Preparation strategy20 min read·19 April 2026

The CPSA Strategy: Mock Prep + OSCE Communication

The complete post-AKT CPSA prep plan — 18-station format, Calgary-Cambridge and SPIKES frameworks, peer practice setup, video self-review, common station scenarios, and a 12-week schedule.

Most UKMLA guides treat CPSA as an afterthought. A paragraph here, a bulleted list of station types there, a vague reminder to "practise with a friend." And most candidates pay for it: AKT performance is often strong, CPSA performance mediocre, and the uncomfortable gap between them shows up on results day.

CPSA rewards different preparation. You cannot read your way into passing an OSCE. You cannot Anki-card your way through a breaking-bad-news station. Communication skills, examination sequences, and ethical frameworks only consolidate through deliberate practice with feedback — which most candidates under-invest in by a factor of 3 or more.

This post is the complete CPSA preparation strategy for 2026. Station types, communication frameworks, peer-practice logistics, video self-review, examiner scoring mechanics, mock frequency, common mistakes, and integration with a post-AKT prep timeline.

By the end you'll have a concrete plan to run from the day your AKT results arrive until exam morning in Manchester (for IMGs) or your school's OSCE hall (for UK students).

Why CPSA demands a different strategy to AKT
CPSA format: stations, timing, examiners
The gap between AKT pass and CPSA booking
Station types walkthrough
Calgary-Cambridge: the core communication framework
SBAR, SPIKES, and structured response frameworks
Common station themes and how to prepare for them
Peer practice setup
Video self-review protocol
Examiner scoring mechanics
Time management within a station
Mock frequency and spacing
Common CPSA mistakes
Geeky Medics and other OSCE resources
Integrating CPSA into the 12-week plan
FAQ

1. Why CPSA demands a different strategy to AKT

AKT is a knowledge exam. You read, drill SBAs, build flashcards, take mocks. The skill being tested is recognition and reasoning under time pressure.

CPSA is an enactment exam. The skills being tested are:

Taking a history from a real (simulated) patient in real time.
Performing a focused examination with the right sequence and communication.
Explaining a diagnosis in plain English while managing patient anxiety.
Assessing capacity using the MCA framework under observation.
Performing a practical skill on a mannequin while an examiner watches.

Recognition is worth almost nothing here. You need to do the thing, in front of another human, under time pressure, with an examiner scoring you against a checklist and a global rating.

Implications for preparation:

Solo study is mostly useless. You can't practise history-taking alone. You can't rehearse breaking bad news in your head and expect to deliver it smoothly on exam day.
Peer practice is the backbone. Regular, structured, videoed practice with feedback.
Repetition matters differently. You don't need to repeat content — you need to repeat performance under simulated pressure.
Wellness compounds. A tired, anxious candidate enacts worse than a rested, calm one. CPSA is more sensitive to sleep and stress than AKT.

If your AKT prep was 80% knowledge, your CPSA prep should be 80% enactment with 20% supporting knowledge refresh.

2. CPSA format: stations, timing, examiners

A quick operational summary — fuller detail is in UKMLA exam structure: AKT vs CPSA.

For IMGs:

18 stations, each 8–10 minutes long.
Held at the GMC Clinical Assessment Centre in Manchester.
Single half-day session.
Simulated patients (SPs) are GMC-trained actors.
Examiners observe and score each station.

For UK medical students:

16–20 stations (varies by school).
Held at your school's OSCE venues.
Session format varies: single day, split across days, multi-week windows.
SPs are trained by your medical school's SP programme.
Examiners are typically your school's clinical faculty.

Station flow:

Arrive early, check in, lock personal belongings.
Receive station rotation map.
Rotate through stations with 1–2 minute resets between (read next brief).
Mid-session break (10–15 minutes) typical.
Exit once all stations complete.

What to bring: photo ID, exam confirmation, a watch (not a smartwatch), professional clinical attire. No phones, no notes, no books.

3. The gap between AKT pass and CPSA booking

For IMGs, the gap between AKT pass and CPSA sitting is usually 2–6 months, depending on Manchester seat availability. This gap is the single most important and most-mismanaged window in UKMLA prep.

What happens if you use the gap well:

Communication frameworks become automatic.
Examination sequences feel rehearsed, not remembered.
Manchester mock days run in the final 4–6 weeks sharpen your performance.
You arrive rested, confident, prepared.

