Here is the complete breakdown of what happens on exam day:
- 12 simulated consultations in a single session lasting approximately 3 hours
- 12 minutes per consultation + 3 minutes reading time between each case
- Conducted remotely via the Osler examination platform from a GP surgery (usually your own)
- Most cases are video consultations; some are audio-only (telephone)
- Role-players are professional actors — trained, calibrated, and standardised
- Cases may involve patients directly, or carers, parents, relatives, or other healthcare professionals
- No physical examination is required — this is assessed through WPBA instead
- The exam is recorded and marked by examiners afterwards — each of your 12 cases is independently marked by a different examiner
- You cannot bring pre-prepared notes, electronic devices, or clinical reference materials into the consultation room. You are permitted a whiteboard or notepad to write notes during the consultation, along with comfort aids such as water, snacks, tissues, medications, and medical devices (e.g., hearing aids, inhalers). All items may be visually inspected by your invigilator
- The BNF is no longer available during the exam. Paper BNF access was removed from September 2024 after free provision of the printed BNF was discontinued. The RCGP has confirmed that no SCA cases are written to require BNF access — prescribing is never the central focus of a case. Your AKT knowledge and workplace experience should be sufficient
- You will be allocated to either a morning (08:45–13:25) or afternoon (13:20–18:05) session. You cannot select your exam day or session. 45 minutes of rerun time is built into each session in case of technical issues
- The exam platform runs through Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge only. You must use the same device and location as your pre-exam device check
| ⚠ COMMON PITFALL: Many candidates assume the BNF is still available — it is not, and has not been since September 2024. However, do not panic about prescribing. The RCGP is clear: cases are designed to test consultation skills, not your ability to look up medications. Know the basics — first-line drugs, common doses, key side effects, and important contraindications for the 30–40 most common GP prescribing scenarios — and you will be fine. |