FCPaed(SA) Part 1: The Complete Guide

The FC Paed(SA), Fellowship of the College of Paediatricians of South Africa, is the national specialist qualification in paediatrics and child health, awarded by the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa (CMSA). Part 1 is the applied basic-sciences examination that opens the route to Part 2, and because it can be taken early in training, many candidates sit it while still finding their feet as registrars. This guide covers what the exam involves, how it is structured, who can enter, and a study approach that works.

What is the FCPaed(SA) Part 1?

Part 1 tests the applied basic clinical sciences that underpin paediatric practice. The questions are not abstract science for its own sake: they ask you to apply anatomy, physiology, pharmacology and the other basic sciences to infants and children, and to the diagnosis and principles of management of common paediatric conditions. A valid Part 1 pass is required before you can attempt Part 2, unless you hold a qualifying exemption.

FCPaed(SA) Part 1 format and structure

The current College of Paediatricians regulations describe a fully digital, multiple-choice written examination:

• Two digital papers, each with 75 multiple-choice questions.
• Each paper is 3 hours long.
• All questions are single best response (A-type) MCQs, published in English only.
• A single mark is awarded for the 150 questions combined.
• The pass mark is set using a Cohen multiplier plus one standard error of measurement, applied to the score at the 90th centile.
• There is no negative marking and no correction for guessing, so the College encourages candidates to answer every item.

Part 1 and Part 2 can be taken concurrently once all entry requirements for both have been met. Confirm the current format and any notices on the CMSA website when you apply.

Who can sit FCPaed(SA) Part 1?

You need a qualification to practise medicine that is registered or registrable as a medical practitioner with the HPCSA. There is also a specific requirement that catches some candidates out: you must provide proof of successful completion of the National Department of Health Knowledge Hub online IMCI course, by submitting the Certificate of Achievement. Non-South African doctors who cannot access the course are directed to contact the College about alternatives. Complete the IMCI course well before you apply, as your application will not be accepted without it.

Once passed, Part 1 remains valid for 72 months from the date you passed it or from the start of specialist training, whichever is longer. Candidates who have passed both parts of the MRCPCH(UK) may proceed to Part 2 on that basis. Confirm the current rules with the CMSA before you register.

FCPaed(SA) Part 1 syllabus: where to focus

The College publishes guidance on what the basic-sciences examination covers, while making clear that examiners are not bound by the list. The papers span anatomy, embryology, physiology, biochemistry, pathology, microbiology, genetics, epidemiology, biostatistics, evidence-based medicine, pathophysiology and pharmacology. High-yield areas include:

• Neonatal physiology: the initiation of respiration, circulatory adaptation at birth, bilirubin metabolism, thermoregulation, surfactant and neonatal metabolism.
• System-by-system physiology and common pathology: respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, renal, endocrine, neurological, immune and haematological, including the tests used to assess each system and how to interpret them.
• Body fluids, acid-base balance, nutrition and metabolism, including vitamin D, calcium and iron.
• Genetics and cell biology: modes of inheritance, antenatal diagnosis, DNA and protein synthesis, and intermediary metabolism.
• Microbiology and virology relevant to children, including HIV, and the principles of pharmacokinetics, the drugs used in paediatric practice and the management of poisoning.
• Statistics: distributions, sensitivity and specificity, p values, confidence intervals and choosing the right test.

The College's recommended reading notes that there is no single prescribed textbook, and pairs a UK basic-science text with local publications such as Child Health for All for South African context.

A realistic FCPaed(SA) Part 1 study plan

Most candidates prepare over a few months alongside clinical work. Think in phases rather than fixed dates.

• Phase one, build the science. Start with neonatal physiology and the high-yield systems, reading a topic and then answering questions on it straight away. Keep a running list of concepts you could not explain to a colleague.
• Phase two, broaden through questions. Shift the balance towards a question bank across all disciplines, including the less glamorous ones such as statistics, genetics and microbiology, which are easy marks if you have revised them and lost marks if you have not.
• Phase three, simulate. Practise in timed 75-question blocks so that three hours feels comfortable, review your performance data to find weak disciplines, and finish with light consolidation rather than new material.

Exam technique that earns marks

With 75 questions in three hours you have a little over two minutes per question, which is enough if you stay disciplined. Read the stem fully, paying attention to the age of the child, because normal values and likely diagnoses change sharply between a neonate, an infant and an adolescent. Decide what you expect the answer to be before you read the options. When two options look similar, ask which is the single best response for this particular child. There is no negative marking and no correction for guessing, so answer every question, flagging any you want to revisit rather than leaving them blank.

The best way to revise for FCPaed(SA) Part 1

Because the whole of Part 1 is single best response MCQs, high-quality question practice is the most direct preparation. The best banks reflect the CMSA style, apply basic science to paediatric scenarios rather than adult ones, explain every option, and show you which disciplines are dragging your score down so that your remaining time goes where it counts.

Passmed's FCPaed(SA) Part 1 question bank is written by qualified doctors, mapped to the CMSA paediatric basic-sciences syllabus, and combines detailed explanations with performance tracking by discipline. Explore the FCPaed(SA) Part 1 question bank →

Frequently asked questions

How many questions are in FCPaed(SA) Part 1?

The examination has two digital papers of 75 single best response MCQs each, 150 in total, with 3 hours per paper and a single combined mark.

Do I need the IMCI course to sit Part 1?

Yes. The regulations require proof of successful completion of the Knowledge Hub online IMCI course, submitted as a Certificate of Achievement with your application.

Is there negative marking?

No. There is no negative marking and no correction for guessing, so you should answer every question.

How long is a Part 1 pass valid?

The current regulations state 72 months from the date of passing or from the start of specialist training, whichever is longer. Confirm the current validity rules with the CMSA.

Can I sit Part 1 and Part 2 together?

Yes, if you meet the entry requirements for both. If you pass Part 1 but fail Part 2 at the same sitting, you keep credit for Part 1; if you fail Part 1, a Part 2 pass at that sitting is not credited.

Exam format details were checked against the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa (accessed October 2026). Regulations, dates and fees change, always confirm the current details on the CMSA website before you sit.