GPVTS Shortlisting, GP VTS SGPVTS Shortlisting, GP VTS Shortlisting, GPVTS MCQs, EMQs and Shortlisting Questions

The role-play station (Stage 3 of the GPST recruitment process)

You will find below a example of role play as it may be asked during the selection process for GP VTS and/or GP Registrar. So that you can use this example productively, we have included:

a doctor's brief: this will be what the candidate will be given.
a patient's brief: this is what the actor playing the patient will be given. As as candidate, you will not have access to that information
an example of how you may approach the consultation.

In order to make full use of this example, you may want to read the doctor's brief and get one of your friends to play the patient. Once you have acted the scenario, you can then look at our suggested approach (i.e. the "answer").

EXAMPLE OF A ROLE PLAY SCENARIO

Doctor's brief
You are a GP looking after Mr Shah 60 years old man with hypertension and a family history of ischaemic heart disease. You have been treating him for several years and have recently noticed that his cholesterol has been consistently raised on several tests.

You have called him back to your surgery today, to discuss starting him on a lipid lowering drug. Your task is to explain to him the results of his tests and to encourage him to start statin therapy. You must respond to any questions that he has.

Patient's brief (to be played by a colleague or friend
You are the youngest of 5 brothers. Your two eldest brothers died a few years ago from heart attacks and the other two have had heart bypass surgery. You were told that you have a ‘struggling heart’ but you have never had chest pain.

Your GP started you on medications for your blood pressure about 5 years ago, since then you have felt a little uneasy on your feet and you have experienced problems with your erections. In fact you haven’t seen any improvements in your health since you started those pills.

Your GP wants to give you more medications today but you don’t understand why. You are reluctant to start a new drug. Comments you can make in the role play can include:

Your brothers took medications and still became unwell.
"My brothers took these drugs for years and they still had to have surgery."
You have been on pills for a several years despite never experiencing heart problems.
"I don’t see why I need more drugs when my heart feels fine."
You have had side effects from the other pills which you did not expect.
You expect more side effects from more drugs.
"What are these pills likely to do to me?"

Ultimately, you still respect your GP and value his/her opinion, but you just need more explanation on these issues and understanding of your situation before you blindly go ahead taking a new drug

Key points to cover

Example phrases

Greet Mr Shah and tell him why you have called him back:

To talk about the blood tests
Ask him what he was expecting
Introduce the idea of a new drug for him to take

"....this would mean that I would give you an extra tablet a day to reduce the cholesterol in your blood...how does that sound to you?

Active listening to Mrs Shah's concern:

Ask him what he knows and thinks about taking these drugs
Encourage him to tell reveal his concerns about drug treatment (benefits / drawbacks)

Pick up on any cues he drops:

The poor health in his family
The side effects he currently experiences
Taking drugs with no obvious benefit when he has no heart symptoms

"You mentioned your brothers...what worries you about all this?"

"You said the tablets you are taking aren't doing you much good...why do you say that?"

"You asked how the tablets will affect you. Why do you think they are going to give you any problems?"

Demonstrate empathy

Put yourself in Mr Shah's place
Understand his problems/embarrassments with the side effects
Understand his view on taking a drug when he has no symptoms
Understand his despondency following the loss of his brothers

" I can sense this is difficult for you to talk about, but it is important you tell me these things..."

"I can see how it might seem strange to take tablets which are supposed to be for your good when you don't feel much better with them"

Explain in simple terms and with clarity:

The action of the drug and how it is of benefit to him.
Why drugs might benefit him, despite him not feeling any better.
Why the drug might benefit him despite his brothers not doing so well.
Be balanced, by mentioning any drawbacks of treatment.

"Some drugs, like these are preventatives, they stop or slow down a condition at a very early stage before you even know it is going on inside you. You would only feel the benefit of the drug if you actually stopped it and nature took its course..."

"It does seem difficult to believe that this will help you, when your brothers didn't get much help from similar drugs...but I don't know exactly what drugs they were on and for how long, they might have started them too late for a preventative affect to be useful and they may well have lived their lives differently to you, in term of how they ate or exercised..."

Check Mr Shah's understanding of the points you have made and the value of taking a new drug.

"After what we have discussed, do you see why I am keen for you to take this extra pill?"

Give Mr Shah some options:

Opportunity to see a dietician in the interim
Opportunity to discuss things with his wife present

Offer to review his other drugs in light of his side effects

Work with Mr Shah to make his own decision with your help:

Explain the decision is his
Be non-coercive.

Give him time to make the decision

"Any decision to start a new drug is ultimately your choice. I am not here to pressure you into something. I just want to give you all the facts I can so that you can make what I believe to be the best choice for you."

"You don't have to rush into any decision right now. I want you to have the time to think about things. In the mean time I have some information I can give you to read at home, but you can also make contact with other patients in your situation if you'd like"

Offer Mr Shah some further information:

Leaflets e.g. British Heart Foundation (in many languages)
To get in contact with a any patient led groups

Ask if there are any further questions and close (by scheduling a follow-up if appropriate).

Role-play for the GPST/GPVTS Selection Centre. Full simulated consultations briefs. Suggested approaches.
Author: George Lee

ISBN: 978-1-905812-12-7

A book dealing exclusively with the role-play station of the Stage 3 selection/assessment centre. Contains 24 role-play scenarios with doctor's brief, patient's brief and suggested approaches to the consultation. An ideal practice book that you can use with colleagues and friends.

Survivial Guide to GPST/GPVTS Selection Centre

Survival Guide to the GPST / GPVTS Selection Centre.
Role-plays, Group Discussions, Prioritisation Questions.
Author: Gail Allsopp

ISBN: 978-1-905812-14-1.

Over 350 questions covering 300 clinical scenario situations. Follows the new exam format i.e. Single-Best-Answer "Best of Five" and covers all topics raised at the GPST / GPVTS Stage 2 assessment for clinical problem solving.

Print this page