Generic Surgical Sciences Examination (GSSE) Syllabus

Curriculum domains

The Generic Surgical Sciences Examination (GSSE) syllabus (RACS Generic Surgical Sciences Examination (GSSE), current syllabus) is organised into 20 curriculum domains. PRIMEX maps every domain below to study topics and learning objectives so you can track coverage as you prepare.

The 20 domains

• Anatomy - Abdomen, Pelvis & Wall — Abdominal wall, peritoneum, hepatobiliary, retroperitoneal and pelvic anatomy.
• Anatomy - Head, Neck & ENT — Cervical triangles, salivary glands, thyroid, parathyroid, airway, parotid.
• Anatomy - Thorax & Mediastinum — Thoracic inlet, mediastinal compartments, lung, oesophagus, diaphragm.
• Anatomy - Limbs & Breast — Axilla, brachial plexus, carpal tunnel, femoral triangle, leg compartments.
• Anatomy - CNS & Developmental — Skull base, SCALP layers, spinal anatomy, embryology of descent.
• Physiology - Cardiovascular — Cardiac electrical activity, pump function, circulatory haemodynamics, perioperative fluid balance · 10 Q.
• Physiology - Respiratory — Pulmonary ventilation, gas exchange, regulation of respiration, pathological conditions · 10 Q.
• Physiology - Gastrointestinal — GI motility, secretion, digestion, absorption, liver physiology · 10 Q.
• Physiology - Urinary Tract — Fluid homeostasis, renal anatomy, electrolyte balance, acid-base, renal impairment · 10 Q.
• Physiology - Endocrine — Endocrine regulation, hormone physiology, pathophysiological conditions · 5 Q.
• Physiology - Metabolism & Nutrition — Energy metabolism, thermoregulation, metabolic response to injury, nutritional support · 5 Q.
• Physiology - Neurophysiology — Nerve conduction, neuromuscular junction, autonomic NS, blood-brain barrier, ICP · 5 Q.
• Physiology - Blood — Haemopoiesis, haemostasis, coagulation disorders, blood transfusion · 5 Q.
• Pathology - General Pathological Phenomena — Cell injury, adaptation, tissue response to injury, shock, sepsis, DIC.
• Pathology - Neoplasia — Tumour origin, carcinogenesis, invasion/metastasis, pathological diagnosis.
• Pathology - Immunology — Innate/adaptive immunity, MHC, hypersensitivity, transplantation, diagnostic immunology.
• Pathology - Microbiology & Antibiotics — Body flora, pathogenesis of infection, surgically relevant infections, antimicrobials, sterilisation.
• Pathology - Genetics & Molecular Biology — DNA/RNA, cell cycle, genetic abnormalities, Mendelian genetics, cytogenetics.
• Pathology - Pharmacology & Therapeutics — Drug groups by system, pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic principles.
• Pathology - General Pathology — General mechanisms underlying disease, laboratory medicine.

How PRIMEX maps to the syllabus

• Every domain above is mapped to PRIMEX study topics, so the curriculum tracker shows coverage domain by domain.
• Question banks, AI-graded SAQ practice and viva or OSCE simulation draw from these same mapped domains.
• Spaced-repetition scheduling and progress analytics surface the domains where your coverage is thinnest.

Frequently asked questions