MRCGP Simulated Consultation Assessment
SCA timer
A free countdown timer set to SCA exam timing: 3 minutes’ reading followed by a 12-minute consultation. Time a single case, or run all 12 cases with the break to practise for the full exam.
Single case
Reading time
03:00
Reading time started
Next: consultation
How SCA timing works
- The exam is 12 cases. Each one starts with 3 minutes to read the case notes, followed by a 12-minute consultation.
- After the sixth case there’s a 10-minute comfort break. Cases 1 to 6 take 90 minutes, and so do cases 7 to 12.
- Between cases there’s a short countdown to the next one. It’s there to let you reset, not as a break, and you can only leave the room in the scheduled break.
- If you have reasonable adjustments, your timings and breaks may be different. Turn on “Reasonable adjustments” in the timer to add extra time to the reading and consultation. The RCGP emails your exact break times about three weeks before your sitting.
Source: RCGP, SCA Examination Day Guide.
Getting the most from the 12 minutes
- Use the reading time to plan. Note what the patient’s notes and results already tell you, so you don’t spend consultation time asking for it again.
- Aim to be moving into your plan by around the halfway point. Many candidates run out of time for management, which carries the most weight in the marking.
- The timer chimes when two minutes are left. Use it as your cue to check the patient’s understanding, safety-net and agree follow-up.
Practise against the clock with a patient who talks back.
AI roleplays run on the same 12-minute timing and mark you on the three SCA domains.
SCA timing questions
- How long is each SCA case?
- Each case is a 12-minute consultation, by video or telephone, with a role player. You get 3 minutes before it to read the case notes, so each round takes 15 minutes.
- How many cases are in the SCA?
- Twelve. Cases 1 to 6 run back to back, then there’s a 10-minute comfort break before cases 7 to 12.
- Can I use a watch in the SCA?
- Smartwatches aren’t allowed and you can’t check the time on your phone. The RCGP allows a basic analogue watch.
- Can I use this timer with reasonable adjustments?
- Yes. Turn on “Reasonable adjustments” above the timer to add extra time to the reading and the consultation. It adds 25% by default, so 3 minutes 45 seconds’ reading and a 15-minute consultation, and you can change the percentage to match your own award.
- Does this timer work on my phone?
- Yes. It keeps your screen awake while it runs where your browser allows it, vibrates on Android when a phase ends, and stays accurate if you switch apps.
Want to rehearse the whole day? The SCA mock exam runs 12 unseen cases back to back with real exam timing. You can also read how the SCA marking scheme works.