PBL based course…and i can only tell you about my experiance at PMS.

1. Get yourself a really good Clinical skills book…and read it!!!
2. But not all at once. every time you examine a system on a patient…go away and read the section on the system
3. go back and re-examine the patient….do your findings fit the diagnosis or differentials you have made?
4. go look in the notes at the actual diagnosis.
5. If your not sure ask…..doctors are now teachers (GMC) so go find your friendly F1…they have just been there and know what is the required standards.
6. Get formative feedback
7. form a group early of like minded students
8. take your new learnt skills or the extras you have just learnt in steps 3-5
9. teach your peers
10. ask them to feedback to you

we have done this and one person acts the patient/one examines and the group then feedback after the examination.

you need to learn your skills on the wards though…this is vital. its no good practicing on fit students…you need to see as many patients as possible…you are more likely to end up examining a desease process in the examination you have examined before…the confidence boost alone is great.

fianl tip…be slick with your exam..if you dither you will give the impression you do not know what to do.

practice practice practice

Jay