Most Repeated FCPS Part 1 Anesthesia MCQs: High-Yield Subjects

The subjects that carry the most weight in FCPS Part 1 Anesthesia — Pharmacology, Clinical Anesthesia and Physics — with sample MCQs for each.

Anesthesia is the one FCPS Part 1 paper with a dedicated Physics component alongside the usual basic sciences, and Pharmacology carries by far the most weight of any subject in the bank. Below is a sample across the highest-yield areas.

Pharmacology

1. Suxamethonium (succinylcholine) is classified as a:

A) Non-depolarizing muscle relaxant
B) Depolarizing muscle relaxant ✅
C) Local anesthetic
D) Volatile anesthetic

Clinical Anesthesia

2. In the ASA Physical Status Classification, ASA I refers to:

A) A patient with severe systemic disease
B) A normal healthy patient ✅
C) A moribund patient
D) A brain-dead organ donor

Physics

3. Nitrous oxide is stored in anesthesia cylinders as a:

A) Compressed gas only
B) Liquid with vapor above it ✅
C) Solid
D) Plasma

Anatomy

4. The classic landmark for a lumbar spinal (subarachnoid) block is the interspace between which vertebrae?

A) L1–L2
B) L3–L4 ✅
C) L5–S1
D) T12–L1

Physiology

5. The normal range for arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO₂) in a healthy adult is approximately:

A) 40–60 mmHg
B) 80–100 mmHg ✅
C) 120–140 mmHg
D) 20–40 mmHg

Biochemistry

6. The Henderson-Hasselbalch equation is used to relate pH to:

A) Oxygen saturation
B) Bicarbonate and carbonic acid concentration ✅
C) Hemoglobin concentration
D) Osmolarity

Looking for a Mock Exam, Not Just More Questions to Read?

If what you actually want is a timed FCPS Part 1 Anesthesia mock exam — not another static list to read through — that's exactly what the free sample on the Anesthesia question bank page gives you: the same timed, explained format as the full bank, no separate "mock test" product to buy or download.

HighYield's FCPS Part 1 Anesthesia bank covers Pharmacology, Clinical Anesthesia, Physics, Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, every question explained. Try the first 20 questions free, no sign-in required, from the FCPS Part 1 Anesthesia question bank page. If Anesthesia isn't your paper, see our HighYield vs FCPSWorld comparison for a broader look at FCPS Part 1 prep options.