# Practising for General Practice (MRCGP Simulated Consultation Assessment) with MedMock

Canonical page: https://medmock.com/exams/general-practice-mrcgp-simulated-consultation-assessment

## What is the MRCGP SCA, and how do you practise for it?

The RCGP Simulated Consultation Assessment (SCA) for GP specialty trainees: 12 consultations of 12 minutes each, with 3 minutes' reading time before every case, sat remotely from a GP surgery. Most cases are on video and some are audio-only; you may speak to the patient, a parent or carer, or another health or social care professional. No physical examination is assessed. Each case is marked on Data gathering and diagnosis, Clinical management and medical complexity (weighted more heavily), and Relating to others. On MedMock, six of the twelve consultations are themed and six are not, so each is described below; a Full Mock deals all twelve into a fresh order every sitting, so no slot has a known topic. MedMock lets you practise it out loud against an AI patient, with examiner-style feedback on any consultation you finish.

A complete example station — full transcript and the scorecard MedMock produced — is at https://medmock.com/exams/general-practice-mrcgp-simulated-consultation-assessment/example

## What happens in the real MRCGP SCA (checked against the official source on 2026-09-24)

The Simulated Consultation Assessment (SCA) is 12 consultations with trained role-players, each lasting 12 minutes after 3 minutes of reading time, sat online from a local GP surgery. Some cases are video consultations and some are telephone (audio only), with a 10-minute break after the first six. Each case is recorded and marked later by a different examiner in three domains, and the result depends on the aggregated mark across all 12 cases.

- **Simulated consultations 1-12 (each)** (12 minutes): For each case you have 3 minutes to read the candidate brief, then a 12-minute video or telephone consultation with a role-player playing a patient, a carer or parent, or another health or social care worker. There is a 10-minute break after the sixth consultation, and physical examination is not assessed.

Marking: Each case is marked by a different examiner (12 in all) after the exam day, and each examiner marks the same case throughout the exam. Each case is marked in three domains - data gathering and diagnosis, clinical management and medical complexity, and relating to others - each graded clear pass, pass, fail or clear fail against the standard of a newly qualified, independent GP; the clinical management and medical complexity domain is weighted more heavily than the other two. Overall marks are reported out of 126.

Passing: The result is based on the aggregated mark for the 12 cases, and candidates do not have to pass a certain number of stations. Examiners also judge overall performance in each case, and this is used to set each case's pass mark by borderline regression, so there is no fixed pass mark for each case.

Sources: https://www.rcgp.org.uk/mrcgp-exams/simulated-consultation-assessment https://www.rcgp.org.uk/mrcgp-exams/simulated-consultation-assessment/introduction https://www.rcgp.org.uk/getmedia/7f8211e5-331c-4847-86f9-856caab78516/Examination-Day-Guide.pdf https://www.rcgp.org.uk/mrcgp-exams/simulated-consultation-assessment/marking-and-results https://www.rcgp.org.uk/mrcgp-exams/regulations-exam-marking-results https://www.rcgp.org.uk/mrcgp-exams/simulated-consultation-assessment/applying
Full format page: https://medmock.com/exams/general-practice-mrcgp-simulated-consultation-assessment/format

## How to prepare for the MRCGP SCA (facts checked against official sources on 2026-09-27)

The SCA is twelve recorded 12-minute video or telephone consultations with trained role-players, each marked later by a different examiner on data gathering and diagnosis, clinical management and medical complexity, and relating to others. Prepare by consulting under exam conditions, reviewing recordings with your trainer against the RCGP's descriptors and feedback statements, and practising across every group in the RCGP's case blueprint rather than a few favourite topics.

