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Fellowship of The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (Fellowship Assessment Visit): Study Tips [ Study Tips ](https://mdster.com/blog?category=study-tips) Fellowship of The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (Fellowship Assessment Visit): Study Tips ================================================================================================================ A practical six-week plan for demonstrating safe consultations, reliable records, cultural safety, and sound practice systems [ MDster Editorial Team ](https://mdster.com/about) · Aug 23, 2026 · 5 min read · 51 [ 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) [ Family Medicine ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=family-medicine) [ Study Tips ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=study-tips) [ RNZCGP ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=rnzcgp) [ FRNZCGP ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=frnzcgp) [ Workplace Assessment ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=workplace-assessment) ![Fellowship of The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (Fellowship Assessment Visit): Study Tips](https://mdster.com/storage/blog/images/fellowship-of-the-royal-new-zealand-college-of-general-practitioners-fellowship-assessment.jpg) Share this article Share this post On this page 1. [ Build Preparation Around the Fellowship Standards ](#build-preparation-around-the-fellowship-standards) 2. [ Rehearse Complete, Observable Consultations ](#rehearse-complete-observable-consultations) 3. [ Make Your Records Match Your Clinical Reasoning ](#make-your-records-match-your-clinical-reasoning) 4. [ Study Schedule Template ](#study-schedule-template) 5. [ Conduct a Full Mock Visit ](#conduct-a-full-mock-visit) 6. [ Avoid Common Fellowship Visit Mistakes ](#avoid-common-fellowship-visit-mistakes) 7. [ Key Takeaways ](#key-takeaways) 8. [ Frequently Asked Questions ](#blog-faqs) 9. [ References ](#references-heading) On this page 1. [ Build Preparation Around the Fellowship Standards ](#build-preparation-around-the-fellowship-standards) 2. [ Rehearse Complete, Observable Consultations ](#rehearse-complete-observable-consultations) 3. [ Make Your Records Match Your Clinical Reasoning ](#make-your-records-match-your-clinical-reasoning) 4. [ Study Schedule Template ](#study-schedule-template) 5. [ Conduct a Full Mock Visit ](#conduct-a-full-mock-visit) 6. [ Avoid Common Fellowship Visit Mistakes ](#avoid-common-fellowship-visit-mistakes) 7. [ Key Takeaways ](#key-takeaways) 8. [ Frequently Asked Questions ](#blog-faqs) 9. [ References ](#references-heading) Many candidates prepare for the Fellowship assessment visit as though it were another clinical examination. That is the wrong target. This visit tests whether your everyday work—including consultations, records, referrals, follow-up systems, cultural safety, and teamwork—consistently meets Fellowship standards. Current as of August 2026, the visit usually lasts four to five hours. Indicative components include consultation observation, medical-record review, structured discussion, and inspection of practice systems, premises, equipment, and medicines. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") Build Preparation Around the Fellowship Standards ------------------------------------------------- Start by converting the official standards into an evidence checklist. The framework contains 13 essential indicators covering communication, clinical skills, records, integration of care, practice safety, equipment, accessibility, patient rights, professionalism, scholarship, and personal health management. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") For each indicator, record: - What the assessor could observe directly - What evidence exists in your records or portfolio - How you would explain the relevant practice system - One weakness requiring correction Do not merely read the standards. Ask a Fellow or medical educator to challenge your evidence: “How would you prove that abnormal results cannot disappear?” or “How does this referral advance equitable access?” > **Pro Tip:** Every indicator is essential. Preparing only for clinical knowledge while ignoring records or practice systems creates avoidable risk. Rehearse Complete, Observable Consultations ------------------------------------------- The observed patients should reflect normal booking practices rather than a hand-picked list. Your task is to make competent routine practice visible without performing an artificial examination script. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") Use this consultation sequence during ordinary clinics: 1. Establish the agenda and acknowledge patient cues. 2. Explore the patient’s ideas, concerns, expectations, whānau context, and health literacy. 3. Take a focused history and obtain consent before examination. 4. State a working diagnosis while retaining important differentials. 5. Agree on management, follow-up, and explicit safety-netting. 6. Address prevention or equity when clinically relevant. 7. Complete the record before moving to the next patient. Review two recorded consultations weekly with a supervisor. Score therapeutic relationship, problem definition, examination, management, clinical reasoning, organisation, professionalism, and cultural safety—not presentation style alone. Make Your Records Match Your Clinical Reasoning ----------------------------------------------- The assessor may review random records, portal entries, referrals, and notes from consultations observed that day. The official self-audit requires 10 randomly selected patient records and a completed report and improvement plan. