The SCA is nine diets per year. The exam fee is £1,207 (staged payments from April 2026 — 25% at reservation, remainder closer to the exam). Most trainees sit the SCA in the second half of ST3. The question is not whether to prepare — it is when to start and how to phase the preparation for maximum impact on exam day.
6 Months Out: Knowledge Consolidation
Before you practise consulting, ensure you know the medicine. The SCA Clinical Management domain tests whether your management plans are evidence-based — which requires knowing the guidelines.
iatroX adaptive quiz (free). Daily 15-minute sessions building your clinical knowledge base. The adaptive engine targets your weakest areas automatically.
AKT revision. If you are also preparing for the AKT, the clinical knowledge overlap with SCA is substantial. AKT revision directly supports SCA readiness.
CKS deep-dives. Work through the CKS topics for high-frequency SCA clinical experience groups — long-term conditions, mental health, cardiovascular, women's health.
4 Months Out: Consultation Framework
RCGP Consultation Toolkit (free). Read the full document. Understand what examiners are looking for in each marking domain. Internalise the specific behaviours that distinguish "clear pass" from "needs further development."
Consultation models. Review Calgary-Cambridge, Pendleton, or whichever model your VTS programme uses. The framework structures your 12-minute consultation.
3 Months Out: Case-Based Study
SCA Revision (from £11.99/month). Begin working through the case bank. Study 3-5 cases per week with mark-scheme breakdowns. Watch consultation videos (Premium) to see model consultations being marked.
SCA Prep (from £14.95/month, alternative). Generate cases in your weak clinical areas for targeted practice.
2 Months Out: Simulation Ramp-Up
MedTutor AI. Weekly voice simulations (2-3 per week). The 12-minute timed format builds exam-condition familiarity.
Clinitalk. Record your real consultations and analyse the AI feedback against SCA marking criteria. Continuous improvement on your actual consulting style.
Peer practice. Begin weekly study group sessions with 3 people (candidate, patient, marker). Rotate roles.
1 Month Out: Intensive Practice
Daily simulations. Peer practice under full exam conditions (12 stations, 12 minutes each). Mock SCA if your deanery offers one. Consider Emedica SCA Intensive for high-fidelity calibration with professional simulated patients.
Final Week
Light revision. Focus on your weakest clinical experience group. Rest. The SCA tests consulting — and consulting requires clarity of thought that exhaustion undermines.
Where iatroX Fits
The first phase — knowledge consolidation — is where iatroX delivers the most value. Start adaptive revision early so your clinical foundations are solid before you begin practising SCA delivery. Ask iatroX remains useful throughout — verifying management pathways before you practise communicating them.