All station types
CPSA · OSCE station
Professionalism, ethics & safety
Navigate an ethical/professional scenario — escalation, error disclosure, safeguarding, capacity.
Anchored in Good Medical Practice 2024 and Outcomes for Graduates. Honesty, patient safety and knowing when to seek help are the through-line of every scenario.
A structured approach
Framework
- 1Clarify the situation and gather the facts before acting
- 2Prioritise patient safety above all else
- 3Apply the four principles (autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice) and the law (capacity, confidentiality)
- 4Be honest — apply the duty of candour when something has gone wrong
- 5Escalate appropriately and know your limits — seek senior help
What the examiner wants
- Patient safety put first, explicitly
- Honesty and openness (duty of candour) — no covering up
- Correct application of capacity/consent/confidentiality principles
- Appropriate escalation and recognition of your own limits
OSCE tips
- When in doubt: patient safety first, be honest, and escalate.
- Assess capacity decision-by-decision (understand, retain, weigh, communicate).
- Duty of candour — apologise and be open when errors happen.
- Never act beyond your competence — “I would seek senior help” is a strength, not a weakness.
Marking domains
Every station is scored against these. The ones this type leans on most are highlighted.
Data gathering
Right questions, focused examination, relevant investigations.
Clinical reasoning & management
Plausible diagnosis, sensible investigations, safe evidence-based management.
Communication
Active listening, clear explanation, exploring concerns (ICE), shared decisions, safety-netting.
Professional behaviour
Rapport, respect, empathy, handling challenge, honesty.
Patient safety
Recognising and responding to safety-critical issues; escalation.
Topics that appear
Capacity & consentDuty of candour / error disclosureSafeguardingDNACPR / ReSPECTEscalating concernsConfidentiality