FFinalistSouthampton · 2027
The PSA
Section 3 of 8

Planning management

Choose the single most appropriate treatment from five options for a clinical scenario.

16 marks · 8% of the exam8 items × 2

What it tests

Best-of-five: pick the most appropriate management step for the scenario — usually the guideline first-line, tailored to the specific patient.

How to tackle it

  1. 1Identify the diagnosis and the stage/severity
  2. 2Recall the first-line (NICE/guideline) treatment
  3. 3Adjust for the specific patient (age, comorbidity, contraindications, pregnancy)
  4. 4Eliminate options that are unsafe or second-line

Worked example

New hypertension in a 48-year-old (not of African/Caribbean origin, not diabetic).

Answer

First-line = an ACE inhibitor (e.g. ramipril).

(Calcium-channel blocker first-line if ≥55 or of African/Caribbean family origin.)

Pitfalls & high-yield

  • Know the finals-level first-line for common conditions cold (HTN, T2DM, asthma/COPD, ACS, HF).
  • The “most appropriate” option accounts for the patient’s specifics, not just the textbook default.

How it’s marked

2 marks per item, 8 items = 16 of 200 marks. Standard-set per sitting (pass mark ≈ 60–63%, varies).