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[ Home ](https://mdster.com) 2. [ Blog ](https://mdster.com/blog) 3. [ Study Tips ](https://mdster.com/blog?category=study-tips) 4. Fellowship of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (Fellowship Clinical Exam (OSCE)): A Practical Study Plan [ Study Tips ](https://mdster.com/blog?category=study-tips) Fellowship of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (Fellowship Clinical Exam (OSCE)): A Practical Study Plan ========================================================================================================================= Turn emergency department experience into clear, timed junior-consultant performance. [ MDster Editorial Team ](https://mdster.com/about) · Nov 12, 2026 · 6 min read · 41 [ Reviewed by Dr. Ali Ragab, MBBCH, MSc, MCAI ](https://mdster.com/medical-reviewers/dr-ali-ragab) [Editorial Policy](https://mdster.com/editorial-policy) \| [Corrections Policy](https://mdster.com/corrections) [ Emergency Medicine ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=emergency-medicine) [ Study Tips ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=study-tips) [ OSCE Preparation ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=osce-preparation) [ FACEM Exam ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=facem-exam) ![Fellowship of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (Fellowship Clinical Exam (OSCE)): A Practical Study Plan](https://mdster.com/storage/blog/images/fellowship-of-the-australasian-college-for-emergency-medicine-fellowship-clinical-exam-osc.png) Share this article Share this post On this page 1. [ Build a station map before building a reading list ](#build-a-station-map-before-building-a-reading-list) 2. [ Rehearse the four-minute read and seven-minute encounter ](#rehearse-the-four-minute-read-and-seven-minute-encounter) 3. [ Give the reading period a job ](#give-the-reading-period-a-job) 4. [ Make decisions observable ](#make-decisions-observable) 5. [ Turn every mock station into targeted feedback ](#turn-every-mock-station-into-targeted-feedback) 6. [ Study Schedule Template: eight weeks around ED shifts ](#study-schedule-template-eight-weeks-around-ed-shifts) 7. [ Common pitfalls to correct early ](#common-pitfalls-to-correct-early) 8. [ Key Takeaways: act this week ](#key-takeaways-act-this-week) 9. [ Your next station starts now ](#your-next-station-starts-now) 10. [ Frequently Asked Questions ](#blog-faqs) 11. [ References ](#references-heading) On this page 1. [ Build a station map before building a reading list ](#build-a-station-map-before-building-a-reading-list) 2. [ Rehearse the four-minute read and seven-minute encounter ](#rehearse-the-four-minute-read-and-seven-minute-encounter) 3. [ Give the reading period a job ](#give-the-reading-period-a-job) 4. [ Make decisions observable ](#make-decisions-observable) 5. [ Turn every mock station into targeted feedback ](#turn-every-mock-station-into-targeted-feedback) 6. [ Study Schedule Template: eight weeks around ED shifts ](#study-schedule-template-eight-weeks-around-ed-shifts) 7. [ Common pitfalls to correct early ](#common-pitfalls-to-correct-early) 8. [ Key Takeaways: act this week ](#key-takeaways-act-this-week) 9. [ Your next station starts now ](#your-next-station-starts-now) 10. [ Frequently Asked Questions ](#blog-faqs) 11. [ References ](#references-heading) You know how to manage a deteriorating patient, but can you make your priorities clear in seven minutes? That is the adjustment many experienced emergency clinicians need for the Fellowship Clinical Exam. As of November 2026, ACEM describes an OSCE over two consecutive days, with up to 12 stations; each allows four minutes to read and seven minutes for assessment. Practise the clock and the interaction—not just the medicine. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") Build a station map before building a reading list -------------------------------------------------- ACEM specifies at least one station each in history, examination, challenging communication, resuscitation case-based discussion, teaching or advice to junior staff, and standardised case-based discussion. Start with one practice case in every category. Record which formats expose your weaknesses; do not spend all your preparation on the resuscitation scenarios you enjoy. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") Station typePractise saying or doingCheck afterwardsHistory or examinationFocus the encounter, then summarise findings and next stepsDid you address the task rather than perform a generic assessment?Communication or teachingState the key message, check understanding, invite questionsCould the other person act on your explanation?Case-based discussion or resuscitationPrioritise immediate risks, delegate, then reassessWere safety and decisions explicit? Use ACEM’s candidate resources and examination reports on its eLearning platform to identify the domains assessed in example stations. Ask a FACEM supervisor to judge whether your performance meets the *specific task*, rather than relying on a universal OSCE script. ACEM’s marking process assesses station domains, so a polished introduction cannot substitute for the clinical work a station requests. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") Rehearse the four-minute read and seven-minute encounter -------------------------------------------------------- ### Give the reading period a job In each practice station, use the first read to identify your role, the person in front of you, and every requested task. Use the remaining time to choose an opening, the two or three priorities that must be demonstrated, and a closing summary. Do not invent extra tasks or spend the whole period rehearsing a textbook differential. ### Make decisions observable During assessment time, signpost what you are doing without narrating every thought. For a resuscitation discussion, you might say: “My immediate concern is shock. I will call for senior and nursing support, start simultaneous assessment and treatment, and reassess the response.” Then respond to the information you are given rather than delivering a memorised monologue. For communication stations, practise a first sentence that names the issue plainly. In a role-play about a delayed diagnosis, explain what is known, acknowledge the impact, describe the immediate safety plan, and check what the patient or relative needs clarified. Have your partner interrupt or disagree; recovery is more useful practice than repeating a flawless script. > **Pro Tip:** After each station, ask your observer, “What important action did you have to infer?” Your next attempt should make that action explicit. Turn every mock station into targeted feedback ---------------------------------------------- Run a weekly group of three: candidate, role-player and observer. Give the observer the station instructions and an assessment sheet based on the relevant ACEM resources; keep the candidate’s information limited to their brief. Rotate roles so you learn what concise, credible explanations sound like from the other side of the encounter. