Doctors sometimes get in touch with me looking for the trick, the silver bullet, the magic. “What am I doing wrong?” “Is there a simple fix that will allow me to pass my medical specialist exam?” Many people scoff at this type of enquiry, but I don’t think that the answer is straightforward.

There are some things that are absolutely necessary to pass the exam. The curriculum, for example, is something that needs to be covered fully and honestly. There are, of course, techniques that can make the study process much easier, but there really is no way to fast-track this.

Then there are the things that are very helpful. Most doctors think that the magic sauce is being good at exams, but actually being a good doctor is an even more useful skill. The challenge is transplanting your ability and skill as a doctor into what can otherwise feel like a very artificial setting – the clinical exam.

And then of course there is the age old question of whether empathy can be taught. I have argued here before that the skill required in clinical exams is less about having empathy, but more about demonstrating empathy and a connection with the patient or relative.

So while there are no magic tricks as such, there are some methods and strategies that can be learnt and these have been used with great success in medical specialist exams.