Quick Summary
You cannot pass alone. But a bad study group is worse than no study group. Here is the blueprint for a high-performance revision team.
Mock Exam Magic: The Power of the Group
Orthopaedic surgery is a team sport. Exam preparation is no different. The "Lone Wolf" rarely survives the clinical exam.
The "Hot Seat" Rules
To get value from a study group, it must simulate the pressure of the real exam. A casual chat over coffee is useless.
The Hot Seat Protocol
When you are in the "Hot Seat":
- No breaking character. You are the candidate, they are the examiners.
- No "Time Outs". If you get stuck, you struggle. Just like the real day.
- Strict Timing. 5 minutes means 5 minutes.
Roles and Responsibilities
Ideally, you need 3 people:
- The Candidate: Under pressure. Answering questions.
- The Examiner: Asking the questions. Being "neutral" (not too nice, not too mean).
- The Observer: This is the most important role. They sit silently and take notes on body language, non-verbal cues, and "ums" and "ahs".
Structuring a Session (2 Hours)
- 0-10 min: Setup and warm-up.
- 10-40 min: Round 1 (Person A is Candidate). 3 x 10 min stations.
- 40-50 min: Feedback for Person A.
- 50-80 min: Round 2 (Person B is Candidate).
- 80-90 min: Feedback for Person B.
- 90-120 min: Round 3 (Person C is Candidate) + Feedback.
Feedback: The Breakfast of Champions
Feedback must be:
- Specific: "You fidgeted" vs "You tapped your pen on the table 15 times."
- Actionable: "Be more confident" vs "Speak 10% louder and make eye contact."
- Brutal but Kind: Don't sugarcoat it. Saving their feelings now means they fail later.
The 'Sandwich' is Dead
Don't do "Good thing, Bad thing, Good thing." Just give them the data. "Here is what you did well. Here is what needs fixing." We are surgeons; we deal in directness.
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