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Study With Pastest: The Past-Paper Theme Extraction System

A Pastest workflow for MRCP-style exams: extract recurring themes, build decision prompts, and retest failures on a schedule.

Review date
Feb 2026
Reading time
10 min read
Author
Dr. Kola Tytler MBBS CertHE MBA MSt MRCGP
On this page
Pastest is valuable when you use it as a theme detector: the recurring patterns and classic traps. Your job is to turn those patterns into fast decision prompts, not a giant notebook of explanations.

The MRCP edge: recognising the pattern early

Many MRCP questions are decided by a small number of key discriminators (a trigger sign, a threshold, a contraindication, a must-not-miss diagnosis). Training your early recognition is the highest return activity.

Key points

  • Use question blocks to reveal recurring themes, then extract discriminators.
  • Write prompts that force the discriminator (“what single clue changes the answer?”).
  • Retest discriminators weekly until automatic.
1

Step 1 — Run a themed block (timed)

Pick a specialty (cardio/resp/neuro) for 25–40 questions. Time pressure is useful: it forces you to practise recognition rather than explanation reading.
2

Step 2 — For each miss, ask: what was the discriminator?

Was it a single clue? A specific investigation? A red-flag? A contraindication? The discriminator becomes your prompt.
3

Step 3 — Build ‘discriminator prompts’

Examples: “In this presentation, what finding makes it X not Y?”, “Which test distinguishes A from B?”, “Which contraindication flips treatment?”.
4

Step 4 — Create a weekly discriminator drill

Once per week, run through all discriminator prompts. Delete the ones that are now instant. Keep the list lean.
5

Step 5 — Add one ‘anti-trap’ prompt

Write one prompt that blocks your personal trap (e.g., confusing similar conditions, misreading an ECG, mixing threshold values). This is disproportionally high yield.
  • Every miss produces one discriminator prompt.
  • Keep the discriminator list < 60 items (otherwise too broad).
  • Weekly: 20–30 minutes discriminator drill.
  • If you’re ‘studying explanations’, you’re probably drifting into passive review.
SourcePastest — Official site
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SourcePastest — MRCP Part 1
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SourceRoediger & Karpicke (2006): Testing effect (PubMed)
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  • Pick a specialty (cardio/resp/neuro) for 25–40 questions. Time pressure is useful: it forces you to practise recognition rather than explanation reading.

    Return to this section

  • Was it a single clue? A specific investigation? A red-flag? A contraindication? The discriminator becomes your prompt.

    Return to this section

  • Examples: “In this presentation, what finding makes it X not Y?”, “Which test distinguishes A from B?”, “Which contraindication flips treatment?”.

    Return to this section

  • Once per week, run through all discriminator prompts. Delete the ones that are now instant. Keep the list lean.

    Return to this section

  • Write one prompt that blocks your personal trap (e.g., confusing similar conditions, misreading an ECG, mixing threshold values). This is disproportionally high yield.

    Return to this section
  • Return to this section
  • Return to this section
  • Return to this section
  • Return to this section

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