1.1 EDAIC Part I Exam Format, Scoring and Multiple True/False Strategy

1.1 EDAIC Part I Exam Format, Scoring and Multiple True/False Strategy

Why the Format Matters

EDAIC Part I is the written part of the European Diploma in Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, organised by the European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care (ESAIC). Passing Part I is required before a candidate can sit Part II, the oral examination. Many European countries also use Part I as an in-training or national examination, so it is taken by large numbers of trainees at different stages of training.

Knowing the format matters because the question style rewards precise knowledge. Each question tests five separate facts, and a single misread word can turn a true statement into a false one. A candidate with good knowledge but a poor answering technique can lose marks that a well-prepared colleague would keep.

Structure of the Two Papers

The two papers are taken on the same day with a break between them. Each question has a short stem (for example, "Regarding the oxyhaemoglobin dissociation curve:") followed by five statements. Each statement is judged true or false on its own merits. The five items are independent: one question can have five true answers, five false answers or any combination.

Scoring and the Pass Mark

• 1 mark for each correct item. An incorrect answer and an omitted answer both score zero.
• No negative marking. Because a guess can only gain marks, every item should be answered. Leaving an item blank throws away an expected half-mark.
• Both papers must be passed. A strong Paper B does not compensate for a failed Paper A, and vice versa.
• The pass mark is not a fixed percentage. The ESAIC Examinations Committee sets it each year using standard-setting methods, including reference questions whose performance is known from previous years. Candidates should not plan around a rumoured cut-off.
• A published analysis of 17,401 candidates reported an overall Part I pass rate of about 69%.

After the examination, candidates receive a Candidate Report showing their performance by paper and by subject area. This is the most useful document for planning a resit, because it shows which topics lost the most marks.

Logistics

• Timing: Part I is held once a year, usually on a Saturday in September; the 2026 examination took place on 19 September 2026. Registration closes several months beforehand (11 June 2026 for the 2026 sitting, with an earlier date for some national registration routes).
• Centres: The examination runs simultaneously at many centres across Europe and beyond. Some designated centres deliver it on computer, with 90 minutes per paper instead of 2 hours.
• Languages: Papers are available in 11 languages: English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Polish, Hungarian, Portuguese, Turkish and Romanian. The English version is always provided alongside the translation, which helps when a translated term is ambiguous.
• Accommodation: Candidates with documented conditions such as dyslexia can apply for extra time.
• Fees vary by country group. For 2026, ESAIC listed EUR 180 for candidates from countries where the examination is mandatory or nationally recognised, and higher fees (EUR 290 to 450) for other countries depending on ESAIC membership.

Eligibility and Recognition

Part I is open to medical graduates; there is no minimum period of anaesthesia training, although ESAIC suggests that most candidates are ready after about three years. A Part I pass does not expire. Holders of certain national diplomas can apply for exemption from Part I, and Part I is recognised by some national bodies towards their own examinations. Always check the current ESAIC Diploma Guide for exemption rules, because they change.

Official Preparation Tools

• In-Training Assessment (ITA): A mock examination in the same MTF format, useful for timing practice.
• Online Assessment (OLA): A shorter online test held each spring, also in several languages.
• ESAIC syllabus and reading lists: These define the expected knowledge across basic and clinical sciences.

Multiple True/False Answering Strategy

FOR EACH ITEM:
  1. Re-read the stem and attach it to the item ("In pregnancy ... FRC is reduced")
  2. Decide TRUE / FALSE on that item alone
  3. Check absolute words: "always", "never", "only", "all", "exclusively"
  4. Check direction words: increases / decreases, left / right, pre / post
  5. If unsure, use physiology to reason, then commit (no negative marking)
  6. Move on - do not spend more than about 20 seconds on one item

Common Traps

1. Direction errors. Many items change one word: "hypothermia increases MAC" (false) versus "hypothermia decreases MAC" (true).
2. Absolute qualifiers. Biology rarely works "always". Items containing "always", "never" or "exclusively" are often false, but not invariably: "suxamethonium is always contraindicated in malignant hyperthermia susceptibility" is true.
3. Units and numbers. A true concept with a wrong number is false: "normal cerebral blood flow is 50 mL/100 g/min" is true, but "500 mL/100 g/min" is false.
4. Partly true statements. If any part of the item is wrong, the item is false.
5. Stem context. "In the neonate", "at high altitude" or "during one-lung ventilation" changes the answer.

Time Management

With 300 items in 120 minutes, you have about 24 seconds per item on paper; computer sittings allow about 18 seconds per item. A useful plan is to finish a first pass with about 15 minutes to spare and use the remainder to revisit flagged items. Change an answer only when you find a concrete reason, not because of a vague doubt.