Ready to create a quiz? Use Canvas to test your knowledge with a custom quiz Get started
Legitimate pathways to an updated digital version:
- The "Buzzard" Successor – E-Books: The direct modern replacement for Buzzard is "Surgical MCQs for the MRCS Part A" by Sri G. Thrumurthy, et al. This is available on Amazon Kindle (PDF-like reading) and is genuinely updated to 2024/2025 guidelines.
- University Libraries: Many UK, Irish, and Commonwealth university libraries offer digital access to legacy MCQ texts. Search your library database for "O'Reilly and O'Sullivan MCQ Basic Surgical Sciences."
- Online Question Banks (Best Alternative): Do not rely solely on a static PDF. Platforms like eMRCS, Pastest, PassMedicine, and SurgicalTutor are dynamically updated weekly. They are the functional equivalent of an updated Buzzard, but better because they explain why answers are right or wrong.
- Primary: Complete a commercial question bank (e.g., Pastest) once through, with explanations.
- Secondary: Use Buzzard PDF in the final 2 weeks before the exam.
- Verification rule: For every Buzzard question, do not trust the given answer. Instead:
Each chapter contains hundreds of single-best-answer (SBA) and extended-matching questions (EMQs) mirroring the style of the MRCS Part A.
Current surgical science exams typically cover the following core areas:
Final tips
- Prioritize understanding over rote memorization.
- Use spaced repetition and timed practice.
- Review rationales thoroughly; convert weak points into concise flashcards.
- Simulate exam conditions regularly.
