Sort the paperwork through the right route so it never steals time from practice.

• Book your SCA sitting through your training programme’s usual routeCheck the RCGP website for current booking windows.
• Confirm you meet the RCGP’s current eligibility requirements for sitting the SCARequirements can change — always confirm directly with the RCGP.
• Check your RCGP portfolio and registration details are up to date
• Make sure your remote consultation setup meets the RCGP’s technical requirementsA quiet room, reliable internet, webcam and headset — cases arrive by video and telephone.

You cannot prepare for a clock you do not understand. Learn the shape of a circuit first.

• Understand the 12-case circuit and its timing3 minutes reading each case, 12 minutes to consult.
• Know that some cases are telephone-only, with no video
• Understand the 10-minute break after case 6
• Learn the three marking domainsData Gathering and Diagnosis, Clinical Management and Medical Complexity, Relating to Others.
• Understand that Clinical Management and Medical Complexity is weighted more heavilyIt carries a ×1.5 weighting because it maps to more of the curriculum.
• Understand that the SCA passes the whole circuit, not each case individually

The same underlying skills the domains mark — drill them until they hold up under the clock.

• Practise structured, focused data gathering under time pressure
• Make full use of information already given in the case notes
• Rehearse safe, sensible management plans — referral, prescribing, investigations
• Practise consulting by telephone alone, without visual cues
• Build rapport quickly and explore the patient’s ideas, concerns and expectations
• Practise summarising, following up and safety-netting within the clock
• Read the RCGP’s published feedback statements so you know what a strong consultation avoidsThey are not performance indicators and are given to passing candidates too — but they describe exactly what examiners look for.

Small things you can settle now so the sitting is about performance, not technology.

• Test your camera, microphone and internet connection well in advance
• Set up a quiet, private, well-lit space for the sitting
• Have a simple reset routine for a case that goes badlyThe circuit is what is passed, not any single case — one wobble is recoverable.
• Plan your day so nothing else competes for your attention during the sitting
• Get a proper night’s sleep before the exam