Pre March 2020 the CSA (clinical skills assessment) was the ‘Part 2’ exam for MRCGP. It was a role-play based exam that was taken at the RCGP premises in London and consisted of 13 x 10-minute live role-plays with trained actors. 

From March 2020 until November 2023 the RCA (recorded consultation assessment) was used as a temporary replacement for CSA – brought in due to the Covid pandemic. This involved trainees submitting 13 live recorded consultations with real-life patients from their ST3 practice – with these being marked at a later point by RCGP assessors. 

From November 2023 onwards, the new MRCGP SCA (simulated consultation assessment) has been used.

The MRCGP SCA exam will be taken virtually through an online exam platform, from a local GP practice – in most cases this will be your own training surgery.

There will be 12 simulated, live consultations with a role-player which will be assessed remotely by an assessor. Role-players will be trained, calibrated and standardised.

Each case will be 12 minutes long, with 3 minutes reading time between cases. 

Cases can be video or telephone consultations. In the majority of them you will be able to see the simulated patient. Others will be audio only.

Role-players will usually be playing patients directly, however there may be cases with parents, carers or other healthcare professionals such as social workers.

Booking will be via the RCGP website.

Designed to assess a trainee’s ability to integrate and apply clinical, professional and communication skills appropriate for general practice. Trainees will be required to demonstrate that they: