RANZCOG MCQ vs SAQ Exams: What’s the Difference and How to Prepare for Both

If you're on the journey to FRANZCOG, you’ll need to tackle two major written exams: the RANZCOG MCQ (Multiple Choice Questions) and the SAQ (Short Answer Questions).

Both are critical hurdles - and both test different but complementary aspects of your clinical knowledge and reasoning.

According to A/Prof George Eskander, PassGP Chief Examiner and former senior hospital executive:

“The MCQ tests your knowledge precision, while the SAQ tests your clinical prioritisation. Most candidates need separate strategies for each.”

Let’s explore the key differences - and how to prepare effectively for both.

 What Is the RANZCOG MCQ Exam?

• 100 single-best-answer questions
• 3 hours, computer-based
• Tests factual knowledge, applied reasoning, and recognition of clinical patterns

Topics include:

• Antenatal and intrapartum care
• Gynaecological conditions
• Reproductive endocrinology
• Neonatal care
• Oncology
• Pharmacology and statistics

You must demonstrate:

• Familiarity with Australian guidelines (e.g., PSANZ, Therapeutic Guidelines)
• Recognition of normal vs abnormal
• First-line management

What Is the RANZCOG SAQ Exam?

• 10–12 short-answer clinical cases
• Each question has several parts (e.g., diagnosis, investigations, management)
• 3 hours, handwritten or typed depending on exam delivery
• Focuses on clinical application and decision-making

Cases may include:

• Labour ward emergencies (e.g. breech, fetal bradycardia)
• Counselling after pregnancy loss
• Management of postmenopausal bleeding
• Infertility investigations

You must demonstrate:

• Prioritisation (What is safest? Most urgent?)
• Concise, guideline-based decisions
• Understanding of why you’re doing something

MCQ vs SAQ: Key Differences

How to Prepare for Each

For MCQ:

• Use question banks with up-to-date references
• Review Therapeutic Guidelines, RANZCOG College Statements, and local protocols
• Practise timed quizzes with detailed review of errors

 For SAQ:

• Write under exam conditions
• Learn to structure answers clearly:
  e.g. “Likely diagnosis → Key investigations → Immediate management → Follow-up”
• Focus on clarity, not completeness

 What Both Exams Require

• Alignment with Australian standards and AHPRA expectations
• Cultural safety and ethical awareness
• Safe, structured, and concise thinking
• Practise, feedback, and time management

How PassGP Prepares You for Both

PassGP offers a dedicated RANZCOG Exam Bank for MCQ and SAQ:

• 1000+ exam-style MCQs with references to guidelines
• Dozens of SAQ-style written cases with model answers
• Timed mocks and explanation videos
• Focus on exam technique and not just content

Designed and reviewed by O&G educators and A/Prof Eskander, our cases mirror the real depth and difficulty of RANZCOG exams.

 Access the full RANZCOG question bank now at PassGP.au and walk into your exams prepared.