100+ Free EDIC Part I Practice Questions

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: EDIC Part I Exam

100 questions

EDIC Part I is a written exam of 100 multiple-choice questions

ESICM - EDIC Part I Exam

3 hours

Time allowed to answer all EDIC Part I questions

ESICM - EDIC Part I Exam

English, online

EDIC Part I is delivered online in English

ESICM - EDIC Part I Exam

No negative marking

Incorrect answers do not reduce the EDIC Part I score

ESICM - EDIC Guidelines 2026

CoBaTrICE

The blueprint follows the 12 CoBaTrICE areas of competence

ESICM - EDIC Guidelines 2026

Type A and Type K'

EDIC Part I uses single-best-answer and multiple-true-false items

ESICM - EDIC Guidelines 2026

~64% (2019)

Reported EDIC Part I pass mark in 2019; the standard is set annually

Intensive Care Society - EDIC report

EUR 610 / 810

Approximate 2026 application fee for ESICM members / non-members

ESICM - EDIC Part I Exam

EDIC Part I is the written multiple-choice stage of the European Diploma in Intensive Care, run by ESICM. It is a 3-hour online English exam of 100 questions combining Type A single-best-answer and Type K' true/false items, with no negative marking. The blueprint follows the CoBaTrICE competencies and spans applied physiology, respiratory and cardiovascular support, sepsis, neurocritical care, renal replacement, pharmacology, nutrition, monitoring and ethics. There is no fixed pass percentage; the standard is set annually (around 64% in 2019). Application costs roughly EUR 610 for members and EUR 810 for non-members. This 100-question bank gives original MCQ practice mapped to the EDIC Part I blueprint.

Sample EDIC Part I Practice Questions

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

1Oxygen delivery (DO2) to the tissues is the product of cardiac output and arterial oxygen content. Which variable contributes most to arterial oxygen content under normal physiological conditions?

A.Dissolved oxygen (PaO2 x 0.003)

B.Haemoglobin-bound oxygen (1.34 x Hb x SaO2)

C.Mixed venous oxygen saturation

D.Plasma bicarbonate concentration

Explanation: Arterial oxygen content is dominated by oxygen bound to haemoglobin (1.34 x Hb x SaO2), which carries roughly 98% of the oxygen in blood. Dissolved oxygen (PaO2 x 0.003) contributes only a tiny fraction. Anaemia therefore markedly reduces DO2 even when SaO2 is normal.

2A patient has a PaO2 of 60 mmHg on room air at sea level with a PaCO2 of 60 mmHg. Using the alveolar gas equation, which mechanism best explains the hypoxaemia if the A-a gradient is normal?

A.Shunt

B.Diffusion limitation

C.Alveolar hypoventilation

D.Ventilation-perfusion mismatch

Explanation: A normal A-a gradient with hypoxaemia and a raised PaCO2 indicates alveolar hypoventilation: the high CO2 lowers alveolar (and thus arterial) PO2 without a widened gradient. Correcting ventilation corrects the hypoxaemia.

3According to the Frank-Starling relationship, increasing left ventricular end-diastolic volume (preload) in a normal heart will:

A.Decrease stroke volume

B.Increase stroke volume

C.Have no effect on stroke volume

D.Reduce myocardial contractility

Explanation: The Frank-Starling mechanism describes how increased preload (end-diastolic volume) stretches the myocardium and increases stroke volume up to a physiological limit. This underlies the use of fluid loading to augment cardiac output in preload-responsive patients.

4A blood gas shows pH 7.28, PaCO2 30 mmHg, HCO3- 14 mmol/L. What is the primary acid-base disturbance?

A.Metabolic acidosis with respiratory compensation

B.Respiratory acidosis

C.Metabolic alkalosis

D.Respiratory alkalosis with metabolic compensation

Explanation: Low pH with low bicarbonate indicates metabolic acidosis; the low PaCO2 represents appropriate respiratory compensation (hyperventilation). Winter's formula (expected PaCO2 = 1.5 x HCO3 + 8 +/- 2) predicts about 29 mmHg, confirming appropriate compensation.

