MRCGP Simulated Consultation Assessment (SCA) terms and conditions

By sitting the SCA trainees are deemed to have:

1. read and understood, and agreed to abide by all the relevant MRCGP regulations and policies, which are available on the RCGP website;
2. agreed to these terms and conditions. 

Examination conditions

In sitting the SCA examination trainees must adhere to the examination conditions stated below. The examination conditions as established within this page apply throughout the SCA. 

• The Simulated Consultation Assessment (SCA) must be sat within a GP surgery.
• Trainees must be alone in the examination environment.
• All clinical guidance documents, medical charts of posters on walls must be covered or removed prior to the SCA examination.
• Only one monitor can be used, additional monitors must be unplugged.
• Any landline telephones within the examination space must be disconnected.
• Trainees should have access to a mobile telephone within their examination environment for the purposes of resolving any platform technical issues. This must be placed on silent and out of reach during the SCA.
• Trainees are not permitted access to external resources, apart from a paper copy of the British National Formulary (BNF) and child BNF.
• Trainees are permitted an erasable board and pen on their desk to take notes. All notes must be wiped from the board before the trainee exits the examination environment.
• Trainees are not permitted access to any other writing mediums, either paper or electronic.
• Trainees are not permitted access to any electronic or Bluetooth-enabled devices during the examination, apart from the use of a mobile telephone for resolution of platform technical issues. Access is not permitted in breaks.
• Trainees must log onto the Osler examination platform at the time stated within the examination confirmation email.
• Trainees must remain on the platform until authorised to exit the platform by an invigilator.
• Trainees are not allowed to leave the examination environment until the examination has concluded. The only permitted exception is within allocated break times. Any trainee exiting the examination environment at this time must notify the invigilator prior to leaving the examination environment and confirm their return with the invigilator.
• Trainees will be monitored throughout the duration of the examination by invigilators.
• Audio and video will be recorded for the duration of the examination.

Examination recordings (audio and video) 

All recordings made as part of the SCA examination will be used by examiners to mark the examination.  

Recordings will not be routinely retained beyond the end of the current SCA examination diet, and no longer than necessary for the purposes of quality assurance, training and security purposes. 

Trainees may not opt out of recordings being used for quality or security purposes.

Trainees may opt out of recordings being used for training purposes by contacting the examinations team at exams@rcgp.org.uk. 

Video recordings will not be remarked as part of the appeals process. Trainees should ensure they are familiar with the MRCGP appeals policy which is available on the RCGP website. 

Please find the RCGP's privacy statement and fair processing notice.

Non-disclosure undertaking and general terms of use of the assessment materials developed by the RCGP

All examination materials used in this assessment are strictly confidential.

The rights of the Royal College of General Practitioners in the intellectual property and copyright in providing the examination are protected by law.

The copyright and all other applicable intellectual property rights in this material are owned by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP). This material is supplied strictly on the condition that, subject to any statutory exception, no part of it may be reproduced, copied, stored in any electronic or other retrieval system, reproduced in any other cover or binding, distributed whether in hard copy or by any electronic means, broadcast or made available by way of a web-based application or in any other way.

Trainees are expressly prohibited from disclosing, publishing, reproducing, or transmitting examination content, in whole or in part, in any form or by any means including visual, oral, written, electronic or mechanical means, for any purpose. 

Failure to adhere to these non-disclosure rules may result in disciplinary/legal action including possible referral to the General Medical Council.

Reasonable adjustments and fitness to sit the SCA

The RCGP expects those who believe that their performance is likely to be affected by mitigating circumstances such as illness or personal difficulties arising before an examination to withdraw from that sitting and re-sit at a later date. 

By presenting themselves for the SCA and thereby accepting these terms and conditions trainees are confirming that they are themselves fit to sit the examination. 

For the avoidance of doubt this does not prevent trainees from asking for consideration of mitigating or extenuating circumstances which may arise during the examination which are believed to have materially and adversely affected examination performance. 

Trainees should ensure that they are familiar with the MRCGP examination mitigating circumstances policy and procedure which is available on the RCGP website. 

Trainees with a disability are able to apply for reasonable adjustments in advance of an examination sitting. By proceeding with an examination sitting, trainees are confirming they agree that the adjustments RCGP has offered them are reasonable.