OSCE Preparation Blog
Expert tips, study guides, and exam strategies from NHS doctors who've been through it. Practical advice to help you pass.
AI OSCE Practice: How Voice Patients Improve Results
Finding study partners and feedback is the hardest part of OSCE prep. Here is how AI voice patients give you realistic on-demand role-play and instant, structured feedback.
OSCE History-Taking Framework: The Calgary-Cambridge Model
A reliable history-taking framework keeps you focused, structured and patient-centred under pressure. Here is the Calgary-Cambridge model adapted for OSCE stations.
OSCE Communication Skills Masterclass
Communication is the domain most candidates underestimate and the one that most often decides a pass. Here is a masterclass in the OSCE communication skills that score.
NAC OSCE Preparation: Study Plan and High-Yield Stations
How to structure your NAC OSCE preparation and which station types to prioritise, with Canadian-context management, applied practice and timed mocks built in.
NAC OSCE Canadian Guidelines: What to Study
NAC OSCE management is judged against Canadian standards. Here is why the Canadian context matters and which Canadian sources to build your management knowledge from.
NAC OSCE Structure: From Greeting to Safety-Net
A reliable encounter structure is what keeps you calm and complete in an 11-minute station. Here is a step-by-step NAC OSCE structure from greeting to safety-net.
NAC OSCE Explained: Format, Stations and Scoring
The NAC OSCE assesses readiness for Canadian residency. Here is the station format, timing, the competencies examiners score, and what to expect.
AMC vs PLAB 2: Key Differences for IMGs
Deciding between Australia and the UK? Here is how the AMC Clinical Exam and PLAB 2 compare on format, guidelines, cost and pathway, so you can choose with clear eyes.
AMC Clinical Role Play: Practising Out Loud to Pass
The AMC Clinical Exam is structured conversation, not a written test. Here is why role-play practice is essential and how to run it effectively, even without a partner.
AMC Clinical Study Plan (3 and 6 Months)
How to structure your AMC Clinical preparation over 3 or 6 months, with the Australian context, applied role-play practice and timed mocks built in.
Studying AMC Australian Guidelines in Context
The most common reason capable IMGs struggle with the AMC is studying without the Australian context. Here is how to fix that, and which Australian sources to use.
AMC Clinical Exam Explained: Format, Stations and Pass Mark
The AMC Clinical Exam is an OSCE for the Standard Pathway. Here is the station format, timing, how scoring and the pass mark work, and what to expect.
CPSA Preparation Placements: Your Best Practice
Your placements can be the best CPSA preparation you have, if you use them deliberately. Here is how to turn ward time into exam-ready skills.
UKMLA CPSA Study Plan for Final-Year Students
Final year is busy. Here is a realistic CPSA study plan that fits around placements and finals, prioritising the applied skills that actually score.
CPSA Stations: Types and How to Approach Each One
The CPSA samples across very different station types. Here is what each one tests and a practical strategy to approach history, examination, communication, procedures and more.
How to Use the GMC MLA Content Map to Revise
The GMC MLA Content Map is the blueprint for the whole UKMLA. Here is how to turn it into a prioritised, high-yield revision plan instead of an overwhelming list.
UKMLA CPSA Explained: Format, Stations and What to Expect
The CPSA is the clinical half of the UKMLA. Here is what it is, how it relates to the AKT, who runs it, and what the OSCE format means for your revision.
PLAB 2 Mock Exam: How to Simulate the Real Circuit
A good mock exam is the closest thing to the real PLAB 2. Here is how to simulate the full 18-station circuit and turn your results into a focused revision plan.
Breaking Bad News OSCE SPIKES: A Station Walkthrough
Breaking bad news stations test composure and empathy more than knowledge. Here is how to use the SPIKES protocol to deliver difficult news well under exam pressure.
PLAB 2 Common Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)
Most PLAB 2 failures come from a short list of avoidable mistakes, not knowledge gaps. Here is what they are, by domain, and how to fix each one.
PLAB 2 Study Plan: 4, 8 and 12-Week Schedules
How long you need depends on your starting point, not on how much medicine you know. Here are three realistic PLAB 2 study schedules and how to use them.
Adapting to the UK Consultation Style PLAB 2 Expects
Many IMGs lose PLAB 2 marks not on medicine but on consultation style. Here is how UK / NHS consultations differ and how to adapt your approach.
Safety-Netting OSCE Stations: Phrases That Score
Safety-netting is quick, high-yield, and routinely forgotten under pressure. Here is exactly what to say to score the management and interpersonal marks.
ICE Framework OSCE: Ideas, Concerns and Expectations Without Sounding Robotic
Asking about ideas, concerns and expectations as a tick-box scores poorly. Here is how to weave ICE into an OSCE consultation so it sounds like a real conversation.
PLAB 2 Time Management: The 8-Minute Station Structure
Running out of time is one of the most common reasons candidates fail the management domain. Here is a minute-by-minute structure for the 8-minute PLAB 2 station.
The 3 PLAB 2 Marking Domains, Explained
PLAB 2 is scored across three domains in every clinical station. Here is what each domain rewards, how the pass mark is set, and how to target your practice.
How to Pass PLAB 2 on Your First Attempt
PLAB 2 rewards a safe, structured, human consultation more than raw knowledge. Here is exactly what the exam tests, why candidates fail, and how to prepare to pass on your first attempt.