A sample OSCE station

This is the type of OSCE station you can expect to find at the PLAB 2 exam.

What will a scenario look like?

You are in a mock consultation with a patient played by a role player who has been briefed about their condition. You are a Foundation Year 2 doctor in General Practice. You are told that your patient James Horton, aged 45, has called to complain of pain in his head. You are not given any other information. You must assess and manage the patient over the telephone. You’ll been given 8 minutes to complete the scenario.

What will the examiner be looking for?

The examiner wants to see you demonstrating the behaviours that we expect of a doctor. They will mark you against the three domains:

1. Data-gathering skills, technical and assessment skills 
2. Clinical management skills
3. Interpersonal skills.

What will you need to demonstrate to pass?

• Take a history of the patient's head pain, including occurrences, location, duration, triggers, associated symptoms. 
• Take a medical history of any medication or trauma. 
• Find out appropriate lifestyle history (eg alcohol, diet, sex, sleep). 
• Identify patient concerns, listen appropriately and display empathy. 
• Make a diagnosis of possible migraine.
• Recommend appropriate management. 
• Conduct the consultation fluently and professionally.

Additional information

You may be asked to complete a station which contains a prescribing element.

We have included resources below that you may come across when asked to complete a prescription in a station.

Depending on the scenario, some of the prescription documentation may appear differently to those provided below. You will be given everything you need to complete the station successfully.

• Sample drug card
• Sample adult intravenous fluid chart
• Sample child fluid prescription chart
• Sample child daily fluid balance and prescription chart
• Sample blood prescription chart
• Sample blood prescription and administration chart
• Sample syringe driver chart
• Sample news chart