What happens if you waste the gap:

You "take a break" for 4 weeks, your clinical knowledge slips, your communication rusty.
You scramble in the final 2 weeks with no muscle memory.
You underperform despite strong AKT content.

The rule: treat the gap as a structured 8–12 week CPSA prep window, not as downtime. The 12-week study plan has the post-AKT CPSA pivot mapped out.

For UK students, AKT and CPSA are typically closer together (weeks apart) so the "gap" is really a concurrent-prep phase. Communication practice should run through your final year alongside AKT revision.

4. Station types walkthrough

CPSA samples across six archetypes. You won't get every type in a given sitting, but across 16–20 stations you'll see most.

History-taking stations.

Task: take a focused or comprehensive history from an SP in 8–10 minutes.
Skills tested: structure (HPC, PMH, DH, SH, FH, ICE), red-flag screening, empathy, summarising.
Preparation: practise 50+ histories across common presentations (chest pain, breathlessness, headache, abdominal pain, fatigue, palpitations, weight loss, rash).

Focused examination stations.

Task: perform a system-specific examination on an SP.
Skills tested: correct sequence, technique, patient communication during examination, findings interpretation.
Preparation: the 8–10 core examinations (cardio, respiratory, abdominal, cranial nerves, upper/lower limb neuro, thyroid, peripheral vascular). Rehearse each until the sequence is automatic.

Communication stations.

Task: a specific communication challenge — breaking bad news, consenting for a procedure, explaining a new diagnosis, managing an angry patient, discussing discharge.
Skills tested: Calgary-Cambridge framework, empathy markers, pacing, patient-centred language, emotional management.
Preparation: the top 10 communication scenarios — see section 7.

Practical skills stations.

Task: perform a specific clinical skill (BP measurement, venepuncture, ECG placement, peak flow, infection control).
Skills tested: correct technique, safety, patient communication during the procedure.
Preparation: the UKMLA skill list — rehearse each 5+ times before mock days.

Data interpretation stations.

Task: interpret an ECG, ABG, CXR, blood panel, or imaging study; explain findings to an examiner or SP; decide next management.
Skills tested: structured reading approach, pattern recognition, management decision, communication.
Preparation: 50+ ECGs, 50+ ABGs, 30+ CXRs with structured reporting drills.

Ethics, consent, capacity stations.

Task: handle a legal-ethical scenario (MCA capacity, refusal of treatment, safeguarding, breaking confidentiality, DNACPR).
Skills tested: application of UK frameworks (MCA 2005, Gillick, GMC Good Medical Practice), balanced reasoning, appropriate escalation.
Preparation: know the four-stage MCA test cold; rehearse 10+ ethics scenarios.

5. Calgary-Cambridge: the core communication framework

Calgary-Cambridge is the consultation framework most UK medical schools teach and most CPSA examiners look for. It's not the only framework, but if you've internalised it, you'll score well on most communication stations.

The framework has six phases:

1. Initiating the session.

Introduce yourself (name and role).
Confirm the patient's identity (name, DOB).
Establish the reason for the consultation.

2. Gathering information.

Open with a broad question ("tell me what's brought you in today").
Use open questions early, closed questions later.
Explore cue responses (verbal and non-verbal).
Elicit ICE — ideas, concerns, expectations.

3. Building the relationship.

Use empathy statements ("that sounds really difficult").
Check understanding throughout.
Respond to emotional cues.

4. Explaining and planning.

Provide information in chunks.
Check for understanding after each chunk.
Use lay language.
Co-create a plan — don't dictate.

5. Closing the session.

Summarise the plan.
Ask if the patient has questions.
Confirm next steps (when to return, red flags to watch for).

6. Providing structure throughout (a background capability).

Summarise periodically.
Signpost transitions ("I'd like to ask about your past medical history now").

The practical tip: don't recite the framework in your head mid-station — it'll slow you down. Drill it in peer practice until it's second nature, then the structure emerges naturally.

6. SBAR, SPIKES, and structured response frameworks

Several other frameworks support specific station types.

SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation) — structured handover or escalation.

Situation: who is this patient and what's happening now?
Background: relevant history.
Assessment: what you think is going on.
Recommendation: what you think should happen.
Use in stations where you're "calling a senior" or "handing over at shift change."

SPIKES (Setting, Perception, Invitation, Knowledge, Emotion, Strategy/Summary) — breaking bad news.

