Stage 3 - Assessments and FAQ's

What Will the 2009 Stage 3 Assessments Involve?

Having successfully achieved the standard required at the first assessment you will be invited to a Selection Assessment Centre, (SAC) usually at your first choice Deanery although this will be dependant on the availability of places.

Each UK SAC will involve candidates completing 3 exercises, which are observed and assessed by trained assessors. The exercises will consist of a patient simulation exercise, a group exercise and a written exercise. There are no interviews and assessors do not have access to your CV.

Patient Simulation Excercise

This will involve a simulator and a situation, which you should be able to deal with as a doctor with at least 18 months postgraduate experience. It will not involve a physical examination and clinical expertise is not specifically assessed. Please refer back to the National Person Specification to consider how this exercise may relate to the competencies required.

Written Excercise

You will have to complete an exercise in which there are no absolutely correct answers. Again we expect you to demonstrate your abilities against the competency areas identified in the Person Specification and this should be your reference.

Group Excercise

You will be randomly allocated to a group to carry out an exercise which will involve a group discussion; this will obviously involve interaction with colleagues and candidates going through the same selection process for a GP Specialty Training programme. The group dynamics will not be assessed. The Person Specification will again be the reference for assessment in this exercise.

All exercises will have specific and individual written instructions, with advice to spend time reading and being familiar with the requirements of the exercise. The group and written exercises also include time at the end of each exercise to reflect on your performance.

There will be a briefing session at the start of your SAC session and an opportunity for questions at the end of it; this is NOT a feedback session. Feedback on your performance will be given later and will be after the offers have been made.

How can I Prepare for the Stage 3 Assessments?

We strongly recommend that candidates practice simulated consultations and Group exercises with partners or friends. It is sometimes good to use non-medical people to practice with as in the assessment centres you will be faced with actors who may not understand medical jargon.

The written exercises are very similar to the Professional Dilemmas in your Stage 2. This time you will be asked to justify your answers and reasons in written format.

There is a very high correlation between candidates who have attended courses and their GP Training selection rates. We are confident that we can greatly enhance your chances of selection if you attend one of our One Day Courses. We will provide you with relevant up to date information, at the same time improving your confidence and communication skills.

Read some of the positive feedback we have obtained from previous course candidates on our course bookings page. Better still, BOOK NOW while places are available and maximize your chance of success in 2009.

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