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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. Membership of the Irish College of General Practitioners (Clinical Competency Test (CCT)): Study Tips for Passing the Stations [ Study Tips ](https://mdster.com/blog?category=study-tips) Membership of the Irish College of General Practitioners (Clinical Competency Test (CCT)): Study Tips for Passing the Stations ================================================================================================================================ A realistic, format-specific plan to help GP trainees turn everyday consulting into higher-scoring simulated GP consultations. [ MDster Editorial Team ](https://mdster.com/about) · Jul 11, 2026 · 7 min read · 32 [ 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) [ Exam Preparation ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=exam-preparation) [ GP Training ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=gp-training) [ Clinical Skills ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=clinical-skills) [ MICGP CCT ](https://mdster.com/blog?tag=micgp-cct) ![Membership of the Irish College of General Practitioners (Clinical Competency Test (CCT)): Study Tips for Passing the Stations](https://mdster.com/storage/blog/images/membership-of-the-irish-college-of-general-practitioners-clinical-competency-test-cct-stud.jpg) Share this article Share this post On this page 1. [ Learn the format so your practice matches the exam ](#learn-the-format-so-your-practice-matches-the-exam) 2. [ Build stations that copy the real task ](#build-stations-that-copy-the-real-task) 3. [ Train to the marking logic, not just the diagnosis ](#train-to-the-marking-logic-not-just-the-diagnosis) 4. [ Use one repeatable consultation frame ](#use-one-repeatable-consultation-frame) 5. [ Prioritise the curriculum areas that score in GP ](#prioritise-the-curriculum-areas-that-score-in-gp) 6. [ Best resource mix for this exam ](#best-resource-mix-for-this-exam) 7. [ Study Schedule Template ](#study-schedule-template) 8. [ Use deliberate practice, not passive revision ](#use-deliberate-practice-not-passive-revision) 9. [ A weekly deliberate-practice routine ](#a-weekly-deliberate-practice-routine) 10. [ Common pitfalls in the CCT ](#common-pitfalls-in-the-cct) 11. [ Exam-day details people forget ](#exam-day-details-people-forget) 12. [ Key Takeaways ](#key-takeaways) 13. [ Frequently Asked Questions ](#blog-faqs) 14. [ References ](#references-heading) On this page 1. [ Learn the format so your practice matches the exam ](#learn-the-format-so-your-practice-matches-the-exam) 2. [ Build stations that copy the real task ](#build-stations-that-copy-the-real-task) 3. [ Train to the marking logic, not just the diagnosis ](#train-to-the-marking-logic-not-just-the-diagnosis) 4. [ Use one repeatable consultation frame ](#use-one-repeatable-consultation-frame) 5. [ Prioritise the curriculum areas that score in GP ](#prioritise-the-curriculum-areas-that-score-in-gp) 6. [ Best resource mix for this exam ](#best-resource-mix-for-this-exam) 7. [ Study Schedule Template ](#study-schedule-template) 8. [ Use deliberate practice, not passive revision ](#use-deliberate-practice-not-passive-revision) 9. [ A weekly deliberate-practice routine ](#a-weekly-deliberate-practice-routine) 10. [ Common pitfalls in the CCT ](#common-pitfalls-in-the-cct) 11. [ Exam-day details people forget ](#exam-day-details-people-forget) 12. [ Key Takeaways ](#key-takeaways) 13. [ Frequently Asked Questions ](#blog-faqs) 14. [ References ](#references-heading) Most candidates do not struggle in the MICGP CCT because they missed a rare diagnosis. They struggle because they revise like it is a written paper, then meet a live consulting exam that rewards agenda-setting, prioritisation, explanation, safety-netting, and practical GP decision-making under time pressure. As of July 2026, the official ICGP CCT page still describes the Spring 2024 format: six simulated consultations with actor-patients, including four dual-scenario cases and two single-scenario complex cases, each lasting 17 minutes, with the full exam taking about two hours. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") Learn the format so your practice matches the exam -------------------------------------------------- The CCT is built to assess day-to-day Irish general practice, not hospital-style clerking. The ICGP says it tests knowledge, clinical skills, communication, attitudes, and practice management across simulated surgery, home-visit, or telephone contexts, with examiners using a predefined marking schedule. