LESSON 9.2: Exam Day, Results & What Comes After
The Two Weeks Before
You will receive your Osler login, exam schedule, and instructions by email. Act immediately:
Log in and complete the device check (camera, microphone, internet, browser)
Complete the platform walkthrough — at least twice. You can do it unlimited times
Watch the mandatory rules and procedures video
Confirm your room booking — private, quiet, undisturbed for the full session
Set up the room: camera at eye level, good lighting facing you, neutral background, no clinical posters visible, stable internet (minimum 10mbps down / 4mbps up)
Test audio quality by video-calling a colleague from the same setup
Place a "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door. Inform the practice team
Prepare: water, snacks, tissues, whiteboard/notepad, permitted comfort items
Exam Day: The Flow
You will be allocated AM (08:45–13:25) or PM (13:20–18:05). You cannot choose. You are notified at least four weeks before.
Arrive 30 minutes early. Set up, silence phone, close unnecessary tabs, breathe
Log in. Complete device check. Invigilator connects for ID check and room inspection
Platform displays your full schedule down to the minute
For each case: 3 minutes reading → 12 minutes consultation → automatic transition
Scheduled break mid-session: stand, stretch, eat, drink, reset. Do not ruminate on previous cases
45 minutes rerun time at the end for any technical issues
If a problem occurs mid-case: use the direct message button to inform the invigilator immediately
You remain under exam conditions until the invigilator confirms you may log out
Managing Exam Anxiety
Before: Do not cram the night before. Eat properly on the morning. Trust your preparation
Between cases: Box breathing — 4 seconds in, 4 hold, 4 out, 4 hold. Two cycles takes 30 seconds and genuinely works
After a bad case: Let it go. Each case is marked by a different examiner who has no idea how you performed on anything else. The 3-minute reading time is your hard reset — use it for the next case and nothing else
Perspective: The standard is a newly qualified GP. Not a consultant. Not perfect. Competent, safe, and patient-centred
Self-talk: "I have prepared well. I know how to consult. I can do this."
⚠ COMMON PITFALL: The biggest performance killer is dwelling on a previous case. If case 4 went badly and you spend the reading time for case 5 replaying it, you have now lost two cases instead of one.
Understanding Your Results
Results arrive approximately 5–6 weeks after the exam via your trainee portfolio:
Total score out of 126
Pass mark for your diet (varies each sitting)
Pass or Fail outcome
Feedback statements for each domain — standardised descriptors explaining your performance patterns
Review your feedback with your trainer or educational supervisor — they can help you interpret it objectively.
If You Need to Resit
Process it first. Take a week. Talk to people you trust. Do not jump straight into revision
Analyse your feedback. Look for specific patterns — not just which domains, but what the underlying issue was. Time management? Missed cues? Weak clinical knowledge? No verbalised reasoning?
Make a targeted plan with your trainer. Focus on 2–3 specific changes, not a total overhaul
Avoid over-correcting. The RCGP warns against this. If your safety netting was weak, do not spend 3 minutes safety netting every case — that will break your time management
Change your preparation method. Something was insufficient last time. If you were not practising under timed conditions, start. If you were not recording yourself, start. If your study group was not giving honest feedback, find a new one
Consider a commercial SCA course — personalised feedback from an experienced examiner can identify issues that self-study cannot
Use SimsBuddy AI to target your weak domains with focused, repeated practice and immediate feedback
Book your resit only when ready. There are 9 diets per year. A well-prepared second attempt beats a premature one
⭐ KEY POINT: First-time pass rates sit between 69% and 77%. Resitters face lower rates — not because the exam is harder, but because the underlying issues are often not fully addressed. The single most important thing is to pass on your first attempt. Invest the time upfront. But if you do need to resit — approach it as a learning opportunity, not a defeat. With the right preparation, most resitters pass next time.