# Practising for Paediatrics (MRCPCH Clinical OSCE) with MedMock

Canonical page: https://medmock.com/exams/paediatrics-mrcpch-clinical-osce

## What is the MRCPCH OSCE, and how do you practise for it?

MRCPCH Clinical is the RCPCH's final membership exam, taken after the three theory papers (FOP, TAS and AKP), and assesses clinical skills at the standard of a newly appointed ST4: a circuit of 10 stations, about 160 minutes, with four short clinical examinations, a 22-minute development station, a 22-minute history station, two 9-minute communication stations and two video stations. MedMock lets you practise the four spoken stations out loud with RCPCH's own timings: a parent or carer is the role-player, except in the Communication B education scenarios, where it is a junior doctor colleague (an FY1, FY2 or SHO).

A complete example station — full transcript and the scorecard MedMock produced — is at https://medmock.com/exams/paediatrics-mrcpch-clinical-osce/example

## About this exam

RCPCH MRCPCH Clinical: the four spoken stations (History and Development, 22 minutes each; two Communication stations, 9 minutes each) are simulated here. The four short clinical (physical examination) stations and the two video stations, which show a clip of a child, are not simulated. In the real exam the History role-player may be a parent or an adolescent, and the Communication role-player a parent, an adolescent, a health professional or a member of the public. MedMock never voices a child. A parent or carer takes the part, except in the Communication B education scenarios, where the role-player is a junior doctor colleague (an FY1, FY2 or SHO), as in RCPCH's education pattern. The adolescent and member-of-the-public forms are not simulated.

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

MRCPCH Clinical is a circuit of 10 stations: four 9-minute short clinical stations with a child, a 22-minute development station, a 22-minute history station, two 9-minute communication stations and two 9-minute video stations. Under optimum conditions the circuit takes about 160 minutes. A different examiner marks each station, scoring each domain tested as Meets Standard (2), Borderline (1) or Below Standard (0), giving 41 domain marks and a maximum of 82.

- **Stations 1-4: Short clinical (four stations)** (9 minutes): In each station the examiner states the system and task, you examine a child, then discuss the signs you found, what they mean and the child's management with the examiner. There is no role-player and no written instructions to read.
- **Station 5: Development** (22 minutes): A scenario-based station. You take a focused developmental history from a role-player for 9 minutes without asking directly about the area to be assessed, then describe to the examiner how you would assess one or at most two areas of development while the examiner gives the findings as cues, and finish by discussing the findings and management plan with the examiner.
- **Station 6: History** (22 minutes): You take a focused history from a role-player, often a parent or adolescent, for 13 minutes without examining a patient, then discuss the problems and management plan with the examiner for the rest of the station.
- **Stations 7-8: Communication (two stations)** (9 minutes): You talk with a role-player, who may be a parent, an adolescent, a health professional or a member of the public, in scenarios such as information giving, breaking bad news or consent. The examiner observes and does not ask questions.
- **Stations 9-10: Video (two stations)** (9 minutes): You watch a video clip as many times as you wish for 3 minutes, then discuss the clinical signs, likely diagnosis and management with the examiner.

Marking: There is one examiner per station, and candidates are assessed by a different examiner at each station. Each domain tested at a station is marked Meets Standard (2), Borderline (1) or Below Standard (0); 41 domains are marked across the 10 stations, for a maximum of 82. The domains are information gathering, information giving, physical examination, identification of clinical signs, clinical reasoning, management planning and communication skills; examiners can also record Professional Conduct, which does not count towards the mark.

Passing: The pass mark is 62 out of the 82 available marks (75.6%), set by a modified Angoff process and applied to all UK and overseas face-to-face centres. The total score is compared with this pass mark, so candidates are assessed on the accumulation of marks rather than on any single station.

