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FCPaeds Part 1FCPaeds Part 1 Guide 2027: Format, Syllabus and How to Pass
The FCPaeds Part 1, officially the FC Paed(SA) Part I, is the first written examination of the Fellowship of the College of Paediatricians of South Africa, run by the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa (CMSA). It consists of two 3-hour papers of 75 single-best-answer MCQs each, testing the applied basic clinical sciences behind paediatrics.
Many doctors know it simply as the "Paeds Primaries" or the FC Paed Part 1. Whatever you call it, it is the exam that turns years of ward paediatrics back into physiology, pathology and pharmacology. This guide sets out the official facts, what the papers cover, how to plan your preparation around a full clinical job, and where a question bank fits in now that past papers are no longer published.
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Try 5 free FCPaeds questions →FC Paed(SA) Part I: key facts
Here is everything the CMSA states about the exam, in one place.
| Official name | FC Paed(SA) Part I (Fellowship of the College of Paediatricians of South Africa) |
|---|---|
| Run by | Colleges of Medicine of South Africa (CMSA) |
| Papers | 2 papers |
| Question format | Single best response (A-type) MCQs |
| Questions | 75 questions per paper (150 total) |
| Duration | 3 hours per paper |
| Fee | R12,950 |
| Eligibility | A qualification to practice medicine, plus proof of completing the Knowledge Hub online IMCI course (Certificate of Achievement) |
| When it's written | CMSA written examinations run in two semesters each year; dates are published in the CMSA written examination timetable (first semester usually February/March, second semester around July/August) |
| Official page | CMSA FC Paed(SA) page |
Last checked: 1 October 2026. Fees, dates and regulations can change, so always confirm on the CMSA page before you register.
What is the FCPaeds Part 1 exam format?
The FC Paed(SA) Part I is two written papers, each with 75 single best response (A-type) multiple-choice questions and a 3-hour time limit.
In an A-type question you read a stem, often a short clinical vignette, and choose the one best answer from the options. Several options may be partly true; the skill being tested is picking the most correct one. That rewards understanding mechanisms over recognising buzzwords.
Three hours for 75 questions gives you about 2.4 minutes per question. That sounds generous until a run of calculation or data-interpretation questions (acid–base, renal function, lung function, biostatistics) slows you down. Pacing is a skill you build by practicing under time, not on the day.
Like all CMSA examinations, the Part I has been written on an online platform since 2021.
What does the FCPaeds Part 1 cover?
The FCPaeds Part 1 covers the applied basic clinical sciences of paediatrics, plus the diagnosis and principles of management of common paediatric conditions.
The CMSA lists these areas:
- Anatomy and embryology
- Physiology and biochemistry
- Pathology and pathophysiology
- Microbiology
- Genetics
- Epidemiology, biostatistics and evidence-based medicine
- Pharmacology
- Diagnosis and principles of management of common paediatric conditions
The word "applied" matters. You are not asked to recite the loop of Henle in isolation; you are asked why a child with that transport defect presents the way they do, or what happens to potassium when you correct their acidosis. Basic science and bedside paediatrics are tested together.
Certiva organises its FCPaeds question bank system by system, so each science is practiced in the clinical context where it is examined. The table below shows how the bank's 450 questions are spread across its 14 sections. It reflects Certiva's bank, not an official CMSA weighting.
