General tips to pass the RACGP exams

Juggling life and study with working is difficult for most of us, however there are some strategies that you can use to keep yourself healthy, happy and productive during exam revision time. In this post I will highlight tips and tricks to help you pass the RACGP exams as well as resources you can access.

1. Maintain a healthy lifestyle

I cannot overstate the importance of this one during your study period as you need to keep yourself physically and mentally healthy to allow for more productive study sessions. As doctors we constantly state the importance of lifestyle changes for everyone and we need to follow the same advice.

• Eat healthy wholemeal foods with plenty of fruits and vegetables.

• Be active and move often (sports/ gym or other physical activities you enjoy).

• Sleep around 8 hours each night (can be slightly shorter or longer based on your preferences).

• Connect with family and friends regularly.
  

2. Use a study timetable

Start by looking at the RACGP exam dates and when you will be eligible to sit the exams to help you plan when to start revising (usually one year after starting your GP term). Please note if you work part-time you will need to check with your training lead when you can sit the exams. Next, reflect on your learning style and preferences to how long you would need to study for the exams as this is very individual. Instead of blocking out subjects or topics to study its more effective to block out 'study time' in your calendar with a loose idea of what you will revise (e.g. hypertension guidelines, RACGP's red book). As you progress through training you will often find some topics are harder to understand than others and its more important to learn the common presentations than rare diseases.

3. Enrol in a revision course

If you are able to enrol for a revision course (such as GP Academy) it will provide a guide on what to study with resources already curated specifically to assist with exam preparation. While it can be expensive it is often a good way to learn and help you pass your exams. I used GP Academy for both the written papers and clinical exams and found the content to be excellent. Please note this is not compulsory for trainees as the RACGP release regular practice papers and webinars to help you prepare> There is also a bank of questions on GP learning you can use.

4. Study groups- to join one or not?

This is a tough one, some people are better motivated to study if they are a part of a group and others prefer to study alone. There is no right or wrong and this is entirely up to you and your circumstances. I would however recommend at least going through several practice cases with a friend or colleague at work for the clinical exams as practice does make perfect in this situation. The RACGP does have a mock OSCE day before the exams you can test yourself on and an excellent resource bank to prepare.

5. Its exam day!

Last minute cramming rarely helps when you are exhausted and nervous, its ideal to ensure that you have had a good night's sleep and healthy big breakfast to keep you going through the 4 hour exam. Ensure that you have the correct address and start time for your exam as well your snacks packed as per the RACGP guidelines.