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") Audit whether each note shows: - Relevant positive and negative findings - Examination findings and consent where applicable - Working diagnosis or differential - Medication details and investigation requests - Shared decisions and information provided - Follow-up responsibility and safety-netting - Screening, immunisation, and risk-factor status Run a second unofficial audit two weeks later. This confirms that improvements became routine rather than remaining a one-off documentation exercise. Study Schedule Template ----------------------- TimingMain focusRequired outputWeeks 6–5Map all 13 indicatorsEvidence checklist and gap listWeeks 4–3Consultations and recordsFour reviewed consultations; two chart auditsWeek 2Systems and discussionFull mock visit; referral and results-system reviewWeek 1Logistics and consistencyStaff briefing, equipment checklist, normal clinics Use question banks sparingly. Convert cases into spoken “what if” discussions about altered age, comorbidity, pregnancy, medicines, red flags, access barriers, or worsening symptoms. The assessor may use hypothetical variations to explore clinical judgement. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") Conduct a Full Mock Visit ------------------------- Ask a senior Fellow who does not supervise you daily to observe several consecutive consultations. They should then review notes, request a recent referral, inspect your task list, and question you about recalls, urgent results, privacy, complaints, chaperones, emergency procedures, and local referral pathways. Practise concise answers using this structure: - **System:** What normally happens? - **Your role:** What do you personally check? - **Risk control:** How are failures detected? - **Improvement:** What would you change? > **Pro Tip:** Never answer a systems question with “the nurse handles that.” Explain delegation, accountability, escalation, and how you confirm completion. Avoid Common Fellowship Visit Mistakes -------------------------------------- - **Overengineering the patient list:** Normal breadth is more credible than selected “interesting” cases. - **Ignoring unfinished notes:** Complete observed consultation records while the assessor remains onsite. - **Giving vague safety-netting:** Specify symptoms, timing, destination, and follow-up responsibility. - **Performing cultural safety:** Demonstrate genuine curiosity, shared decisions, correct identity information, and attention to inequitable barriers. - **Discovering systems on the day:** Personally test recalls, urgent-result workflows, equipment access, portal visibility, and referral retrieval. - **Cramming rare medicine:** Prioritise common undifferentiated presentations, multimorbidity, prescribing, prevention, mental health, and continuity. Key Takeaways ------------- Implement these actions this week: - Download the regulations applying to your cohort and the current assessment standards. - Map evidence against all 13 indicators. - Audit 10 random records and create an improvement plan. - Arrange recorded consultation feedback and a full mock visit. - Walk through results, recalls, referrals, emergencies, privacy, and equipment with practice staff. The Fellowship assessment visit is not about producing a flawless performance. It is about showing that safe, culturally appropriate, reflective general practice is your normal way of working. Prepare the practice you actually deliver, then make its quality easy for the assessor to see. Frequently Asked Questions ---------------------------- ### How is preparation for the Fellowship assessment visit different from the GPEP clinical examination? The visit evaluates your real workplace performance over several hours. Preparation must include records, recalls, referrals, teamwork, cultural safety, equipment, and practice systems—not only consultation technique. ### Should I arrange selected patients for the observed consultations? No. Bookings should reflect normal practice rather than a hand-picked group. Ensure reception has appropriate patient information and consent processes ready. ### How should I prepare for the medical-record review? Complete the required random 10-record self-audit, implement its improvement plan, and repeat a smaller audit. Ensure your notes clearly show reasoning, management, follow-up, and safety-netting. ### What resources are most useful for this assessment? Prioritise the official standards, cohort-specific regulations, consultation recordings, chart audits, local pathways, practice policies, supervisor feedback, and a realistic mock visit. References (3) ------------------ 1. 1. [ RNZCGP Fellowship Assessment: Standards and Guidelines for Candidates ](https://www.rnzcgp.org.nz/documents/238/Standards_and_Guidelines_for_Fellowship_Assessment__July_2023.pdf) [↩](#cite-ref-1-1 "Back to text") 2. 2. [ RNZCGP Fellowship Pathway Regulations effective 2 February 2026 ](https://www.rnzcgp.org.nz/documents/710/Fellowship_Pathway_Regulations_effective_2_February_2026.pdf) 3. 3. [ RNZCGP Policies and Regulations ](https://www.rnzcgp.org.nz/study-with-us/study-general-practice/policies-and-regulations/) Keep going Stay consistent in Family Medicine prep with a guided pathway --------------------------------------------------------------- - Broad coverage without the overwhelm - Short daily sessions that compound - See your progress and focus on weak areas [ Start practicing ](https://mdster.com/user/dashboard) [ Explore Family Medicine ](https://mdster.com/speciality/family-medicine) [ View pricing ](https://mdster.com/pricing) [ Explore features ](https://mdster.com/features) No credit card required. Full access to all features\*. No commitment. Cancel anytime. \*AI SOE Examiner is limited to 10 cases monthly for Advanced & Bundle subscribers. 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