FAQs

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Want to find out more about Specialist Coaching and how we can help you pass your exams? Read our FAQs here…

I feel I have good preparation, but then I am overwhelmed with anxiety on exam day and can’t seem to perform. How can coaching help?
While some nerves on exam day are to be expected, when anxiety becomes overwhelming it can certainly affect your performance. Managing this usually requires a tailored approach that takes into account the doctor’s particular stress pattern and how this affects their performance. I use techniques that are well suited to the particular needs of doctors in training. For some, these strategies are essential to help them perform at their best on the day.

I am currently preparing to sit specialist exams for the first time. At what stage of preparation can you help?
This will vary from person to person. Some candidates are looking for help particularly with clinical exam preparation and will benefit from tailored in-consultation feedback for their practice exam performance. Others find that after a few exam attempts, their morale is low and they need help adjusting their study habits and regaining some work-life balance. Others decide on coaching and mentoring from the very outset to ensure their preparation is as effective as possible.

How many sessions will I need?
This varies greatly. Some doctors feel that a few sessions are sufficient to get themselves back on track. Others require more. Our first session will give us a good indication as to how many sessions we will need.

Specialist Exam Coaching

I thought I was adequately prepared, but I failed my exam. How can one-on-one coaching help?
In our first session we will identify why previous attempts were not successful. A one-on-one consultation allows me to identify specific areas for improvement and provide tailored coaching in areas such as exam performance, stress management, effective preparation, communication and language expression to maximise a candidate’s chance of passing their exams in the future. Statistically, after failing an exam, it harder to pass any subsequent attempts, so getting an insight into the areas that might be holding a candidate back is greatly beneficial.

I seemed to get positive feedback from supervisors in my preparation, but I did not manage to pass the exam. How can coaching help me?
It is difficult for supervisors to provide in-depth, tailored feedback to all the trainees they supervise. Doctors often come to me frustrated with the generic, cookie-cutter advice they have been given. My approach is collaborative and supportive, but also honest and direct. One-on-one sessions are designed to identify and target specific areas for improvement and provide practical solutions along the way. This feedback is usually more detailed and often quite different from the feedback that doctors have received in the past.

I speak English as a second language. Can you help with language, expression and cultural advice?
Absolutely. This is actually one of the most common challenges candidates from overseas come up against and I specialise in coaching these doctors in effective communication and in appropriate expression of empathy. I completed a major in Modern Languages and that places me well to offer guidance in effective expression, including correct use of idiomatic expressions, grammar and tone.

I discuss many other FAQs in the Resource Hub. Or for any questions, feel free to get in touch.