Sources: https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/resources/mrcpch-clinical-examination-candidate-guidance https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2025-12/mrcpch-clinical-f2f-candidate-guide.pdf https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2025-12/mrcpch-clinical-f2f-station-descriptions-and-flowcharts.pdf https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/resources/mrcpch-clinical-exam-face-face-guidance-hub https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/education-careers/examinations/your-exam-results-mrcpch-dch https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/resources/mrcpch-clinical-exam-how-apply https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/resources/mrcpch-clinical-exam-exam-day-after
Full format page: https://medmock.com/exams/paediatrics-mrcpch-clinical-osce/format

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

MRCPCH Clinical is a 10-station circuit (four short clinical stations with real children, plus development, history, two communication and two video stations), with a different examiner at each station marking set domains. Prepare by examining as many children as you can, focused on the task you are given, practising describing developmental assessments out loud, and rehearsing history and communication scenarios against the RCPCH's anchor statements, which set out what 'Meets Standard' looks like.

1. **Apply when your sponsor agrees you are ready** — You need all three theory exams first, and the RCPCH strongly recommends two and a half years of training since graduation and at least 12 months in posts caring for emergency paediatric patients in the five years before the exam. Your sponsor must confirm you are ready, and you must pass within seven years of your final theory exam.
2. **Learn the anchor statements** — The RCPCH recommends studying the anchor statements, which set out the criteria examiners are trained to mark against in each station, and the level expected for 'Meets Standard'. Examiners are not looking for outstanding candidates, only for the clinical standard expected of a newly appointed ST4.
3. **Examine children, doing exactly the task set** — In each short clinical station the examiner gives the task; you have six minutes for it, then three minutes of discussion, and some children have no abnormal signs. If asked for one part, such as palpating the abdomen, do just that. The RCPCH's candidate guide describes preparing through regular bedside review, in-house peer practice and sitting in specialist clinics.
4. **Practise describing developmental assessments** — The development station has no child: you take a history for nine minutes without asking directly about the area to be assessed, then describe your assessment while the examiner gives cues. The RCPCH encourages practising the verbal delivery of developmental assessments in a structured, systematic way and pausing after each element so the examiner can give its cue.
5. **Rehearse the history station to 13 minutes** — The history station gives you 13 minutes with a parent or adolescent, with no examination, then a discussion of the problems and your management plan. Practise with a timer from referral letters like the RCPCH's sample, and finish with a clear problem list and plan.
6. **Keep communication stations on task** — Scenarios follow six patterns: information giving, breaking bad news, consent, critical incident, ethics and education, face to face, by telephone or by video. Practise choosing the most relevant information, explaining without jargon, responding to the emotional context and, as the RCPCH advises, summarising the main points before the end.
7. **Practise describing signs from video** — In each video station you watch a clip for up to three minutes, as often as you like, then discuss the signs, likely diagnosis and management. The RCPCH notes that replaying the clip leaves less time for discussion, so practise naming what you see from one or two viewings.

Official resources:

- MRCPCH Clinical exam (face-to-face) guidance hub (https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/resources/mrcpch-clinical-exam-face-face-guidance-hub): The RCPCH's hub for every official preparation document, the marksheets and a development mock-station video.
- MRCPCH Clinical Examination Candidate Guide (https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2025-12/mrcpch-clinical-f2f-candidate-guide.pdf): The circuit, marking, conduct rules and sample history, communication and video scenarios.
- Station descriptions and flow charts (https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2025-12/mrcpch-clinical-f2f-station-descriptions-and-flowcharts.pdf): The timed flow of each station type and what each is designed to test.
- Clinical examination technique (clinical stations and development) (https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2025-12/mrcpch-clinical-f2f-technique.pdf): The level of examination technique expected of a good candidate, system by system.
- Anchor statements by station type (https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2025-12/mrcpch-clinical-f2f-anchor-statements-by-station-type.pdf): What 'Meets Standard', 'Borderline' and 'Below Standard' look like for each domain in each station.
- Describing developmental assessments and understanding cues (https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2025-12/mrcpch-clinical-f2f-describing-developmental-assessments-cues.pdf): How cues work in the development station and how to describe an assessment so you receive them.
- MRCPCH Clinical exam: how to apply (https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/resources/mrcpch-clinical-exam-how-apply): Eligibility, recommended experience, sponsors, dates, fees and how places are allocated.

