1. Core competencies
The examination samples integrated clinical performance rather than isolated recall. Prepare to demonstrate the following abilities within a single encounter.
Assessment and reasoning
- Focused history taking
- Relevant physical examination
- Data interpretation
- Prioritized differential diagnosis
- Selection of appropriate investigations
Management and communication
- Immediate stabilization
- Safe treatment and consultation
- Patient-centred explanation
- Consent, capacity and confidentiality
- Follow-up and safety-netting
2. Discipline syllabus
Open each linked module for presentations, examination skills, emergencies and station targets.
Internal Medicine
Focused assessment, differential diagnosis, investigation and safe management of common adult presentations.
Surgical OSCESurgery & Perioperative Care
Recognition of surgical emergencies, perioperative complications, trauma and informed consent.
Child healthPediatrics
Age-appropriate assessment, caregiver communication and recognition of the unwell child.
Reproductive healthObstetrics & Gynecology
Pregnancy, gynecologic emergencies, contraception and patient-centred reproductive care.
Mental healthPsychiatry
Mental-status examination, risk assessment, capacity and safe disposition.
Older adultsGeriatric Medicine
Function, cognition, falls, polypharmacy, goals of care and caregiver context.
Urgent careEmergency & Clinical Safety
Immediate stabilization, escalation and prevention of dangerous delay.
Cross-cuttingCommunication, Ethics & Professionalism
Patient-centred communication and Canadian professional standards embedded in every station.
Clinical skillsPhysical Examination
Efficient, respectful and hypothesis-driven examination within station time.
3. Cross-cutting presentations
| Presentation | What to master |
|---|---|
| Pain | Onset, character, severity, associated symptoms, functional impact, red flags, analgesia and disposition. |
| Shortness of breath | Severity, oxygenation, cardiovascular and respiratory causes, thromboembolic risk and immediate stabilization. |
| Fever | Source, immune status, travel and exposure, sepsis screening, cultures, antimicrobials and infection control. |
| Bleeding | Stability, amount, anticoagulants, pregnancy status, resuscitation, source control and urgent consultation. |
| Altered mental status | Delirium, intoxication, hypoglycemia, neurologic disease, collateral history, capacity and safety. |
| Functional decline | Frailty, medications, cognition, mood, mobility, social supports and discharge safety. |
4. Physical examinations
- Cardiovascular and peripheral vascular examination
- Respiratory examination
- Abdominal examination
- Focused neurologic examination
- Musculoskeletal examination of common joints
- Thyroid and lymph-node examination
- Mental-status examination
- General assessment of the acutely ill patient
5. Communication and professional tasks
- Breaking bad news and responding to emotion
- Informed consent and treatment refusal
- Decision-making capacity
- Confidentiality and its limits
- Adolescent and reproductive-health communication
- Medication or medical-error disclosure
- Motivational interviewing and behaviour change
- Goals of care and substitute decision-making
- Interpreter use and culturally safe communication
6. Safety curriculum
Safety should be verbalized, not merely implied. State when you would stop the interview, call for help, begin stabilization, arrange monitoring or obtain urgent consultation.
- Airway compromise or severe respiratory distress
- Shock, sepsis or active hemorrhage
- Acute coronary syndrome, stroke or pulmonary embolism
- Ectopic pregnancy or major obstetric hemorrhage
- Suicidal intent, violent risk or severe agitation
- Unwell infant or child
- Abuse, neglect or unsafe discharge
7. Station-production checklist
Each practice station should contain candidate instructions, patient role, key findings, scoring checklist, global rating criteria, expected differential, investigations, management, safety actions and feedback.