Free study materials & OSCE guides

Examiners mark against a structured mark scheme. Begin with a clear introduction, set an agenda, and close with a safety-net. Never skip the structure, even under time pressure.

Most MRCPI OSCE stations are 8 minutes. Practice under timed conditions from day one. Candidates who run over time lose marks — it is treated as a professional competency, not just logistics.

Read the candidate brief carefully. The examiner brief tells you exactly what the examiner will be assessing. Identify the key tasks before you start the station.

Safety-netting, red flags, escalation, and safeguarding are explicit mark-scheme points in most stations. Never omit a safety statement, even in a communication station.

Examiners assess whether you acknowledge emotion and respond appropriately. Use ICE (Ideas, Concerns, Expectations), check understanding, and reflect feelings without being overly emotive.

State what you know, acknowledge uncertainty appropriately, and avoid premature closure. Showing structured clinical reasoning is often more important than the final diagnosis.