1. **Agree your timing with your trainer** — You can sit from ST3, but the RCGP stresses taking the exam only when you are ready and discussing the timing with your GP trainer or educational supervisor before you book. You can book up to 12 months ahead and change or cancel free of charge until the final booking deadline.
2. **Learn the standard you are marked against** — Each domain is graded against a newly qualified, independent GP, and clinical management and medical complexity is the weighted domain. Read the standard descriptors examiners use and the feedback statements they can attach to each case. The RCGP stresses that the descriptors are not a tick box, and that there is no preferred consultation model or script to follow.
3. **Cover the whole case blueprint** — The twelve cases come from a bank of hundreds mapped to the GP curriculum and cannot be predicted. The RCGP's blueprint spreads them across groups from patients under 19, older adults and people at the end of life to urgent care, prescribing, results and professional dilemmas, and says to prepare equally for all of them. Some briefs will not reveal the purpose of the consultation, so practise finding it from the patient.
4. **Practise telephone and video consultations** — Most cases are on video, but in telephone cases you hear the role-player without seeing them. Physical examination is not assessed, so practise gathering what you need by questioning and deciding when someone needs to be seen in person. You may consult a patient, a parent or carer, or another health or social care worker; if a role-player does not match the case notes, work from the notes.
5. **Record consultations and rate them with the toolkit** — The RCGP hosts an SCA consultation toolkit written by two RCGP examiners. Rate your recorded consultations red, amber or green with its self-assessment tool, ask your trainer to rate the same ones, and work on the red areas first. The toolkit warns that if you find several weak areas you must allow enough time to improve before you sit.
6. **Plan management without the BNF** — Since September 2024 you cannot open the BNF during the SCA. The descriptors expect you to apply local or national guidelines, prescribe safely, refer when required and arrange safe follow-up, so practise explaining and agreeing plans for common conditions without looking anything up.
7. **Set up your surgery early** — You sit in a GP surgery, usually your own, and never from outside the UK. Do the device check on the same computer and in the same room you will use, and cover or remove clinical guidance and posters. Notes go on the platform or a blank whiteboard: paper is not allowed.

Official resources:

- Preparing for the SCA (https://www.rcgp.org.uk/mrcgp-exams/simulated-consultation-assessment/preparing): The RCGP's preparation page: case content, the case blueprint, role-players, webinars and the toolkit.
- SCA consultation toolkit (https://www.rcgp.org.uk/mrcgp-exams/simulated-consultation-assessment/toolkit): A consultation overview and red-amber-green self-rating tool by RCGP examiners, to use with your trainer on recorded consultations.
- Marking and results for the SCA (https://www.rcgp.org.uk/mrcgp-exams/simulated-consultation-assessment/marking-and-results): The domains, the descriptors examiners mark against, how case pass marks are set, and resit advice.
- Feedback statements for the SCA (https://www.rcgp.org.uk/mrcgp-exams/simulated-consultation-assessment/feedback-statements): Every feedback statement examiners can give, by domain: a checklist for reviewing your own consultations.
- RCGP SCA preparation webinars for ST2s and ST3s (https://www.rcgp.org.uk/mrcgp-exams/simulated-consultation-assessment/st2-st3-preparation-webinars): Free two-part webinars with MRCGP examiners for ST2 and ST3 RCGP members, to attend at least three months before you sit.
- Candidate Surgery Guide for the SCA (https://www.rcgp.org.uk/mrcgp-exams/simulated-consultation-assessment/candidate-surgery-guide): Setting up your room and IT, what may be on your desk, and the connection check and platform walkthrough.
- GP curriculum (https://www.rcgp.org.uk/mrcgp-exams/gp-curriculum): The curriculum and topic guides that every SCA case is mapped to.

Common mistakes examiners report:

- Leaving management thin. The RCGP's 2024-25 annual report notes that candidates tend to score fewer marks in clinical management and medical complexity, the weighted domain, than in the other two. (source: https://www.rcgp.org.uk/getmedia/8d72c4c8-042f-46fd-9a59-15fc67d25c4f/Annual-Report-2024-25-Final.pdf)
- Over-correcting after feedback. The RCGP warns that over-emphasising one area, such as safety-netting, can look formulaic or take up too much time in consultations that do not need it. (source: https://www.rcgp.org.uk/mrcgp-exams/simulated-consultation-assessment/feedback-statements)
- Skipping the device check. If you have not completed it and then have technical problems caused by your IT set-up, the RCGP will not treat that as grounds for mitigation. (source: https://www.rcgp.org.uk/mrcgp-exams/simulated-consultation-assessment/sitting)