Common mistakes examiners report:

- Doing a full routine when a specific task is set. The RCPCH's example: if asked to palpate the abdomen, do not begin by examining the hands. (source: https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2025-12/mrcpch-clinical-f2f-technique.pdf)
- Reporting signs that are not there, or examining without asking permission. The anchor statements place both 'describes non-existent signs/invents signs' and 'No attempt to seek permission' at Below Standard. (source: https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2025-12/mrcpch-clinical-f2f-anchor-statements-by-station-type.pdf)
- Leaving out or rushing parts of a developmental assessment. If you omit an element the examiner will not give its cue, and if you mention it only in passing they may ask for detail first. (source: https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2025-12/mrcpch-clinical-f2f-describing-developmental-assessments-cues.pdf)
- Asking irrelevant questions or piling on information in communication stations. The RCPCH says the station is not a test of how much you convey and you should avoid both. (source: https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2025-12/mrcpch-clinical-f2f-station-descriptions-and-flowcharts.pdf)

Sources: https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2025-12/mrcpch-clinical-f2f-candidate-guide.pdf https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/resources/mrcpch-clinical-exam-face-face-guidance-hub https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/resources/mrcpch-clinical-examination-candidate-guidance https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/resources/mrcpch-clinical-exam-how-apply https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2025-12/mrcpch-clinical-f2f-technique.pdf https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2025-12/mrcpch-clinical-f2f-station-descriptions-and-flowcharts.pdf https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2025-12/mrcpch-clinical-f2f-describing-developmental-assessments-cues.pdf https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2025-12/mrcpch-clinical-f2f-anchor-statements-by-station-type.pdf https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/education-careers/examinations/your-exam-results-mrcpch-dch https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/education-careers/examinations/resources
Full guide: https://medmock.com/exams/paediatrics-mrcpch-clinical-osce/prepare

Upcoming sittings: 7-8 November 2026 (Karachi, Pakistan); 13-14 November 2026 (Doha, Qatar); 20-21 November 2026 (Cairo, Egypt) (source: RCPCH, checked 2026-09-23).
All MRCPCH dates: https://medmock.com/exams/paediatrics-mrcpch-clinical-osce#dates

## Stations you can practise

- **Development** — 22-min station: focused developmental history with the parent, then describe how you would undertake a focused developmental assessment, then reasoning, differential and management with the examiner. The task names the area of development to be assessed, and you may not ask direct questions about those skills during the history.
- **History** — 22-min station: 13-min focused history with the parent, then 9-min examiner discussion on problem list, differential, investigations and management plan. In the real exam the role-player may be a parent or an adolescent; MedMock never voices a child, so a parent or carer always takes the part.
- **Communication** — 9-min station with a parent role-player: information giving, breaking bad news, consent, critical incident or ethics. The examiner observes and does not ask questions. In the real exam the role-player may be a parent, an adolescent, a health professional or a member of the public; MedMock never voices a child, so a parent or carer always takes the part here. The education pattern, with a junior doctor colleague, is practised on Communication B.
- **Communication B** — The second 9-min communication station, with a different scenario from the first. The examiner observes and does not ask questions. In the real exam one of the two communication stations is with a parent or carer and the other with a young person, a health care student or a practitioner. Here the role-player is a parent or carer, or, in an education scenario, a junior doctor colleague (an FY1, FY2 or SHO) to whom you explain a child's case. MedMock never voices a child, so the young-person form is not simulated, and the health care student form is not simulated either.

## Sample MRCPCH questions

- *History:* Please take a focused history from the parent of a child with developmental delay.
- *History:* Which red flags, differential diagnoses and review-of-systems questions would you explore for possible cystic fibrosis?

## Example scenarios

- *Communication:* Explain to a distraught mother that her 2-year-old's prolonged fever and rash is highly suspicious of Kawasaki disease, and outline the treatment plan.
- *History:* Take a focused asthma history from the mother of a 4-year-old with three emergency attendances in a year, then discuss your management plan with the examiner.
- *Development:* Take a focused developmental history from the mother of a 4-year-old with global developmental delay, then describe how you would assess his development.
- *Communication B:* A father is angry that his daughter's fracture was missed at her first emergency department visit. Speak to him about what happened.

## How a practice session works

1. **Choose a station** — Pick from the MRCPCH stations — all 4 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 station 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 MRCPCH stations?

Yes. You can pick any of the 4 stations 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