Setting: private, quiet environment, turn off pagers, sit at eye level.
Perception: what does the patient already know?
Invitation: how much do they want to know?
Knowledge: deliver the information clearly, with a warning shot ("I'm afraid the results show...").
Emotion: acknowledge and respond to the emotional reaction.
Strategy/Summary: outline next steps and confirm understanding.
Use in any bad-news station (cancer diagnosis, progression, dying patient, unexpected complication).

ABCDE — structured approach to acute deteriorating patient.

A: Airway (is it patent? stridor? obstruction?)
B: Breathing (RR, sats, chest movement, auscultation, give oxygen).
C: Circulation (HR, BP, perfusion, IV access, fluids).
D: Disability (GCS, glucose, pupils).
E: Exposure (full examination, temperature, rash).
Use in stations involving acute deterioration or emergency resuscitation.

NICE stepwise ladders — use explicitly in explanation stations about chronic conditions. For hypertension, T2DM, asthma, COPD, depression, and anticoagulation, know the first-line, second-line, escalation steps. Not reciting — applying to the SP in front of you.

Knowing these frameworks is 40% of CPSA preparation. Applying them naturally is the other 60%.

7. Common station themes and how to prepare for them

Here are the 12 most commonly-tested CPSA scenarios. Prepare each one as a drilled consultation, not as a theoretical topic.

1. Chest pain history.

Structured HPC: SOCRATES pain assessment + red flags (ACS, PE, dissection, pericarditis).
ICE elicitation.
Summary + plan including investigation rationale.

2. Breathlessness history.

Systematic approach: onset, duration, precipitants, associated symptoms (cough, wheeze, chest pain, orthopnoea, PND).
Red flags for PE, acute HF, severe asthma.
Environmental and lifestyle history.

3. Cardiovascular examination.

Sequence: inspection → palpation (pulses, apex, heaves/thrills) → auscultation (valves in sequence).
Verbalise findings.
Explain to SP: "Mr Smith, everything sounds normal / I can hear a murmur which I'll need to investigate further."

4. Respiratory examination.

Sequence: inspection → palpation → percussion → auscultation.
Correct positioning and exposure.
Explain findings and next steps.

5. Abdominal examination.

Sequence: inspection → palpation (light, deep, organs) → percussion → auscultation → hernial orifices → complete systems.
Sensitivity to patient comfort throughout.
Explain findings.

6. Cranial nerve examination.

All 12 CNs systematically.
Verbalise which nerve you're testing.
Sign-post transitions ("I'd now like to test your cranial nerves").

7. Breaking bad news of cancer diagnosis.

SPIKES framework applied fluently.
Warning shot ("I'm afraid I have difficult news").
Pause for emotional response.
Allow silence.
Offer next steps.

8. Explaining a new T2DM diagnosis and negotiating management.

Elicit ICE.
Explain in plain English.
Use NICE stepwise ladder (metformin first-line).
Co-create a plan (medication + lifestyle).

9. Consent for venepuncture or a minor procedure.

Introduce, check identity, explain procedure, check understanding.
Explicitly ask for consent.
Offer information about risks.
Explain what to do if concerned later.

10. Mental capacity assessment — refusing surgery scenario.

Four-stage MCA test.
Ask specifically about each stage.
Conclude capacity decision.
Explain escalation plan (best interests, family consultation).

11. Handling an angry patient or complaint.

Active listening — don't defend.
Empathise ("I can see this has been really difficult").
Apologise if appropriate (not admission of fault, but acknowledgement).
Offer next steps (formal complaint pathway, investigation).

12. Discharge counselling after myocardial infarction.

Explain diagnosis in lay terms.
Explain medications (names, purpose, side effects).
Lifestyle advice (diet, exercise, smoking cessation, alcohol).
Warning signs for re-presentation.
Follow-up arrangements.

Practical tip: write out each scenario's ideal flow as a 1-page cheatsheet. Drill the flow in peer practice 3–5 times per scenario across your prep window. By week 6 of CPSA prep, the flows should feel automatic.

8. Peer practice setup

Peer practice is the single highest-value CPSA preparation activity. One hour of structured peer practice often beats five hours of solo review.

Finding a partner:

Your medical school cohort (UK students). Most schools informally organise OSCE practice groups — join one.
Online UKMLA groups (IMGs). Reddit, UKMLA Telegram channels, and BAPIO mentorship programmes often connect candidates.
Dedicated CPSA prep platforms and courses. Manchester-based courses run in-person mock days specifically for IMG CPSA.
Your F1/F2 network (post-registration doctors). Former IMG graduates often mentor incoming candidates.

