Preparing for the MRCGP Simulated Consultation Assessment can be challenging for a lot of GP trainees. Finding the time to revise, staying motivated and practicing for SCA can feel overwhelming.
If you haven’t been taught the essentials of remote consulting, it can be dauting to navigate phone or video consultations. Every GPST needs to develop their consulting skill in managing challenging and complex cases to succeed their final MRCGP exam.
Roger Neighbour’s Top Tips
Roger Neighbour introduced groundbreaking concepts including safety netting and housekeeping in The Inner Consultation. This book has transformed the way we approach patient care. Safety netting is crucial to manage the degree of uncertainty in general practice.
Effective communication is vitally important in General Practice. It’s the lifeblood that keeps everything running smoothly. It can be difficult to build rapport remotely but it doesn’t stop a clinician from providing compassionate care without seeing a patient. Neighbour believes in treating patients as whole individuals, focusing not just on their medical needs but also on their emotional well-being.
There is a risk GP trainees can be overtaught in the early stage of learning consultation models. When someone first learns to drive a car, it can be overwhelming to think of all the tasks involved. However with exposure, some tasks can be internalised and become second nature. It is vital that GPSTs practice and refine consultation skills early so they can embed good practice for your exam.
In 1969 Matthew Broadwell, introduced 4 stages of learning to acquire a skill. This model applies to consultation skill.
- Unconscious Incompetence: At the beginning of any learning journey, we may not even realise what we don’t know. It’s the stage of blissful ignorance, where skills and knowledge gaps exist but are not recognised. Acknowledging this phase is the first step towards growth.
- Conscious Incompetence: As we delve deeper into our profession, we start to recognise our limitations and the areas where we need improvement. This can be a humbling experience but is crucial for growth. It’s where we consciously acknowledge what we don’t know and become motivated to learn.
- Conscious Competence: With dedicated effort, learning, practice and refinement, we begin to master the skills and knowledge. However, this competence requires conscious focus and effort. You’ve likely experienced this phase when certain tasks that once seemed daunting become second nature through practice and repetition.
- Unconscious Competence: Finally, we reach the stage where our skills and knowledge have become so ingrained that they flow naturally without conscious effort. Imagine the difference between driving a manual and an automaic car. It’s the stage of mastery, where you perform tasks effortlessly and instinctively.
If you are developing your communication and consultation skill for SCA, it is helpful to ask yourself what stage are you currently at. Found this article hepful, you might want to check MRCGP SCA resources we have for you.
How Dr Lawrence passed SCA?
After a failed SCA attempt with a score of 69, Dr Lawrence’s confidence was crushed. Check out how Dr Lawrence conquered SCA after this major setback.
