutrition presentations.

General and Community Paediatrics

Development, immunisation, safeguarding and community child health.

Genetic and Metabolic Medicine

Newborn screening, inborn errors and genetic syndromes.

Haematology and Oncology

ITP, sickle cell, leukaemia, febrile neutropenia and bleeding disorders.

Immunology and Allergy

Anaphylaxis, food allergy, immunodeficiency and SCID screening.

Infectious Diseases

Serious bacterial infection, UTI, TB exposure, HIV prevention and bronchiolitis.

Neonatal and Perinatal Medicine

Resuscitation, jaundice, HIE, sepsis, RDS, NEC and transitional care.

Nephrology and Urology

Nephrotic syndrome, VUR, AKI, vasculitis and hypertension.

Neurology

Seizures, epileptic encephalopathies, neuromuscular and raised ICP.

Respiratory and Sleep Medicine

Asthma, CF, pneumonia, OSA and aspiration.

Rheumatology

JIA, SLE and inflammatory differentials including Kawasaki.

How to Pass the RACP DWE Paediatrics Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: No fixed percentage. The pass mark is determined for each sitting by the Modified Angoff standard-setting method, based on expert judgement of how a borderline candidate would perform on each item.
Assessment: Two selected-response papers for Paediatrics & Child Health: Clinical Applications (100 questions = 92 A-type MCQ + 8 EMQ) and Medical Sciences (70 questions = 66 MCQ + 4 EMQ). Question distribution across specialties follows the RACP Paediatrics & Child Health blueprint (item ranges published per specialty).
Time limit: Clinical Applications paper 3 hours 10 minutes (including 10 minutes reading time); Medical Sciences paper 2 hours 10 minutes (including 10 minutes reading time), usually sat on the same day.
Exam fee: October 2026 Written Examination fee: AUD $2,329.00 (Australia) or NZD $2,678.35 (Aotearoa New Zealand), including GST where applicable. Confirm the fee for your sitting on the RACP website.

Keys to Passing

Complete 500+ practice questions
Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
Focus on highest-weighted sections
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

RACP DWE Paediatrics Study Tips from Top Performers

1Map your reading to the official Paediatrics specialty blueprint rather than only Adult Medicine resources, especially neonatal medicine, adolescent health and community paediatrics.

2Drill weight-based emergency doses (adrenaline, fluids, anticonvulsants) until recall is automatic under time pressure.

3Practise interpreting growth charts, bilirubin nomograms and age-specific vital-sign ranges rather than memorising adult cut-offs.

4For Medical Sciences items, link pharmacology and epidemiology concepts to paediatric clinical vignettes you see on the ward.

5Use timed mixed blocks across specialties; the real papers interleave domains rather than presenting one specialty at a time.

6Review every wrong answer by rewriting a one-line teaching point and a reason each distractor fails—this mirrors Angoff-style borderline thinking.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many papers and questions are in the RACP Paediatrics Divisional Written Examination?

There are two papers totalling 170 questions. Clinical Applications has 100 questions (92 A-type MCQs and 8 EMQs) and Medical Sciences has 70 questions (66 MCQs and 4 EMQs). Specialty coverage follows the RACP Paediatrics & Child Health blueprint.

Does the Paediatrics DWE use a different format from Adult Medicine?

Both pathways use the same two-paper selected-response structure and timing, but each has its own specialty blueprint. Paediatrics includes domains such as neonatal/perinatal medicine, adolescent medicine and general/community paediatrics that are not mirrored in the Adult blueprint.

What is the pass mark?

There is no fixed percentage pass mark. The pass standard is set each sitting using the Modified Angoff method, so the required score varies between examinations.

How much does the written exam cost?

For October 2026 the RACP lists Written Examination fees of AUD $2,329.00 for Australian candidates and NZD $2,678.35 for Aotearoa New Zealand candidates. Confirm the fee for your sitting before applying.

Who is eligible to sit?

You must be enrolled in RACP Basic Training in Paediatrics & Child Health and meet the College’s eligibility rules for that sitting (including being up to date with training fees). Revised first-attempt eligibility rules apply from 2027—check the relevant RACP DWE page.

Are these official RACP practice questions?

No. These are original OpenExamPrep questions modelled on single-best-answer style and weighted to the published Paediatrics specialty blueprint. The RACP publishes its own sample materials separately for logged-in trainees.