I was invited to take part in the MRCP teaching session at Sungai Buloh. I had to give it a miss last year due to other commitments but was more than happy to help out again this year.
The format of the exam remained the same although the organisation appeared better compared to yesteryear. The course also appeared to be very popular, being oversubscribed despite running at full swing for a couple of days.
I didn't attend the first day of the course since I had clinic yesterday. The Sunday program was purely a mock exam, two sessions running in the morning before lunch, and another one after. That meant I had to start early, after sorting out my ward round.
Left really early to get the rounds doneLuckily I didn't have that many to see, being able to stop by at Ara Damansara as well on the way there, reaching Hospital Sungai Buloh before 8.
Got my cases sorted out and calibrated, starting the first run before 9. Time flies as we go through the motion, me handling the abdominal and respiratory station in the morning.
It was great to catch up with a few other examiners during lunch before starting the afternoon station. That was a bit more relaxing as it was about Communications. That meant that I get to sit down while grilling the candidates.
The course went through the carousel similar to the real PACES examination with the exact timing and marking system. The candidates would then be offered feedback both by the examiners in writing as well as verbally during debriefing. That itself was worth the course fee. They also get to hear what a more junior specialist who had been tagging them throughout their stations had to say. Those tended to be more personal and intimate. Maybe their bad habits could be pointed out for future remedy.
Would definitely be attending next year if invited although I had to sort out my schedule first as things could be unpredictable at times.
Going down memory lane, here are the entries from 2011 and 2012.
