It could be argued that choosing the right time to sit a specialist exam is the single most important decision in determining whether an attempt is going to be successful. Of course there are many other aspects of preparation that are essential for success. Most doctors are well aware of the deficits in their knowledge of the curriculum. After some practice exams, most doctors appreciate if their communication skills and style are lacking and often seek appropriate help with this. By contrast, timing seems to be an area that is very often overlooked.

Strangely enough, this seems to be due to a culture of over-encouragement in the medical community. When junior doctors ask their supervisors if they should sit the next scheduled exam, they are often given a resounding “yes!” – regardless of the individual’s specific circumstances. This encouragement is not always appropriate.

In discussing exam preparation, I encourage all doctors to carefully consider the timing of their exam sitting. There are various factors in doctors’ lives that in some cases make deferring the exam a much better plan. Among the most common reasons for deferring are a recent unsuccessful exam attempt, changes in life circumstances and anxiety or depression. When presented in this way, most doctors appreciate the appropriateness of delaying the exam under certain circumstances, but somehow the culture encourages them to sit the exam as planned regardless. These common life hurdles are best viewed as temporary interruptions to the original plan. To delay is not a sign of weakness or evidence of failure. Delaying an exam may actually open up a path to success.