AKT vs SCA: Knowledge is not enough

✨ If you've passed the AKT, your clinical knowledge is sufficient to pass SCA.

However, knowledge alone won't guarantee success; you need excellent time management skills ⏱️. To succeed you must allocate sufficient time to get a clear understanding of the patients health issues 🩺, ask any clarifying questions ❓, and have a shared discussion about the available options 🤝.

‍

⏳ Why Time Management Matters

Because time is limited ⏳, being organised is essential to complete the consultation tasks. The foundation of effective time management is having a clear structure 🧱 for your consultations.

‍

🧠 Structure Drives Performance

Even with excellent clinical knowledge 📚, lacking a solid framework may cause you to run out of time ⏰ pushing you towards a doctor centred style. Fluent and interactive consultations 💬 score the highest in the SCA and are underpinned by clear structure. In almost two-thirds of cases we reviewed in which doctors failed the data gathering component, examiners cited a poorly structured consultation ⚠️.

‍

🧩 The Recommended Consultation Structure

So, what structure should you adopt? 🤔 At Clinitalk, we recommend choosing a simple structure that is easy to remember. The Clinitalk app 📱 gives you feedback against this 3 part structure:

* Patient’s part 🧑‍⚕️ (the complete story from the patient)
* Doctor’s part 🩺 (your clarifying questions, including red flags 🚩)
* Shared part 🤝 (a menu of options you’ll discuss together)

‍

🧭 Staying on Track During the Consultation

Staying on track with your questions is key 🧭—don’t jump between sections. Start by listening to the patient’s whole story 👂 and please, don’t interrupt; this sets up your follow-up questions. Once you’ve gathered all necessary information (and not before), you’re in the best position to determine the most likely diagnosis 🧠. Don’t jump to conclusions early – it leads to errors ❌.

‍

🔍 Reflect on Your Own Consultations

Consider your own consultations 🔍: Do you maintain a logical flow, or do you move erratically between topics? Do you leave enough time to discuss management? In a twelve-minute case, you should begin management discussions by the seventh minute at the latest ⏲️. Are your sentences clear and concise, or long and confusing? Do you communicate fluently 💡, or do you sound hesitant?

‍