The pre-anaesthetic assessment: a structure to present in vivas

This page is demonstration content in the clinical-notes format.

A four-part structure

Present the pre-anaesthetic assessment in four parts: the planned procedure and its demands, the patient's history and examination with attention to airway and exercise tolerance, the investigations justified by that history, and the anaesthetic plan with its specific risks discussed.

Why structure wins marks

Examiners mark answers they can follow. A fixed structure prevents both omissions and the common failure of describing investigations without linking them to findings. Practise the structure until it is automatic, then fill it with case-specific detail.