| Section | Questions | Example subtopics |
|---|---|---|
| Neonatology | 50 | Surfactant and initiation of respiration, circulatory transition, bilirubin metabolism, neonatal glucose homeostasis |
| Respiratory | 35 | Ventilation–perfusion matching, control of respiration, compliance and resistance, lung-function tests |
| Cardiovascular | 35 | Cardiac cycle, preload and afterload, shock pathophysiology, fetal and transitional circulation |
| Endocrine & Growth | 35 | Hypothalamo-pituitary axis, thyroid and adrenal, puberty, growth and short stature |
| Neurology | 35 | Cranial nerves, cerebrospinal fluid, neurotransmitters, neuromuscular junction |
| Fluids, Nutrition & Metabolism | 35 | Nutrition, acid–base and fluid compartments |
| Gastrointestinal & Hepatology | 30 | Digestion and absorption, enterohormones, liver function, cholestasis |
| Nephrology & Genitourinary | 30 | Renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system, renal acid–base handling, hyponatraemia, sexual differentiation |
| Haematology & Oncology | 30 | Haemoglobin switching, iron regulation, coagulation cascade, haemolytic disease of the newborn |
| Microbiology & virology | 30 | Applied infection and immunity |
| Immunology & Allergy | 28 | Innate and adaptive immunity, immunodeficiency, hypersensitivity and anaphylaxis |
| Genetics & cell biology | 28 | Genetics, with links to metabolic and neonatal medicine |
| Pharmacology & therapeutics | 25 | Paediatric pharmacology and therapeutics |
| Biostatistics & Evidence-Based Medicine | 24 | Statistics, evidence-based paediatrics, clinical research, epidemiology |
You can browse every section and its references on the FCPaeds Part 1 preparation page.
How many questions are in the FCPaeds Part 1?
There are 150 questions in total: 75 single-best-answer MCQs in each of the two papers.
Because each paper is 3 hours long, you will spend about six hours answering questions across the exam. Treat stamina as part of your preparation and sit at least two full-length timed papers before the real thing.
When is the FCPaeds Part 1 written?
The FCPaeds Part 1 is written in the CMSA's twice-yearly written examination sittings, with dates published in the CMSA written examination timetable.
First-semester written papers are usually in February or March, and second-semester papers around July or August. Check the timetable and the official FC Paed(SA) page early and work backwards from your chosen sitting.
Who can write the FCPaeds Part 1?
You need a qualification to practice medicine and proof that you have completed the Knowledge Hub online Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) course, shown by its Certificate of Achievement.
Get the IMCI certificate sorted early: it is easy to forget and you need it to enter. The requirements above are the ones the CMSA lists for Part I; if you are a community service doctor or medical officer planning to write before you hold a registrar post, confirm your eligibility with the CMSA directly. The Fellowship as a whole is the route registrars follow towards specialist registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA).
Are FCPaeds Part 1 past papers available?
No. The CMSA has not published past papers since 2021, when its examinations moved online and questions began to be kept in a secure bank.
The practical alternative is a question bank mapped system by system to the sciences the CMSA lists, with explanations you can check against a reference.
Which textbooks should I use for the FCPaeds Part 1?
The references used in Certiva's bank come from one core text: The Science of Paediatrics: MRCPCH Mastercourse.
It is built around the science behind paediatric practice, which is exactly the angle the Part I takes. The chapters Certiva's explanations point to most often include:
- Perinatal medicine (Ch 10) and Neonatal medicine (Ch 11)
- Respiratory medicine, Cardiology, Neurology
- Diabetes and endocrinology; Growth and puberty
- Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Nephrology and Genital disorders
- Haematology, Oncology, Infection and immunity, Allergy
- Nutrition, Genetics, Metabolic medicine, Pharmacology and therapeutics
- Statistics (Ch 38), Evidence-based paediatrics (Ch 39), Clinical research (Ch 37) and Epidemiology (Ch 2)
Ask your department about any local recommendations too. One well-used book plus active question practice usually beats a shelf of half-read ones.
How should I study for the FCPaeds Part 1?
Study system by system with questions from the first day, give the most time to the largest sections, and keep the final two weeks for timed mocks and targeted revision.