Structuring a session:

Duration: 60–90 minutes.
Format: rotate roles every 15 minutes — you as doctor, peer as SP and examiner, then switch.
Use real station briefs — Geeky Medics, Medical Schools Council published briefs, or your Q-bank platform's CPSA module.
Video record each station (on a phone). You'll review later.
Give structured feedback: what did the candidate do well? what needs work? one specific suggestion for next time.

Session cadence:

Weeks 1–4 of CPSA prep: 2 sessions/week, 60 minutes each.
Weeks 5–8: 3 sessions/week, 90 minutes each.
Weeks 9–12 (final): 2 sessions/week plus 1 full-length 16-station mock.

What NOT to do:

Practice with someone who "doesn't want to be the SP properly." The SP commitment matters — they need to stay in character, express emotions, respond to poor communication with reasonable pushback.
Practice without a timer. Time pressure is half the skill.
Practice without feedback. Unstructured "was that OK?" feedback adds nothing. Use checklists from Geeky Medics or Q-bank platforms.

9. Video self-review protocol

Videoing yourself is uncomfortable and disproportionately valuable. You see things you never knew you were doing.

Setup:

Phone on a tripod or propped on a shelf at eye level.
Record the full station including SP introduction.
Review within 24 hours — don't hoard recordings.

What to look for on review:

Opening: did I introduce myself clearly? did I confirm identity? did I explain what I'd do?
Structure: did I follow Calgary-Cambridge or SPIKES naturally, or did I drift?
Non-verbal: am I sitting at eye level? am I making eye contact? do I look relaxed or tense?
Pacing: am I rushing? am I leaving silence for the patient to respond?
Empathy markers: did I acknowledge emotional moments? did I use lay language?
Closing: did I summarise? did I ask for questions? did I confirm next steps?

What you'll notice (every candidate has these):

Verbal fillers ("um," "so," "right"). Systematically train them out.
Dominant-interrupt tendency — you talk over the SP.
Medicalese slipping in — technical terms without lay translation.
Eye contact that drifts to notes.
Hand gestures that look anxious.

Improvement protocol:

Pick ONE thing to work on per week.
Before the next session, explicitly remind yourself: "this week, no medicalese."
Review the next recording specifically for that target behaviour.
When it's internalised, move to the next.

This is slow, uncomfortable work. It produces the biggest gains.

10. Examiner scoring mechanics

CPSA stations score on two dimensions — covered in UKMLA exam structure — but the operational implications for your preparation are worth stating directly.

The checklist score.

Typically 15–25 binary or three-point items per station.
Examples: "Introduces self and checks patient identity," "Elicits ICE," "Identifies red flags appropriately," "Summarises plan."
Your job: know the checklist items for your station type. Hit each one explicitly. Don't rely on the examiner inferring you did something — say it out loud.

The global performance rating.

A holistic examiner judgement: "safe, competent, professional?"
Rated on a scale (fail / borderline / pass / good pass / excellent pass).
Your job: don't be wooden. Warmth, empathy, patient-centredness, genuine listening. Examiners reward candidates who feel like the person they'd want as their doctor.

Practical implication: you can hit every checklist item and still fail via global rating if you come across as cold or rushed. You can miss a few checklist items and still pass comfortably if your overall performance is professional and empathic.

The "safe to register" bar: examiners are not looking for perfection. They're looking for whether you'd be safe as an F1 tomorrow. A small mistake that you catch and correct, handled with professional humility, often scores better than a slick performance where a mistake goes unacknowledged.

11. Time management within a station

Eight to ten minutes isn't long. Time discipline within a station is its own skill.

For history-taking stations (8–10 minutes):

Opening and rapport: 30 seconds.
HPC + core history: 4 minutes.
PMH, DH, SH, FH: 2 minutes.
ICE: 30–60 seconds.
Summary + plan: 60 seconds.
Close: 30 seconds.

For focused examination stations:

Opening and consent: 30 seconds.
Examination sequence: 5–6 minutes.
Findings explanation: 60 seconds.
Next steps: 30 seconds.

For communication stations:

Opening and perception check: 60–90 seconds.
Information delivery: 2–3 minutes.
Emotional response handling: 2–3 minutes.
Plan and close: 60 seconds.

