The FRACGP exam comprises three exams, or modules, each aimed at testing different aspects of knowledge. The OSCE is the ‘highest order’ exam, in which a candidate ‘shows’ what they can do.
Currently, candidates must pass the AKT before they can attempt the OSCE. This will be changing, so that both the AKT and KFP will need to be passed before the OSCE is attempted.
The Exam is structured around 14 stations with different cases, through which candidates rotate. They are divided into:
These will usually include one Viva, one or two Physical Examination stations and one Indigenous Health Case.
Each station has two examiners. Usually the ‘case’ will be played by one examiner, while the other examiner observes. Both examiners mark the case. There is a standardised marking schedule for each case which helps with the allocation of marks.
Your registrar is about to sit the OSCE exam. As a supervisor, what do you need to know and how can you help her prepare? Interestingly, despite years of supervising, a detailed understanding of the mechanics of the exam can often be fairly opaque to supervisors.
Exam ‘preparation’ is something that doesn’t fit neatly into supervision, which focusses primarily on clinical safety. Helping a registrar with exam preparation can be an overlooked aspect of the supervisor’s role. I can’t help feeling that as supervisors, we could do more, particularly now that there are proposed limits on the number of exam attempts for registrars. The cost and stress associated with failing is considerable.
Now, I must admit that, while I have a strong interest in medical education, I am not an OSCE expert. Fortunately, I am surrounded by a number of very talented and qualified Medical Educators as part of my role in curating the Medcast RACGP Exam Preparation Course. So, in this article, I have tried to distil some of their collective experience and reduce it to an ‘Idiot’s Guide’.
Stephen is a GP Supervisor, Medical Educator, GP academic and Medical Director of Medcast. He has completed a PhD on Virtual Communities of Practice in GP Training.
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