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") ### Build stations that copy the real task - Run **17-minute stations**, not short informal role-plays. - Build **four dual-scenario cases** and **two single-scenario cases** into each full mock. - In dual-scenario practice, force yourself to identify and prioritise both problems in the first minute. - In single-scenario practice, train yourself to manage complexity, uncertainty, and psychosocial context without becoming unfocused. - Use one observer whose only job is to score observable behaviours, not to help you. In the dual-scenario stations, both issues are marked independently and carry equal weight. That means you cannot afford to spend 12 minutes on the first problem and then rush the second; your opening move should be a clear agenda contract such as: *We have two issues today, so let’s make sure we use our time well and cover both.* [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") > **Pro Tip:** For every dual-scenario mock, write your planned time split at the top of the stem before you start. A simple 7-minute / 7-minute / 3-minute structure is often better than “seeing how it goes.” Train to the marking logic, not just the diagnosis -------------------------------------------------- The ICGP describes the CCT as testing core GP competences including primary care management, person-centred care, specific problem-solving, a comprehensive approach, community orientation, and a bio-psycho-social consultation style. If your practice focuses only on reaching the right diagnosis, you are training too narrowly for this exam. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") ### Use one repeatable consultation frame For almost every station, practise this sequence: 1. **Open and contract** the agenda. 2. **Target your data gathering** to the likely problem. 3. **Show clinical reasoning** and acknowledge uncertainty when appropriate. 4. **Explain a management plan** that fits primary care. 5. **Close with safety-netting, follow-up, and limits of your own role.** Your observer checklist should ask simple yes/no questions: - Did you identify the patient’s concerns and priorities? - Did you manage time deliberately? - Did you explain your thinking in plain language? - Did you include practical GP management, not just diagnosis? - Did you mention follow-up, red flags, or when to escalate? - Did you recognise your own limits when the case required referral or urgent action? Prioritise the curriculum areas that score in GP ------------------------------------------------ ICGP states that CCT cases are based on the core curriculum. So do not organise your revision around rare conditions or hospital algorithms alone. Prioritise curriculum areas that repeatedly shape GP consultations: communication in the consultation, practice management, patient safety and quality of care, mental health, child health, women-specific health, older person’s health, social and multicultural health, and acute care/out-of-hours decision-making. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") ### Best resource mix for this exam - **Real GP surgeries:** after each clinic, convert two real consultations into CCT cases. - **A study group of three:** candidate, patient, observer. - **Concise primary care references:** use them to tighten management plans and prescribing decisions. - **Question banks:** use them only to refresh differentials and evidence, not as your main CCT prep tool. - **Official ICGP materials:** the College points candidates to CCT prep material and an example of a good CCT station. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") Study Schedule Template ----------------------- A short, repeatable plan beats heroic last-minute cramming. WeekMain focusOutput1-2Learn format and build casesWrite 12 cases: 8 dual-scenario, 4 single-scenario3-4Timed station practiceTwo 17-minute stations, three times per week5-6Curriculum weak spotsAdd targeted cases in mental health, safety, child/women/older-person health7Full mock circuitsOne six-station circuit each week with strict timing8PolishingFocus only on openings, closings, agenda-setting, and safety-netting If you are earlier in training, stretch this into a 10- to 12-week plan. The key is that every week contains **timed speaking practice**, not just reading. Use deliberate practice, not passive revision --------------------------------------------- For a live consulting exam, rereading notes is a weak main strategy. A systematic review in health-professions education found distributed practice and retrieval practice often outperformed massed study or rereading, and a 2024 study of recorded standardized-patient encounters found that video-based review with feedback or peer discussion improved relevant performance measures. [\[2\]](#cite-2 "Reference [2]") ### A weekly deliberate-practice routine - **Twice weekly:** do two timed stations back-to-back. - **Once weekly:** review one recorded station if local policies allow, and identify only three fixes. - **Once weekly:** ask a trainer or senior peer to watch one station and challenge your management plan. - **Fortnightly:** run a full six-case circuit to build stamina and reset pacing. When you review a station, do not ask, *Did I sound good?