5Which condition causes a high anion gap metabolic acidosis?

A.Diarrhoea

B.Renal tubular acidosis

C.Diabetic ketoacidosis

D.Ureteral diversion

Explanation: Diabetic ketoacidosis produces ketoacids (beta-hydroxybutyrate and acetoacetate) that are unmeasured anions, widening the anion gap. The mnemonic GOLD MARK or MUDPILES helps recall high-anion-gap causes.

6The oxyhaemoglobin dissociation curve shifts to the right (reduced affinity, easier oxygen unloading) with:

A.Hypothermia

B.Decreased 2,3-DPG

C.Acidosis (decreased pH)

D.Carbon monoxide poisoning

Explanation: A rightward shift occurs with acidosis, hypercapnia, hyperthermia and increased 2,3-DPG (the Bohr effect), favouring oxygen release to tissues. This is adaptive during exercise and tissue hypoxia.

7Which formula best estimates the expected respiratory compensation (PaCO2) for a chronic metabolic acidosis?

A.Winter's formula: 1.5 x HCO3 + 8 +/- 2

B.PaCO2 = HCO3 + 15

C.PaCO2 = 0.7 x HCO3 + 20

D.PaCO2 = 2 x HCO3

Explanation: Winter's formula (expected PaCO2 = 1.5 x [HCO3-] + 8 +/- 2) predicts the appropriate degree of respiratory compensation for metabolic acidosis. A measured PaCO2 outside this range indicates a superimposed respiratory disorder.

8In a healthy adult, what is the approximate physiological dead space as a fraction of tidal volume (Vd/Vt)?

A.About 0.3

B.About 0.6

C.About 0.8

D.About 0.1

Explanation: Normal physiological dead space is approximately one-third of tidal volume (Vd/Vt around 0.3). It rises in conditions such as pulmonary embolism and ARDS, where ventilated but underperfused lung increases wasted ventilation.

9Which of the following describes the effect of positive pressure ventilation on venous return in a hypovolaemic patient?

A.Increases venous return and cardiac output

B.Decreases venous return and may reduce cardiac output

C.Has no effect on venous return

D.Increases right ventricular preload

Explanation: Positive intrathoracic pressure during mechanical ventilation reduces the pressure gradient for venous return to the right heart, decreasing preload. In a hypovolaemic patient this can substantially lower cardiac output and cause hypotension on intubation.

10The normal mixed venous oxygen saturation (SvO2) measured from a pulmonary artery catheter is approximately:

A.40-50%

B.65-75%

C.85-95%

D.20-30%

Explanation: Normal SvO2 is about 65-75%, reflecting the balance between oxygen delivery and consumption. A low SvO2 suggests inadequate delivery or increased extraction; a high SvO2 may indicate reduced extraction (e.g. sepsis, cyanide toxicity).

About the EDIC Part I Exam

The EDIC Part I is the written multiple-choice component of the European Diploma in Intensive Care, awarded by the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM). It is a 3-hour online English-language examination of 100 questions covering the full breadth of intensive care medicine. The blueprint follows the CoBaTrICE competencies, which define the minimum knowledge expected of an intensive care specialist across applied physiology, respiratory, cardiovascular, renal and neurological critical care, sepsis and infection, pharmacology, nutrition and metabolism, monitoring and data interpretation, and ethics. Questions combine Type A single-best-answer items with Type K' multiple-true/false items, and there is no negative marking. Passing Part I is a prerequisite for the EDIC Part II clinical (oral) examination.

Assessment

100 multiple-choice questions combining Type A single-best-answer items and Type K' four-statement true/false items, drawn from the CoBaTrICE intensive care medicine blueprint. There is no negative marking.

Time Limit

3 hours to complete all 100 questions.

Passing Score

No fixed published percentage; the pass standard is set annually by formal standard-setting. The reported pass mark in 2019 was around 64%.

Exam Fee

Approximately EUR 610 for ESICM members and EUR 810 for non-members in 2026; confirm the current fee on the ESICM website. (European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM))

EDIC Part I Exam Content Outline

12%

Applied physiology and basic science

Oxygen delivery and consumption, cardiorespiratory and renal physiology, acid-base balance, fluid and electrolyte handling, and the basic pharmacology that underpins critical care reasoning.

