🧠 Pick up cues, don't step over them 👂

Strong candidates don't just hear words... they notice:
💭 Hesitation
😟 Worry
🙈 Avoidance
🤏 Minimising
❤️ Emotion

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✨ Examiner feedback repeatedly praises:
✅ Empathy
✅ Rapport
✅ Warmth
✅ Emotional engagement
✅ Active listening & responding to cues

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🚩 Missing cues is a common reason candidates lose marks.

Using silence 🤫 and summaries 📝 helps build rapport and keeps your consultation structured.

👀 Common cues:
* "It's probably nothing..."
* "I've just been a bit off..."
* 😢 Sudden tears
* 🎭 A change in tone
* 👀 Avoiding eye contact
* 🔄 Changing the subject when something sensitive comes up

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💬 Better responses:
🗣️ "You say it's probably nothing, but it sounds like it's been playing on your mind."

🗣️ "I noticed you hesitated there—tell me a bit more about that."

🗣️ "The ...  you mention sounds really difficult."

🗣️ "I can hear that ... has been a lot to deal with."

🎯 Why this matters in the SCA

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A missed cue often means you've missed:
❌ ICE
❌ Risk
❌ Psychosocial context
❌ Empathy marks

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🚫 Don't rush to the next checklist question.

💡 Sometimes the highest-yield move isn't another question...

It's a short reflective statement... 🤝

...and a pause. 🤫

Examiner feedback specifically highlights that silence often leads to deeper disclosure and more sensitive discussions.

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💪 This week's challenge

In your next consultation, deliberately respond to at least one emotional cue before moving on.

🎓 The consultation usually gets better when the patient feels heard—not just questioned.

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