Short Case and Long Case exams are just another exam medical students have to deal with, sigh!
What is a short case?
In a short case examination, the candidate is expected to examine a body system or anatomical area with a time period of 8-12 minutes
Following the examination, the candidate must give a 3-5 minute summary of:
- The examination findings
- The likely differential diagnosis based on the finding
- The probable causes and severity of the condition in question
- A general discussion on the points mentioned above
What is long case?
A long case is a form or clinical examination when the candidate discusses a specific case with a professional in the medical field
The examination lasts for around 20 minutes per long case scenario and looks to replicate a consultation with a patient
The examination is broken down into 3 distinct segments
- History taking
- Focused examination
- Discussion with the medical professional to summarize findings
How to ace the exam?
- Rehearse like an actor
- Learn to ‘think on your feet’
- Be organized – have all your equipment ready to go before you start the exam
- Always be polite – exams like the neurological examination involves a lot of patient co-operation; a script of ambiguous questions would help
- Take your time – don’t panic if there seems to be a lot of abnormal symptoms. Take it one step at a time
