Working as a General Practitioner (GP) in Australia requires you to showcase your skills and competency levels. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has designed the Clinical Competency Exam (CCE) for this purpose.

This exam proves that you are capable of and possess the skills required to practice independently as a specialist GP in Australia. Read on to learn more about RACGP CCE, its enrolment information, how you can prepare for it and the marking standards.

What is RACGP Clinical Competency Exam?                           

The CCE is the final examination on the pathway to Fellowship of the RACGP (FRACP). Passing the exam is necessary for independent practice as a GP in Australia. In this exam, candidates are presented with nine clinical cases. These nine cases consist of four case discussions and five clinical encounters. A duration of 15 minutes is allocated for each case which includes reading time as well.

Cases across each exam day will test the same skills and competencies at Fellowship standard. Each exam session will take up to three hours.

RACGP CCE dates

Below are the upcoming dates for CCE 2022.

Exam sessions are allocated at the close of enrolment. Session information will be communicated to candidates thereafter.

You can find more information about enrolment, eligibility criteria, and requirements for special arrangements, exam fees and exam enrolment dates on the RACGP website. 

Late enrolments are not accepted, so make sure that you check the dates on the website and enrol on time.

How to prepare for the exam

The CCE covers typical cases that you may experience in general practice. These cases will consist of situations where you will be demonstrating the following competencies:

·        Organizational and practice process

·        Clinical reasoning and decision-making process

·        Professionalism

·        Population health

·        Handling ethical issues

·        Cultural competency

·        Undifferentiated clinical circumstances

·        Challenging communication scenario

·        Multi-morbidity

·        Acute care and prioritization of care requirements

You can refer to the CCE exam preparation course that is available on the gplearning page on the RACGP website. Gplearning is RACGPS’s online platform with a large collection of resources for general practice education. It is free to RACGP members and they can access it with the current member login.

Once you log in to the portal you need to click the ‘Exam Support’ button on your dashboard. It will take you to the page where the current courses on offer are displayed. “Introduction to the RACGP Clinical Competency Exam for Candidates [2022]” is the content that you need to refer to.

The RACGP provides the following CCE exam resources:

·        A guided exam preparation activity

·        Practice case examples

·        Applicant guidelines and related information

·        Technical information

·        Exam tips

·        Frequently asked questions

·        Videos

These exam resources are developed by the National Assessment Advisor for the CCE in consultation with medical educators and stakeholders. Currently, RACGP does not run a mock exam for the CCE. However, plans are in place to deliver mock exams as part of a comprehensive program once Australian General Practice Training returns to the RACGP in 2023.

Eligibility to enrol

You need to meet the requirements of the following policies to be eligible to enrol for the CCE:

·        Vocational Training Pathway Exam Eligibility Policy,

·        General Practice Experience Pathway Exam Eligibility Policy, or

·        Exam eligibility requirements of the specialist pathway to sit any RACGP Fellowship exam

Enrolment information

You need to enrol on the RACGP website to sit for the CCE. You can find more information on enrolling for FRACGP examinations on the RACGP website. Enrolment timelines are clearly given to avoid any late entries which will not be accepted by the RACGP. Therefore, ensure that you enrol on time to avoid disappointment.

RACGP curriculum – Clinical competencies

The RACGP curriculum comprises a competency framework based on the critical skills and qualities that a general practitioner in Australia should have. The curriculum consists of five general practice domains within which you can find thirteen high-level core skills. Each core skill is mapped to assess competency in a key area of general practice.

These tasks vary from simple to more complex ones. Successful candidates should be able to handle these tasks with the right skills within the given time. Competencies need to have a strong link to clinical practice.

CCE marking standards

CCE is marked by experienced general practitioners in Australia. The RCAGP has set strict marking standards to ensure high-quality for the exam. These GPs have completed specific training in marking cases before studying for the CCE. The examiners will rate each candidate in relation to the competency area being assessed within the context of each case. The rating follows something similar to the Likert scale. Cases can be marked ranging from ‘competency not demonstrated’ to competency fully demonstrated’.

Due to the pandemic, the examination is held online via Zoom technology instead of having face-to-face interactions like in previous years. Therefore, you can sit the exam from anywhere, as long as you have the required hardware, software, and internet connection.

Candidates are assessed by different examiners at each station to ensure that a fair result is given at the end of the day. It sets the standard in bringing out the best in Australian general practice.

Conclusion

The RACGP CCE exam is an important step for an Australian doctor on his pathway to obtaining FRACGP. The CCE proves the skills and competency levels of doctors, especially in terms of their ability to conduct independent practice. Passing this exam is an important milestone in your career as a general practitioner in Australia.

At Medfuture, we provide adequate guidance to doctors and medical practitioners in pursuing their careers. Our job board is constantly updated with the latest doctor jobs available across all states and suburbs in Australia.

Visit our website to find the current list of GP jobs available in Australia.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I sit the exam from overseas?

As CCE is being delivered remotely due to the pandemic, you can opt to sit the exam from any country.

How much time should I set aside for the exam?

You should set aside two and a half hours for the exam and another hour in case you face any technical difficulties.

If I finish a case before the allocated time, can I go back to address other items I may have missed?

Yes, you can continue to can go back and address that case until the 15-minute case time ends.

What are the software and hardware I need to have for the exam?

You should have a laptop or desktop with an internet connection. Install the Zoom application ahead of your exam and test it with your friends and colleagues. Using mobile phones, tablets, iPads, Chrome books, and other similar devices is not suitable for the exam.

Here are a few related articles to read:

RACGP’s Remote Clinical Exam (RCE) – 2021

What is FRACGP and How to Gain a Fellowship in 2022?