Good morning (or afternoon/evening/night, depending on where you are in the World!),
I hope you are enjoy the sun and relaxing now that summer is upon us. Saying that, it is also the time that people have started prepping for their CSA coming up in the Autumn, meaning a busy time for candidates (and me!).
A little shout out to my students who passed their medical finals resits - well done :)
It has been great working with both medical students helping them prep for their finals and also with IMGs preparing for their CSA later this year. Such a great mix of talents I have been a part of.
So as it is that time of the year for the IMGS, here are my top 5 tips for OSCE success.
1) Look and feel the part
The best advice I was given by a fellow medic was this. If you feel like a doctor/FY1, then you will most likely give off that vibe to the patient/actor and the examiner. So hold your head up high, don’t be shy, be assertive and look like the doctor who you trained to become. Don’t act or even feel like a medical student. These are professional exams, so act professional. I appreciate that for some of you, it has not been an easy journey to get to where you are, but this exam is a new start where no one knows the journey. So look and feel the part.
2) Be polite to patient/actor
There is nothing more off putting than a rude or abrupt candidate in the exam. Sometimes nerves can get the best of you, and you inadvertently come across as brash, but best you reign that in. Remember the examiner is not only looking at your medical knowledge but also how you come across to the patient. Always put the patient at the centre of the consultation, i.e. ask for consent to do something, make sure the patient is dressed after examining and thank them. It looks professional and respectful (all the labels you want as a doctor).
3) Smile
Inside you may be frowning, sad, anxious, let down, scared…but your face needs to hide all of this. Smile and be polite (see above). A smile can put the patient at ease and also give off an air of confidence but in a nice way. I agree, the smile needs to be well placed (i.e. you wouldn’t smile in a breaking bad news station) but when you first walk into the room and introduce yourself, do it with a smile.
4) Pace yourself
Slow it down to a nice pace, do not rush through the station just to finish on time, but at the expense of being kind and considerate. This is where practice comes into play, as the more stations you do under time pressures, the better you will be at judging how long you have. Do not forget the simple things - a nice intro, a nice smile, polite, thanking patient, picking up on cues, empathy etc because you are too busy looking at the watch.
5) Have humility/admit errors
I get asked this question a lot “what do I do, if I do not know the answer?”. My answer is always simple but effective - admit you don’t know, say you will find out or ask a senior and do not make it up. Having humility shows you are a safe and competent doctor (qualities the examiner is looking for). Stay within your limits, know your limitations and admit error. If you do make a mistake, just say that you got it wrong, no harm. Do not let it mess up the rest of the station or effect your confidence, brush yourself off and continue.
Hoping you found these tips helpful.
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L x