Pacing tips:

Peek at the clock at the 4-minute mark. If you're behind, accelerate; if ahead, slow down to let the SP speak.
Never run out the clock without summarising and closing. An incomplete close kills the checklist score.
If you finish early (rare), stay in role. Don't "break character" to chat with the examiner.

12. Mock frequency and spacing

Full-length 16–18-station mocks are the closest approximation to exam day. Schedule them deliberately.

Mock cadence:

Weeks 5–6 of CPSA prep: first full-length mock. Expect to underperform; this is diagnostic.
Weeks 7–8: second mock.
Week 9: third mock (Manchester-based for IMGs if possible).
Week 10: fourth mock.
Week 11: fifth mock — last one before exam.
Week 12: taper; no full mocks.

Sources for full-length mocks:

UK students: your medical school typically runs mock OSCEs 2–4 times in final year. Attend every one.
IMGs: Manchester-based CPSA prep courses run full-length mocks specifically calibrated to the GMC blueprint. Budget £100–£400 per course; consider attending 1–2 over the prep window.
Online mock platforms: limited; most CPSA mocks require in-person SP interaction.
Peer-run mocks: your CPSA study group can assemble 16 stations from published briefs and run a weekend mock together.

After each mock:

Debrief same-day.
Identify 3 station types where you underperformed.
Plan the next week around targeted practice of those types.

13. Common CPSA mistakes

Mistake 1: Preparing CPSA only in the final 2 weeks. Communication skills don't consolidate in 2 weeks. Start peer practice at week 1 of your post-AKT window.

Mistake 2: Practising alone with imaginary patients. Doesn't work. You need a real human to respond. Find a partner or skip the practice entirely — don't self-deceive.

Mistake 3: Memorising histories as scripts. Examiners can tell. A station flows naturally; a script flows robotically. Drill the framework (Calgary-Cambridge), not the script.

Mistake 4: Ignoring non-verbal communication. Eye contact, body position, facial expression, pacing. These are scored via global rating even when not on the checklist. Film yourself.

Mistake 5: Over-medicalising explanations. "You've had a myocardial infarction" is wrong for a patient — say "a heart attack." "We'll commence dual antiplatelet therapy" is wrong — say "two medicines to thin your blood." Translate as you go.

Mistake 6: Missing ICE explicitly. Ideas, concerns, expectations elicitation is on almost every station checklist. Don't skip it. Ask: "Is there anything in particular you're worried about?" or "What were you hoping we'd do today?"

Mistake 7: Silent working. On examination and data-interpretation stations, verbalise what you're doing and finding. Examiners score what they observe. Silent excellence is indistinguishable from silent confusion.

Mistake 8: Failing to summarise and close. Both UK students and IMGs under-weight the summary + close. This is scored on almost every station. Never skip it.

Mistake 9: Panicking visibly after a mistake. If you realise you missed something, acknowledge calmly ("sorry, I'd also like to ask about..."). Recovery handled well often scores better than flawless performance.

Mistake 10: Under-rehearsing ethics and capacity. Ethics stations feel soft but they're scored rigorously. Know the four-stage MCA test. Know the Gillick criteria. Rehearse the top 10 ethics scenarios.

14. Geeky Medics and other OSCE resources

Geeky Medics (free).

The largest free OSCE resource in UK medical education.
Comprehensive library of history templates, examination sequences, communication scenarios, data interpretation guides.
Video demonstrations for each OSCE skill.
Essential for any CPSA prep. Every candidate should use this.

Medical Schools Council.

Publishes anonymised sample CPSA station briefs aligned to the UKMLA blueprint.
Useful for constructing peer-practice sessions.

Oxford Handbook for Medical Students.

Pocket reference for clinical content.
Light on OSCE-specific material but useful for clinical-knowledge refresh.

Your Q-bank's CPSA module.

Quesmed has a strong full OSCE library.
Our MLA Prep platform ships station templates and communication framework references; full 18-station mock library is more developed in specialist CPSA platforms.
Use whatever your primary Q-bank includes.

Manchester-based prep courses (IMGs).

Typically run 1–3 day mock intensives with simulated patients and experienced examiners.
Cost: £150–£500 per course.
Worth attending 1–2 in the 4–6 weeks before your CPSA sitting.
Reviews online vary; check recent feedback before committing.

Podcasts and video resources.

Watch real UK GP consultations (NHS e-learning platforms have anonymised recordings).
The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges communication standards videos.
NHS safeguarding training modules — free online.