Sources: https://www.rcgp.org.uk/mrcgp-exams/simulated-consultation-assessment/introduction https://www.rcgp.org.uk/getmedia/7f8211e5-331c-4847-86f9-856caab78516/Examination-Day-Guide.pdf https://www.rcgp.org.uk/mrcgp-exams/simulated-consultation-assessment/marking-and-results https://www.rcgp.org.uk/mrcgp-exams/simulated-consultation-assessment/applying https://www.rcgp.org.uk/mrcgp-exams/simulated-consultation-assessment/preparing https://www.rcgp.org.uk/mrcgp-exams/simulated-consultation-assessment/toolkit https://www.rcgp.org.uk/mrcgp-exams/simulated-consultation-assessment/candidate-surgery-guide https://www.rcgp.org.uk/mrcgp-exams/regulations-exam-applications https://www.rcgp.org.uk/mrcgp-exams/simulated-consultation-assessment/sitting https://www.rcgp.org.uk/mrcgp-exams/simulated-consultation-assessment/st2-st3-preparation-webinars https://www.rcgp.org.uk/mrcgp-exams/gp-curriculum https://www.rcgp.org.uk/getmedia/8d72c4c8-042f-46fd-9a59-15fc67d25c4f/Annual-Report-2024-25-Final.pdf https://www.rcgp.org.uk/mrcgp-exams/simulated-consultation-assessment/feedback-statements
Full guide: https://medmock.com/exams/general-practice-mrcgp-simulated-consultation-assessment/prepare

Upcoming sittings: 12-15 Jan 2027; 9-12 Feb 2027; 9-12 Mar 2027 (source: RCGP, checked 2026-09-23).
All MRCGP SCA dates: https://medmock.com/exams/general-practice-mrcgp-simulated-consultation-assessment#dates

