Feedback from examiners has shown up trends in the way candidates perform some tasks and the following information may be useful to you:
Examiners have observed that candidates do not always listen to the patients’ responses. These candidates concentrate on asking a series of questions rather than really listening to what the patient has to say and responding accordingly. They produce set phrases intended to indicate empathy and understanding but do not actually demonstrate these qualities by their responses and behaviour. It is important to help patients to be able to express what they want to say. These comments apply not only to communication stations such as breaking bad news or explaining treatment, but also to other stations with a communication element within them. In history taking, for example, these skills are important in eliciting the information that you need and when you are giving information, in checking understanding.
Examiners have noticed that candidates have particular difficulty with psychiatric stations. Being able to assess suicidal risk, for example, is a very important skill in the UK.
In the practical stations, it is important to consider preparation, technique and the safety of the patient and others. When reflecting on your performance, do not think about your technique alone.
When doing clinical examinations it is important to go through all the steps properly. Examiners have observed that some candidates display evidence of rote learning with no understanding.
In emergency management, examiners have noticed that candidates do not always know the correct protocols. It is necessary not only to be familiar with these to pass these stations but also to know how to perform them effectively.
Of course, you may not have failed these types of stations and I recognise that it must be frustrating for you not to be able to obtain feedback on your own performance. However, without detailed comments from the examiner, which cannot be given in the time available, it is not possible to indicate how you lost marks.
I hope some of the general comments may be of help to you in preparing for any future OSCE exams.
January 2004
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I passed my plab 2 exam today and this is the general feedback I got from GMC on my results page. I thought it would be useful for people appearing for the plab 2 exam - satman
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