The 12-week plan below follows the weight of each section in Certiva's 450-question bank. It assumes you are working full time, so it pairs one heavy system with a lighter one in the busier weeks.
| Week | Focus | Bank questions |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Neonatology: transition, surfactant, jaundice, glucose, thermoregulation | 50 |
| 2 | Respiratory | 35 |
| 3 | Cardiovascular, including fetal circulation and shock | 35 |
| 4 | Fluids, Nutrition & Metabolism | 35 |
| 5 | Nephrology & Genitourinary, plus Biostatistics & EBM | 54 |
| 6 | Endocrine & Growth | 35 |
| 7 | Neurology | 35 |
| 8 | Gastrointestinal & Hepatology, plus Pharmacology & therapeutics | 55 |
| 9 | Haematology & Oncology, plus Immunology & Allergy | 58 |
| 10 | Microbiology & virology, plus Genetics & cell biology | 58 |
| 11 | Timed mock 1, then revise your weakest subtopics | Mock + review |
| 12 | Timed mock 2, final pass through flagged questions | Mock + review |
Make each question teach you more than one fact
Read the full explanation for every question, whether you got it right or not, and follow the reference when a mechanism is unclear. A right answer reached by a guess is a weak spot in disguise.
Track subtopics, not just a percentage
A respectable overall score can hide a real gap in renal acid–base handling or neonatal bilirubin metabolism. Keep your revision pointed at the subtopics that are actually costing you marks.
Revisit, then rehearse
Come back to missed questions after a few days, not the same evening. In the last fortnight, sit full 75-question papers in three hours to build pacing and stamina.
How Certiva helps
Certiva gives you 450 FCPaeds Part 1 questions across 14 sections, each with an explained answer and a reference to The Science of Paediatrics: MRCPCH Mastercourse.
- Practice by section, so you can follow a system-by-system plan like the one above.
- Explained, referenced answers for every question.
- Smart revision that brings back the questions you need to see again.
- A weakness tracker that shows performance by subtopic.
- Two timed mocks to rehearse the real paper.
- A free 5-question sample so you can judge the questions before you pay.
Exam Passes also include a refund-or-more-time option: if you complete the full question bank and both timed mocks before your sitting and do not pass, you can claim a refund or another access period of the same length. Conditions apply, including claiming within 30 days of your result; read the exam refund conditions before you buy. Compare options on the pricing page or start with the FCPaeds Part 1 question bank.
Two free extras are worth bookmarking while you prepare: the free CV maker for registrar applications, and free ethics CPD courses. Certiva is independent and not affiliated with the CMSA.
Frequently asked questions
What is the FCPaeds Part 1?
The FCPaeds Part 1, officially the FC Paed(SA) Part I, is the first written examination of the Fellowship of the College of Paediatricians of South Africa. It is run by the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa (CMSA) and tests applied basic clinical sciences and the principles of managing common paediatric conditions.
How many questions are in the FC Paed(SA) Part I?
There are 150 single best response (A-type) MCQs: two papers of 75 questions each, with 3 hours allowed per paper.
How much does the FCPaeds Part 1 cost?
The CMSA lists the fee as R12,950 (checked 1 October 2026). Confirm the current fee on the CMSA website before you register.
What do I need to be eligible for the FCPaeds Part 1?
You need a qualification to practice medicine and proof of completing the Knowledge Hub online IMCI course, shown by its Certificate of Achievement.
When is the FCPaeds Part 1 written?
CMSA written examinations run in two semesters each year. First-semester papers are usually in February or March and second-semester papers around July or August. Exact dates are in the CMSA written examination timetable.
Can I get FCPaeds Part 1 past papers?
No. The CMSA has written its examinations online since 2021 and no longer publishes past papers, because questions stay in a secure bank. A question bank organised around the examined sciences is the practical alternative.
Which textbook is best for the FCPaeds Part 1?
The references used in Certiva's bank come from The Science of Paediatrics: MRCPCH Mastercourse, which covers the science behind each paediatric system. Ask your department about any local recommendations too.
How long should I study for the FCPaeds Part 1?
A structured 12-week plan works well alongside a clinical job: ten weeks working through the systems with questions, then two weeks of timed mocks and targeted revision. Start earlier if you have less time each week.
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