## Stations you can practise

- **Consultation 1 of 12 (simulated)** — Consultation 1 of 12. A simulated consultation sampled from across the RCGP curriculum. This consultation is not themed, so you are not told the topic in advance, exactly as on the day. Three minutes with the candidate brief, then twelve minutes with the role-player, who may be a patient, a parent or carer, or a professional colleague. The real exam is sat remotely with a trained role-player, most cases on video and some audio-only; on MedMock the role-player is an AI you speak to or type to, and there is no video.
- **Consultation 2 of 12 (simulated)** — Consultation 2 of 12. A simulated consultation sampled from across the RCGP curriculum. This consultation is not themed, so you are not told the topic in advance, exactly as on the day. Three minutes with the candidate brief, then twelve minutes with the role-player, who may be a patient, a parent or carer, or a professional colleague. The real exam is sat remotely with a trained role-player, most cases on video and some audio-only; on MedMock the role-player is an AI you speak to or type to, and there is no video.
- **Consultation 3 of 12 (simulated)** — Consultation 3 of 12. A simulated consultation sampled from across the RCGP curriculum. This consultation is not themed, so you are not told the topic in advance, exactly as on the day. Three minutes with the candidate brief, then twelve minutes with the role-player, who may be a patient, a parent or carer, or a professional colleague. The real exam is sat remotely with a trained role-player, most cases on video and some audio-only; on MedMock the role-player is an AI you speak to or type to, and there is no video.
- **Consultation 4 of 12 (simulated)** — Consultation 4 of 12. A simulated consultation on a long-term condition: type 2 diabetes, hypertension, asthma and COPD are the cases you meet most often here. Unlike the real exam, you know the broad area before you start. Three minutes with the candidate brief, then twelve minutes with the role-player, who may be a patient, a parent or carer, or a professional colleague. The real exam is sat remotely with a trained role-player, most cases on video and some audio-only; on MedMock the role-player is an AI you speak to or type to, and there is no video.
- **Consultation 5 of 12 (simulated)** — Consultation 5 of 12. A simulated mental-health consultation: depression, eating disorders, generalised anxiety, panic disorder and OCD are the cases you meet most often here. Unlike the real exam, you know the broad area before you start. Three minutes with the candidate brief, then twelve minutes with the role-player, who may be a patient, a parent or carer, or a professional colleague. The real exam is sat remotely with a trained role-player, most cases on video and some audio-only; on MedMock the role-player is an AI you speak to or type to, and there is no video.
- **Consultation 6 of 12 (simulated)** — Consultation 6 of 12. A simulated paediatric consultation — the patient is a child or young person: atopic eczema, ADHD, autism, croup and childhood urinary infection are the cases you meet most often here. Unlike the real exam, you know the broad area before you start. Three minutes with the candidate brief, then twelve minutes with the role-player, who is the child's parent or carer, or a professional colleague raising a concern about them — MedMock never voices a child. The real exam is sat remotely with a trained role-player, most cases on video and some audio-only; on MedMock the role-player is an AI you speak to or type to, and there is no video.
- **Consultation 7 of 12 (simulated)** — Consultation 7 of 12. A simulated consultation in women's and reproductive health: menopause, heavy menstrual bleeding, amenorrhoea and gynaecological cancer are the cases you meet most often here. Unlike the real exam, you know the broad area before you start. Three minutes with the candidate brief, then twelve minutes with the role-player, who may be a patient, a parent or carer, or a professional colleague. The real exam is sat remotely with a trained role-player, most cases on video and some audio-only; on MedMock the role-player is an AI you speak to or type to, and there is no video.
- **Consultation 8 of 12 (simulated)** — Consultation 8 of 12. A simulated consultation with an older adult: dementia, osteoarthritis, chronic kidney disease, osteoporosis and Parkinson's disease are the cases you meet most often here. Unlike the real exam, you know the broad area before you start. Three minutes with the candidate brief, then twelve minutes with the role-player, who may be a patient, a parent or carer, or a professional colleague. The real exam is sat remotely with a trained role-player, most cases on video and some audio-only; on MedMock the role-player is an AI you speak to or type to, and there is no video.
- **Consultation 9 of 12 (simulated)** — Consultation 9 of 12. A simulated consultation sampled from across the RCGP curriculum. This consultation is not themed, so you are not told the topic in advance, exactly as on the day. Three minutes with the candidate brief, then twelve minutes with the role-player, who may be a patient, a parent or carer, or a professional colleague. The real exam is sat remotely with a trained role-player, most cases on video and some audio-only; on MedMock the role-player is an AI you speak to or type to, and there is no video.
- **Consultation 10 of 12 (simulated)** — Consultation 10 of 12. A simulated consultation about cancer or end-of-life care: lung, breast, ovarian and colorectal cancer, advanced dementia and end-stage heart failure are the cases you meet most often here. Unlike the real exam, you know the broad area before you start. This consultation is themed tightly on cancer and end-of-life care. Three minutes with the candidate brief, then twelve minutes with the role-player, who may be a patient, a parent or carer, or a professional colleague. The real exam is sat remotely with a trained role-player, most cases on video and some audio-only; on MedMock the role-player is an AI you speak to or type to, and there is no video.
- **Consultation 11 of 12 (simulated)** — Consultation 11 of 12. A simulated consultation sampled from across the RCGP curriculum. This consultation is not themed, so you are not told the topic in advance, exactly as on the day. Three minutes with the candidate brief, then twelve minutes with the role-player, who may be a patient, a parent or carer, or a professional colleague. The real exam is sat remotely with a trained role-player, most cases on video and some audio-only; on MedMock the role-player is an AI you speak to or type to, and there is no video.
- **Consultation 12 of 12 (simulated)** — Consultation 12 of 12. A simulated consultation sampled from across the RCGP curriculum. This consultation is not themed, so you are not told the topic in advance, exactly as on the day. Three minutes with the candidate brief, then twelve minutes with the role-player, who may be a patient, a parent or carer, or a professional colleague. The real exam is sat remotely with a trained role-player, most cases on video and some audio-only; on MedMock the role-player is an AI you speak to or type to, and there is no video.