14%

Respiratory failure and mechanical ventilation

ARDS and lung-protective ventilation, oxygenation and gas-exchange targets, driving pressure and PEEP, weaning and extubation, non-invasive ventilation and high-flow nasal oxygen.

14%

Cardiovascular support and haemodynamics

Shock classification, fluid responsiveness, vasopressors and inotropes, haemodynamic monitoring, and acute coronary, arrhythmic and cardiac-arrest management.

12%

Sepsis, infection and antimicrobial therapy

Sepsis recognition and resuscitation bundles, source control, empirical and targeted antimicrobials, stewardship, and prevention of healthcare-associated infection.

10%

Neurocritical care

Traumatic brain injury and intracranial pressure, acute stroke, status epilepticus, sedation strategies, brain-death determination and neuroprognostication.

Kidney injury and renal replacement therapy

AKI staging and prevention, indications and modalities of renal replacement therapy, dosing and anticoagulation of circuits, and management of electrolyte emergencies.

Monitoring, diagnostics and data interpretation

Interpreting arterial blood gases, lactate, ECG, chest imaging and laboratory data to guide ICU diagnosis and therapy.

Pharmacology and toxicology

Critical-care pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, sedation and analgesia, anticoagulation, and recognition and management of common poisonings.

Nutrition and metabolism

Timing and route of nutrition support, energy and protein targets, glycaemic control, refeeding syndrome and metabolic derangements of critical illness.

Ethics and general ICU principles

End-of-life decision-making, consent and capacity, organ donation, triage, and ICU quality, safety and infection-control governance.

How to Pass the EDIC Part I Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: No fixed published percentage; the pass standard is set annually by formal standard-setting. The reported pass mark in 2019 was around 64%.
Assessment: 100 multiple-choice questions combining Type A single-best-answer items and Type K' four-statement true/false items, drawn from the CoBaTrICE intensive care medicine blueprint. There is no negative marking.
Time limit: 3 hours to complete all 100 questions.
Exam fee: Approximately EUR 610 for ESICM members and EUR 810 for non-members in 2026; confirm the current fee on the ESICM 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

EDIC Part I Study Tips from Top Performers

1Map your revision to the CoBaTrICE competencies so you cover every organ system rather than over-studying your own subspecialty.

2Know the landmark ICU trials (ARDS lung-protective ventilation, sepsis resuscitation, transfusion thresholds, glycaemic targets) and the numbers they established.

3Because there is no negative marking, never leave a question blank; make your best choice and move on.

4Practise interpreting arterial blood gases, ECGs and haemodynamic data quickly, as data-interpretation items appear throughout the exam.

5For Type K' items, evaluate each of the four statements independently rather than choosing one best answer.

6Time yourself at roughly 1.8 minutes per question so you finish all 100 within the 3-hour limit.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions are on EDIC Part I and how long is it?

EDIC Part I has 100 multiple-choice questions and candidates have 3 hours to answer them. It is delivered online in English.

What question types does EDIC Part I use?

It combines Type A single-best-answer questions with Type K' items, where four statements per question are each marked true or false. There is no negative marking, so candidates should answer every question.

What is the pass mark for EDIC Part I?

There is no fixed published percentage. The pass standard is set each year by formal standard-setting; the reported pass mark in 2019 was around 64%.

What does the EDIC Part I syllabus cover?

The blueprint follows the CoBaTrICE competencies and spans applied physiology, respiratory and cardiovascular support, sepsis and infection, neurocritical care, renal replacement, pharmacology, nutrition, monitoring and ethics across all organ systems.

Who can sit EDIC Part I?

Physicians who have completed or are enrolled in recognised intensive care medicine training can apply. Candidates submit a CV and documentation confirming their training status, with degree and registration certificates required for specialists.

Are these official ESICM EDIC questions?

No. These are original OpenExamPrep practice questions modelled on the EDIC Part I blueprint and format. ESICM provides official exam information and preparation courses separately.