15. Integrating CPSA into the 12-week plan

A full post-AKT, 12-week CPSA prep schedule.

Weeks 1–2 (post-AKT recovery + CPSA orientation):

3–5 days full rest after AKT.
Read the full UKMLA CPSA blueprint on the GMC site.
Refresh Calgary-Cambridge, SPIKES, ABCDE, MCA.
Watch Geeky Medics videos for every major examination type.

Weeks 3–4 (foundation peer practice):

2 peer sessions/week, 60 minutes each.
Focus: history-taking basics, examination sequences.
Start video self-review.

Weeks 5–6 (integration + first full mock):

3 peer sessions/week, 90 minutes each.
Focus: communication stations, ethics scenarios.
Run first full 16-station mock (with peers or at a Manchester course for IMGs).

Weeks 7–8 (refinement):

3 peer sessions/week.
Target weak archetypes from your first mock.
Second full mock at end of week 8.

Weeks 9–10 (performance):

2 peer sessions/week.
Daily 30-minute self-review from recordings.
Third full mock at Manchester-based course (IMGs) or at your school.

Weeks 11–12 (taper):

Final mock at start of week 11.
Light peer practice only (45 mins/day).
Final-week logistics: travel, accommodation, clothing, ID, rest.
Exam day.

Total: ~120 hours of focused CPSA prep over 12 weeks. That's what distinguishes candidates who pass comfortably from candidates who just scrape through.

16. FAQ

Q. How long before CPSA should I start preparing? 8–12 weeks of structured prep in the post-AKT window for IMGs. UK students should run concurrent prep with AKT throughout final year, intensifying 4–6 weeks before CPSA.

Q. Is Geeky Medics enough for CPSA? Great foundation, but insufficient alone. You need peer practice for enactment, mocks for exam simulation, and UK-specific ethics/legal grounding (MCA, MHA). Combine Geeky Medics with these.

Q. Do I need to book a Manchester mock course? Strongly recommended for IMGs. The value is genuine simulated-patient practice with UK-based feedback. If budget is tight, prioritise 1 paid mock day in the 4 weeks before your sitting.

Q. Can I practise CPSA via video calls instead of in-person? Partially. History and communication stations translate to video; examination stations don't. For IMGs without local peer access, video practice is better than nothing.

Q. What's the CPSA pass rate? First-sit pass rates are typically 70–85% for UK students and 65–80% for IMGs. Retakers typically achieve 70–85% pass. Pass mark mechanics covered here.

Q. How many stations do I need to pass? You don't need to pass a specific number individually. Your aggregate score across all stations must clear the standard-set threshold. A catastrophic failure on 1–2 stations can be recoverable if other stations are strong.

Q. What should I wear to CPSA? Smart clinical attire. Closed-toe shoes. Hair tied back if long. No loose jewellery. No scrubs unless explicitly told. Dress as you would for a UK ward round.

Q. How do I manage exam-day anxiety? Sleep the two nights before. Eat a normal breakfast. Avoid caffeine spikes. Use the breathing pattern 4-4-8 (inhale 4s, hold 4s, exhale 8s) between stations. If anxiety is severe or interfering with sleep, speak with your GP about short-term support.

Q. What happens if I freeze during a station? Pause. Take a breath. Reset. Say "let me take a moment to think about that" — this is professional and buys you time. Then continue. Examiners score recovery well. Frozen candidates who never recover score worse than candidates who pause and resume.

Q. Can I retake individual stations I failed? No. You retake the full CPSA sitting. The station bank will differ between your first sitting and your retake.

Pair your CPSA prep with a UKMLA-aligned knowledge base. MLA Prep's 10,000+ NICE-referenced SBAs keep your clinical knowledge sharp through the post-AKT gap. £49.99/year. See pricing →

CPSA is not won by knowing more. It's won by enacting more. The candidates who pass comfortably have practised each station archetype 10+ times under simulated conditions, with feedback, video review, and honest self-assessment. The candidates who fail are usually the ones who treated CPSA as an afterthought after a strong AKT.

Start peer practice this week. Find a partner. Film every session. Build the muscle memory. Book your Manchester mock day. Sleep enough. Arrive rested.

The checklist is earnable. The global rating is earnable. The pass is yours to rehearse.

Take the AKT diagnostic first — CPSA prep is stronger when your knowledge base is strong. MLA Prep's free 25-question UKMLA diagnostic baselines your content in 15 minutes. Start the diagnostic →

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