9 Final Tips to Excel At The OSCE, CCE & STAMPS Clinical Exams

It is easy to overcomplicate what to do in the clinical exams, but it does't need to be hard. Often basic is best. With this in mind, here are 9 basic but fundamental tips to ensure excellence at the clinical exams:

1. Structure, structure, structure - if you are recurrently failing yet are a good doctor clinically, chances are you have the wrong structure.

2. Use open questions with minimal closed questions - eg “how have you been otherwise? Tell me about your past medical history" is much better than “Have you had chest pain? Have you had shortness of breath?”

3. Follow the cues - the role players are given clues to help you. If you can find them they help you

4. Never forget psychosocial history. It is always relevant in every single station. 

5. Never try a counselling station without taking a little history. You cannot counsel someone on their results if you do not know their context, their story and what has happened to them to get them to this point.

6. For examination questions, focus on the system in front of you and not the strange rare things that people sometimes get obsessed with. Eg for nappy rash you do not need to examine for cervical lympadenopathy! 

7. Start your management with this single question: “What do you know so far?” - you’ll be surprised at how much they already know, and this may save you a fair amount of time in reducing the need for detailed explanation.

8. Don’t forget to safety net each consultation.

9. Stick to time! All parts of the station are weighted, so if you do not complete a part of it you cannot by default be awarded marks for it.