Paediatrics (RCPCH START)
Walk into your RCPCH START having already done it — dozens of times
Practise RCPCH START stations out loud against a simulated patient who responds realistically, any time of day. Get examiner-style feedback on any station you finish, in seconds.
What is the RCPCH START, and how do you practise for it?
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health's Specialty Trainee Assessment of Readiness for Tenure (RCPCH START): a formative multi-station consultant-readiness assessment sat online by ST7 paediatric trainees before CCT. The circuit comprises ten 8-minute stations, each preceded by 4 minutes of preparation time: three Scenario Discussion stations (acute general paediatrics, outpatient and chronic general paediatrics, and subspecialty or complex care) plus seven themed stations — Ward Round and Handover, Safeguarding, Critical Review of a Paper, Safe Prescribing, Ethics and Law, Conflict and Risk, and Teaching. MedMock practises all 10 stations at the real 8-minute station timing with 4 minutes of reading time. MedMock lets you practise it out loud against an AI patient, with examiner-style feedback on any station you finish.
Last updated 24 October 2026
RCPCH START practice, on demand
MedMock gives you a simulated patient who responds realistically, available 24/7. Pick a station, have a spoken conversation, and ask for examiner-style feedback when you finish, scored against what genuinely matters in the RCPCH START.
How it works
Choose a station
Pick from the RCPCH START stations — all 10 that MedMock runs, or let MedMock surprise you the way exam day will.
Have the conversation
Speak naturally, out loud. The AI patient or examiner responds in real time — with follow-up questions, emotions, cues and unexpected turns, just like the real stations.
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.
Practise every station
MedMock covers the stations you will face in the RCPCH START. Rehearse each one until it feels routine.
Scenario Discussion 1 (Acute General Paediatrics)
8-minute consultant-level scenario discussion after 4 minutes of preparation: acute general paediatric or neonatal presentation, initial stabilisation, diagnostic reasoning, escalation, retrieval and family communication.
Scenario Discussion 2 (Outpatient & Chronic General Paediatrics)
8-minute consultant-level scenario discussion after 4 minutes of preparation: outpatient or chronic general paediatric presentation, multidisciplinary care, community interface, transition to adult services and long-term management.
Scenario Discussion 3 (Subspecialty & Complex Care)
8-minute consultant-level scenario discussion after 4 minutes of preparation: complex multisystem or subspecialty paediatric problem, shared care across tertiary and local services, governance and long-term follow-up.
Ward Round & Handover
8-minute station after 4 minutes of preparation: review a paediatric ward and assessment-unit handover list, prioritise clinical reviews, allocate junior staff safely, identify red flags and structure consultant ward-round leadership.
Safeguarding
8-minute station after 4 minutes of preparation: consultant-level child protection and safeguarding — Bruising or fractures in a non-mobile infant, fabricated or induced illness, child sexual exploitation, sudden unexpected death in infancy, Strategy Discussion under Working Together to Safeguard Children and Section 47 enquiries.
Critical Review of a Paper
8-minute station after 4 minutes of preparation: critically appraise a structured paediatric research abstract on screen (PICO, randomisation, blinding, sample size, NNT/CI, bias) and explain whether and how it should change departmental practice.
Safe Prescribing
8-minute station after 4 minutes of preparation: review an on-screen paediatric prescription chart and clinical scenario, identify weight-based dosing, infusion, interaction, allergy or renal/hepatic adjustment errors, and explain the safe prescription to the examiner.
Ethics & Law
8-minute station after 4 minutes of preparation: paediatric clinical ethics and law — Gillick competence, Fraser guidelines, parental responsibility (Children Act 1989), refusal of blood products or life-sustaining treatment, Mental Capacity Act 2005 in 16–17-year-olds and best-interests decision-making.
Conflict & Risk
8-minute station after 4 minutes of preparation: consultant leadership in managing clinical risk, serious incidents, Duty of Candour, complaints, rota gaps, inter-professional disagreement or a colleague in difficulty.
Teaching
8-minute station after 4 minutes of preparation: teach a junior trainee or allied health professional on a focused clinical topic, checking baseline understanding, structuring the explanation clearly and confirming learning.
Sample RCPCH START questions
Two questions from the topics that come up most in MedMock's RCPCH START bank.
“It is 08:30 on Sunday morning and you are the attending paediatric consultant taking handover of eight patients across the ward, PAU and HDU, with one ST4 and one FY2 on shift. Outline your clinical priorities across the list and explain how you will deploy your team.”
“A 4-month-old infant attends the Emergency Department with a spiral humeral fracture and a small frenulum tear; the parents report the baby rolled off the sofa. Discuss your immediate clinical and statutory safeguarding actions as the consultant on call.”
Example scenarios
A sample of the RCPCH START scenarios you can practise, each as a spoken conversation.
“It is 08:30 on Sunday morning and you are the attending paediatric consultant taking handover of eight patients across the ward, PAU and HDU, with one ST4 and one FY2 on shift. Prioritise the list and explain how you will deploy your team.”
“A 4-month-old infant attends the Emergency Department with a spiral humeral fracture and a small frenulum tear; the parents report the baby rolled off the sofa. Discuss your immediate clinical and statutory safeguarding actions as the consultant on call.”
“Review the inpatient drug chart for a 14 kg 3-year-old admitted with status epilepticus and febrile neutropenia. Identify the prescribing errors on the chart and state the corrected prescriptions.”
RCPCH START dates 2026–27
RCPCH START (Specialty Trainee Assessment of Readiness for Tenure) runs online in multiple sittings each year (typically spring and autumn); trainees apply during the RCPCH registration window for their ST7 cohort. Checked against RCPCH on 20 October 2026.
Exam dates change. MedMock is not affiliated with RCPCH; confirm every date, application window and venue on the official site before you book. RCPCH
RCPCH START practice — your questions answered
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 RCPCH START stations?
Yes. You can pick any of the 10 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.
Formats change from year to year: check the official candidate guidance or applicant handbook from the body that runs your exam or interview (the Royal Colleges, NHS England, the GMC and others) for your sitting.
Ready for your RCPCH START?
Rehearse real RCPCH START scenarios out loud and get instant, examiner-style feedback.
- Instant, personalised feedback
- Real voice-to-voice conversation
- Repeatable attempts, a different run every time
Be ready for your RCPCH START before you walk in
Start with the £5 taster, a one-off payment for 30 credits: practise RCPCH START scenarios out loud and get any of them marked when you are ready.
Practise RCPCH START stations