* Ask: - Where did I lose structure? - What patient cue did I miss? - Did I make a clear plan? - Did my closing actually protect the patient? > **Pro Tip:** Keep an “error log” with only recurring problems: poor agenda control, vague explanations, weak safety-netting, overlong history, or failure to address the second issue. Common pitfalls in the CCT -------------------------- - Treating the single-scenario case like a rigid checklist instead of a real GP consultation. - Over-investigating simple primary care problems and under-explaining the plan. - Forgetting practice management issues such as referral pathways, follow-up, certification, community supports, or when to seek help. - Leaving safety-netting until the final seconds. - Looking to the examiner for reassurance. The examiner observes and should be ignored unless they interject with findings or information. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") ### Exam-day details people forget The official CCT page says candidates should bring a doctor’s bag with usual diagnostic equipment such as BNF/MIMs, stethoscope, ophthalmoscope, auroscope, thermometer, patella hammer, and tape measure, but not medicines, needles, or syringes. It also states that discussing a case with the examiner or using a mobile phone under exam conditions is a breach of regulations and can result in a fail. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") Key Takeaways ------------- - Build your practice around the **real six-station format**. - Write separate drills for **dual-scenario** and **single-scenario** cases. - Score every mock against **observable GP behaviours**, not vague impressions. - Revise the **core curriculum chapters most likely to shape GP consulting**. - Schedule one **full mock circuit** this week. - Rehearse your **opening minute and closing minute** until they feel automatic. - Pack your exam bag early and practise using it. The candidates who improve fastest stop trying to sound impressive and start making their consulting behaviour clear, structured, and safe. If your preparation looks like the real CCT, your performance usually starts to look like competent day-to-day general practice too. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") Frequently Asked Questions ---------------------------- ### How is the MICGP CCT different from the written parts of the MICGP examination? The CCT is a live simulated-consultation exam with six actor-patient cases assessing communication, clinical judgement, and practice management, whereas the MICGP also includes written assessment modules such as the CKT. [\[3\]](#cite-3 "Reference [3]") ### What is the best size for a CCT study group? Three is usually ideal: one candidate, one role-player, and one observer. That setup lets you practise timing, realism, and feedback without wasting sessions. ### Should I memorise scripts for CCT stations? No. Memorise a structure, not words. Fixed scripts often make you miss cues in single-scenario cases and waste time in dual-scenario stations. ### Which curriculum areas deserve the most attention for CCT revision? Start with curriculum areas that shape real GP consultations: communication, practice management, patient safety, mental health, acute care/out-of-hours work, and common age-group and women’s health presentations. [\[4\]](#cite-4 "Reference [4]") ### What should I bring on the day of the CCT? The ICGP says to bring your doctor’s bag with usual diagnostic equipment, including BNF/MIMs, stethoscope, ophthalmoscope, auroscope, thermometer, patella hammer, and tape measure. Do not bring medicines, needles, or syringes. [\[1\]](#cite-1 "Reference [1]") References (6) ------------------ 1. 1. [ Irish College of GPs. Clinical Competency Test (CCT). ](https://www.irishcollegeofgps.ie/Home/Training-Assessment/MICGP-Examination/MICGP-Exam-Modules/Clinical-Competency-Test-CCT) [↩](#cite-ref-1-1 "Back to text") 2. 2. [ 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. [ Irish College of GPs. MICGP Examination. ](https://www.irishcollegeofgps.ie/Home/Training-Assessment/MICGP-Examination) [↩](#cite-ref-3-1 "Back to text") 4. 4. [ Irish College of GPs. Curriculum for GP Training in Ireland, Version 5.0 (2020). ](https://www.irishcollegeofgps.ie/Portals/0/Training%20and%20Assessment/Be%20a%20GP/TA_Trainee%20Hub_Curriculum%202020_V5_0.pdf) [↩](#cite-ref-4-1 "Back to text") 5. 5. [ Irish College of GPs. MICGP Examination Regulations 2024/2025. ](https://www.irishcollegeofgps.ie/Portals/0/Training%20and%20Assessment/Policies%20and%20procedures/MICGP%20Exam%20Regulations%202024%202025_Final.pdf?ver=pFzU3FKMoBqe1uwlDcfPNQ%3D%3D) 6. 6. [ Park KY, Kang YJ, Park HK, Hwang HS. Exploring effective video-review strategies of patient encounters for medical students: precepted review versus peer discussion. 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