Free SCA cases are one of the best resources available to GP trainees, but using them well is what separates practice that helps from practice that just fills time. A case bank exercises your consultation structure and your recall of the format, not whether the management you propose is actually correct, so the value comes from how you run each case and what you do afterwards. Here is where to find free cases and a protocol for turning them into preparation that moves your score.
Key takeaways
- Fourteen Fisherman offers 79 free RCGP-mapped cases, alongside other free options.
- A case bank tests format and consultation structure, not whether your management is right.
- Run each case timed, then verify your management against a guideline source, then re-run.
- Solo, role-play, and AI patient practice each have distinct strengths worth using.
- Convert each case into portfolio evidence as a CBD or clinical case review.
Where to find free SCA cases
The most substantial free bank is Fourteen Fisherman's 79 SCA cases, each RCGP-mapped with a candidate brief, patient script, and marking scheme, which makes them usable on your own or in role-play. Beyond that, several platforms offer a free tier or a free first case, deaneries run periodic mock SCA days, and the RCGP publishes example materials that show the expected style. Peer practice with study partners costs nothing and remains the most effective method. For a fuller list, see our best free MRCGP resources guide.
The problem with free cases
A case bank has a built-in limit: it tests your recall of the format and your consultation structure, but it cannot tell you whether your clinical management is correct. You can work through case after case, running smooth consultations, and still be reinforcing the wrong first-line treatment if your underlying knowledge is off. The marking scheme tells you what a good answer looks like for that case, but it does not build the transferable management knowledge you need for the unseen cases on exam day. Free cases are necessary practice, not sufficient preparation.
A practice protocol that works
Run each case in four steps. First, pre-read the candidate brief under time pressure, as you would get roughly three minutes in the real exam, and form a plan. Second, run the consultation timed at twelve minutes, out loud, whether solo, with a partner, or against an AI patient, without stopping. Third, and this is the step most trainees skip, verify your management against a guideline source: check whether your investigation, threshold, and first-line treatment actually match NICE or CKS, and note where you were wrong. Fourth, re-run or debrief the case with the correct management fixed in mind. The verification step is where a case converts from a communication drill into genuine clinical learning.
Solo versus role-play versus AI patient
Each mode has a distinct strength. Solo practice, reading the brief and talking through the consultation aloud, is the most available and good for structure and timing. Role-play with a partner playing patient and marker is the closest to the real exam and gives you human feedback on empathy and cue-handling, which is why it remains the gold standard when you can arrange it. An AI patient sits between the two: available on demand, useful for repetitions and for practising when no partner is free, though its emotional range may not fully match a human role-player. Use all three as availability allows, rather than relying on one.
Turning practice into portfolio evidence
Do not let good practice go to waste in your portfolio. A case you have worked through, especially one where you identified and closed a knowledge gap, can become a Case-Based Discussion or a clinical case review, with a genuine Doctor's Educational Need attached. That is efficient: the same effort prepares you for the SCA and builds your portfolio evidence at once. Write the reflection yourself, link it to the relevant RCGP capabilities, and log the learning need you closed.
Where the knowledge step comes in
The verification step in the protocol is the one that needs a reliable source, and it is where a knowledge tool earns its place. Ask iatroX gives you free, NICE and CKS-grounded answers to check the management in any case, so your practice reinforces the correct pathway rather than an assumption, and the iatroX adaptive Q-bank drills the AKT-level knowledge behind the clinical management domain, with free sample questions and then £29 per month or £99 per year. Start with the free questions, and see our guide to the knowledge half of the SCA.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I find free SCA cases? Fourteen Fisherman offers 79 free RCGP-mapped cases with briefs, scripts, and mark schemes. Deaneries run free mock days, some platforms offer a free first case, and the RCGP publishes example materials. Peer practice is free and highly effective.
Are free SCA cases enough to pass? Not on their own. A case bank tests format and consultation structure, not whether your management is correct. Pair free cases with management knowledge and verification against a guideline source.
How should I practise with free cases? Pre-read the brief under time pressure, run the consultation timed at twelve minutes, verify your management against NICE or CKS, then re-run. The verification step turns a communication drill into clinical learning.
Can I use SCA practice for my portfolio? Yes. A case you worked through, particularly one where you closed a knowledge gap, can become a Case-Based Discussion or clinical case review with a genuine learning need attached. Write the reflection yourself.
Solo or role-play for SCA practice? Role-play with a partner is closest to the real exam and best for feedback on communication. Solo and AI-patient practice are more available and good for structure, timing, and repetitions. Use all three.