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") Immediately after seven minutes, capture feedback in three lines: 1. **Keep:** One effective clinical or communication behaviour. 2. **Change:** One omission or delay that mattered to this task. 3. **Repeat:** The exact station type you will retry within a week. Retest the same skill with a different case rather than memorising the original scenario. Spaced retrieval and simulated-patient practice have evidence for supporting retention and clinical application; use them to supplement, not replace, observation by an experienced clinician. [\[2\]](#cite-2 "Reference [2]") Use resources selectively. Turn a question-bank item into a spoken prioritisation drill; consult a textbook or local protocol only when feedback reveals a clinical gap. Choose a course or mock circuit for observed performance and specific feedback, not for another stack of notes. Do not use identifiable patient details when adapting cases from work. Study Schedule Template: eight weeks around ED shifts ----------------------------------------------------- This is a preparation template, not an ACEM requirement. If your roster disrupts a week, preserve the timed encounter and feedback before adding more reading. WeeksMain taskMinimum useful output1–2Baseline: one timed case in each station typeA ranked list of three recurring weaknesses3–4Two short partner sessions weekly; alternate communication and clinical reasoningFour or more observed stations each week5–6Add examination, teaching and resuscitation interruptionsOne revised approach for each weak format7Run a mixed, timed circuit with unfamiliar casesFeedback by station type, not just an overall impression8Repeat missed formats; rehearse the read-to-assessment transitionA brief plan for each station type On a busy shift week, one 11-minute station plus five minutes of feedback is more useful than postponing practice until you can organise a full circuit. For an examination station, practise describing what you would seek *only when the task permits it*; if asked to examine, demonstrate the requested examination instead. Common pitfalls to correct early -------------------------------- - **Treating the OSCE like the Fellowship Written Exam:** Replace another hour of silent notes with one observed, timed explanation. - **Using one script everywhere:** Check the candidate instructions; a distressed relative, junior doctor and resuscitation team need different responses. - **Listing possibilities without committing:** State the leading concern, immediate action and what information could change your decision. - **Practising only with supportive friends:** Ask a FACEM or experienced educator to challenge your prioritisation and clarity. - **Ignoring the second day:** Include a longer mixed circuit so you practise resetting your approach between unrelated stations. ACEM holds the examination over two consecutive days. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") Key Takeaways: act this week ---------------------------- - Find the current ACEM OSCE candidate resources and an examination report. - Book two 11-minute stations: one clinical, one communication or teaching. - Ask an observer to identify one action you left implicit. - Retry your weaker format with a new case within seven days. Your next station starts now ---------------------------- You do not need a perfect script. You need repeated opportunities to show safe, clear junior-consultant decisions under the actual time limit. Book the first observed station, use its feedback to choose the second, and let that pattern guide the rest of your preparation. Frequently Asked Questions ---------------------------- ### How should I divide practice between reading time and assessment time? Time both parts: four minutes to interpret the brief and plan your priorities, followed by seven minutes to perform the requested task. Review whether your plan helped you finish. ### Are question banks enough preparation for the Fellowship Clinical OSCE? No. Use them to find knowledge gaps, then practise explaining decisions aloud in timed, observed stations. ### What should I ask a FACEM observer to assess? Ask whether you addressed the station instructions, made safety priorities and decisions explicit, and communicated appropriately with the person in the scenario. ### What if my roster prevents regular full mock circuits? Practise one complete 11-minute station with feedback when time is tight. Arrange a mixed circuit later to rehearse switching between station types. References (4) ------------------ 1. 1. [ Australasian College for Emergency Medicine. Examinations: Clinical Exam (OSCE). ](https://acem.org.au/Content-Sources/Training/How-the-FACEM-Training-Program-works/FACEM-Trainees-enrolling-from-2022/Examinations) [↩](#cite-ref-1-1 "Back to text") 2. 2. [ Trumble E, et al. Systematic review of distributed practice and retrieval practice in health professions education. Advances in Health Sciences Education, 2024. ](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11078833) [↩](#cite-ref-2-1 "Back to text") 3. 3. [ Australasian College for Emergency Medicine. Policy and Procedure for the Recording of Stations at the Fellowship Clinical Examination (OSCE), TA689. ](https://policy.acem.org.au/index.php/policies-menu/ta689-policy-and-procedure-for-the-recording-of-stations-at-the-fellowship-clinical-examination) 4. 4. [ Larsen DP, et al. The importance of seeing the patient: Test-enhanced learning with standardized patients and written tests improves clinical application of knowledge. 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