## Sample MRCGP SCA questions

- *Consultation 2 of 12 (simulated):* A 79-year-old man with advanced lung cancer wants to discuss his wishes regarding resuscitation. He is currently stable but wishes to document his decision to refuse cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Conduct a ReSPECT discussion.
- *Consultation 2 of 12 (simulated):* A 22-year-old has vaginal discharge and pelvic discomfort after a new sexual partner. Conduct a focused consultation and agree a safe management plan.

## Example scenarios

- *Consultation 1 of 12 (simulated):* Hannah Price, 28, female. Consultation type: video. Six weeks postnatal after a caesarean section; no previous mental health history; last entry: postnatal check booked.
- *Consultation 2 of 12 (simulated):* Leo Adeyemi, 4, male. Calling: his mother, Grace Adeyemi. Consultation type: telephone consultation. Immunisations up to date; no regular medication.

## How a practice session works

1. **Choose a consultation** — Pick from the MRCGP SCA consultations — all 12 that MedMock runs, or let MedMock surprise you the way exam day will.
2. **Have the conversation** — Speak naturally, out loud. The AI patient responds in real time — with emotions, cues and unexpected turns, just like a real encounter.
3. **Get instant feedback** — The moment you finish, you get specific, examiner-style feedback and a score — what you did well, what cost you marks, and precisely what to fix before the next attempt.

## Price

Start with a one-off £5 taster: 30 credits (30 minutes of speaking practice), not a subscription. After that, or instead, £69 per month for 350 credits. One credit is one minute of spoken practice, or two typed exchanges, and where the examiner or patient speaks first, that opening line is free. Examiner scorecards, mark schemes and model answers for finished sessions are included at no extra credit cost. Cancel at any time. Full details: https://medmock.com/pricing

## Frequently asked questions

### How does the feedback work?

When you finish a consultation you can have it marked, and the scorecard comes back in seconds — what you did well, what cost you marks, and exactly what to work on next. Scorecards, mark schemes and model answers are included at no extra credit cost.

### Can I practise specific MRCGP SCA consultations?

Yes. You can pick any of the 12 consultations to drill a weak area, or run a mixed set to simulate the real exam.

### How much does it cost?

You can start with a one-off £5 taster: 30 credits, which is 30 minutes of speaking practice, with no subscription. After that, or at any time, you can choose a monthly plan, which includes a monthly credit allowance. Current prices are on the pricing page.

## About MedMock

MedMock is a web app for practising the spoken parts of UK medical and dental exams and interviews out loud. The candidate talks; an AI patient, examiner or interview panel answers in real time by voice; and when the station ends MedMock marks the performance against that exam's assessment domains and shows the model answer.

It covers 104 spoken exams and interviews — OSCEs, vivas, structured oral exams, simulated consultations, and specialty-training and consultant interviews. It does not cover written or multiple-choice papers, and it is not a question bank.

It was founded by Mr Sam Nahas, MBBS BSc MEd FRCS (Tr & Orth), a practising consultant orthopaedic surgeon in the UK, with co-founder and CTO Arjan Jandu. It is operated by VirtualPatients Ltd (company no. 16303492).

Pricing: a one-off £5 taster of 30 credits to try it (not a subscription, one per account), and a monthly subscription from £20 to £129 depending on the exam (student exams cost least, fellowship exit exams and consultant interviews most), or £199 to £275 for the Intensive plans, which carry more credits. One credit is one minute of spoken practice, or two typed exchanges, and where the examiner or patient speaks first, that opening line is free. Examiner scorecards, mark schemes and model answers for finished sessions are included at no extra credit cost. Subscriptions can be cancelled at any time.

It runs in a web browser on a laptop or phone; spoken practice needs a microphone. There is no public demo: practice needs an account with credits, usually from the taster or a monthly plan.

MedMock is for adults aged 18 or over. Sign-up asks every new account to confirm it.

MedMock is a revision tool. The patients, examiners and cases are fictional and AI-generated; it is not clinical guidance and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any Royal College, the GMC, the GDC or any examining body.

Start with the £5 taster: https://medmock.com/auth/signup