MRCGPAKTEssent

ial
s
Keyst
oSuccessi
ntheAKT
 MRCGP AKT Preparation

Learning objectives
• Know what to expect in the AKT exam
• Know how to prepare effectively
• Know common pitfalls that lead to failure and
how to avoid them
• Know the habits of high scorers / keys to
success
• Know how we can support you with AKT
• Kickstart your AKT preparation!

MRCGP AKT Preparation

MRCGP AKT Overview

• ST2 onwards, available 3 times a year
• Maximum 4(+1) attempts
• Computerised test ~ 200 questions / 190min
– 80% - Clinical Medicine (GP)
– 10% - Evidence interpretation – Stats / EBM
– 10% - Organisational / admin
• EMQ / SBA main format
• MBA, algorithm, picture, seminal trials, short
answer, video

© Emedica Ltd www.emedica.co.uk MRCGP AKT Essentials 1

 MRCGP AKT Preparation

Hypertension – NICE 2019

• Investigations recommended
• Urine dipstick for haematuria
• Urine sample to LAB for ACR / proteinuria
• Blood sample for
– U/Es + eGFR
– HBA1C
– Lipids
• Fundoscopy for hypertensive retinopathy
• 12-lead ECG

MRCGP AKT Preparation

Bell’s Palsy
• Acute, unilateral, idiopathic, facial nerve paralysis
• Most make a full recovery within 9 months
• If present within 72 hours, prednisolone can improve
recovery
• Refer to ENT if
• Bilateral Bell’s palsy
• Recurrent Bell’s palsy
• Diagnosis unclear
• No improvement within 1 month

© Emedica Ltd www.emedica.co.uk MRCGP AKT Essentials 2

 MRCGP AKT Preparation

Meibomian cyst / chalazion

• Chronic inflammation/blockage of the
meibomian gland
• Resolve spontaneously or with conservative
treatment - warm compress / massage
• Antibiotics not indicated unless co-existing
conjunctivitis
• Consider referral if no improvement after 4
weeks on conservative treatment

© Emedica Ltd www.emedica.co.uk MRCGP AKT Essentials 3

 MRCGP AKT Preparation

Clinical questions relate to:

• Disease factors
• Making a diagnosis
• Investigations
• Management plans (including referrals)
• Prescribing
• Emergency care in general practice

MRCGP AKT Preparation

Questions include:
• Low impact, common conditions
• High impact, rarer conditions
• Common reasons for consulting
• Areas identified as problems in past
– Exam statistics – marks by area
– Examiners’ feedback reports

© Emedica Ltd www.emedica.co.uk MRCGP AKT Essentials 4

 MRCGP AKT Preparation

Pass mark and rates

• Pass mark and rate variable
• Pass standard increased after AKT7
• Pass mark – 66 – 72% - mean = 68.4%
• Pass rate long term mean: ~ 71%
• Last 9 exams: Pass rate: 67% ~ 1 in 3 fail!
• Clinical medicine: 74%
• Evidence interpretation: 74%
• Organisational: 71%

MRCGP AKT Preparation

AKT Mini Mock!

• Chance to try some AKT level questions
• Calculators allowed
• ~55 seconds per screen
• Slides will move forward automatically
• 7 questions – please note answers at home
• We will go through answers afterwards!

© Emedica Ltd www.emedica.co.uk MRCGP AKT Essentials 5

 MRCGP AKT Preparation
Mortality Data
Number of deaths

Mortality RATE

Area 95% CI

Public Health England. Public Health Profiles. 24/02/2021 https://fingertips.phe.org.uk © Crown copyright 2021

MRCGP AKT Preparation

Gestational Diabetes
• GD increases risk of diabetes
• Postnatal check at 6-13 weeks
– If at <13 weeks, use fasting glucose
– If at >13 weeks, use fasting glucose OR HbA1c
– OGTT not routinely recommended
• Ongoing annual screening using HbA1c

© Emedica Ltd www.emedica.co.uk MRCGP AKT Essentials 6

 MRCGP AKT Preparation

Opioid Conversion
Analgesic Dose Notes

Morphine sulphate 10mg Oral - universal opioid

Morphine sulphate 5mg IM, SC
Oxycodone 6.6mg Suitable where morphine
not tolerated
Diamorphine 3mg I.M. or subcut.

Tramadol 100mg Oral

Codeine 100mg Oral

MRCGP AKT Preparation

Assessing Hypertension – NICE 2019
Clinic BP: Up to 3 readings
• Up to 3 readings - lower of 2nd and 3rd readings
• <140/90 - normotensive - repeat within 5 years
• 140/90+ - offer ABPM or HBPM
• 180/120+ - consider immediate treatment / referral

© Emedica Ltd www.emedica.co.uk MRCGP AKT Essentials 7

 MRCGP AKT Preparation

GMS – General Medical Services

• Nationally agreed contract
• Most common NHS GP contract in UK
• Essential services – all GMS practices
must provide
• Additional services – usually provided, but
can opt out (lose some funding)
• Enhanced services – may be able to opt in
for additional funding

MRCGP AKT Preparation

Common reasons for failure

• Rushing to sit the exam (or to resit)
• Not allowing enough time
– Not covering the curriculum
– Poor clinical topic coverage
– Not up to date with recent guidance
• Focusing on just one source for learning
• Poor confidence with stats / admin
• Poor exam technique

© Emedica Ltd www.emedica.co.uk MRCGP AKT Essentials 8

 MRCGP AKT Preparation

How to prepare for the AKT

• Active learning – reading + questions
• Allow enough time to prepare
– 3 months minimum recommended
– 4-6 months may be better
• Focus your revision to maximise marks
– Statistics / evidence interpretation – 10%
– Organisational areas – 10%
– Examiners’ feedback on weak / key areas
– CLINICAL – 80%

MRCGP AKT Preparation

RCGP Curriculum Topic Guides

• Curriculum updated in 2019
• AKT questions mapped to curriculum
• Reference

© Emedica Ltd www.emedica.co.uk MRCGP AKT Essentials 9

 MRCGP AKT Preparation

High yield topics

• Topics that appear frequently in the exam
• Topics highlighted as weak areas
• Topics highlighted as important
• Derived from examiners’ feedback

© Emedica Ltd www.emedica.co.uk MRCGP AKT Essentials 10

 MRCGP AKT Preparation

Emedica AKT High Yield Topics

2022

MRCGP AKT Preparation

Key reading 1

© Emedica Ltd www.emedica.co.uk MRCGP AKT Essentials 11

 MRCGP AKT Preparation

Reading - Guidelines
• National guidelines e.g. NICE – NICE CKS
• Clinical Case Cards
• 112 topic reviews
• Investigations
• Diagnosis
• Prescribing
• Management
• Emergencies

MRCGP AKT Preparation

www.emedica.co.uk/casecards

© Emedica Ltd www.emedica.co.uk MRCGP AKT Essentials 12

 MRCGP AKT Preparation

AKT practice questions

• Emedica
– 2150+ questions covering all 3 domains
– Mapped to RCGP curriculum
– Revision videos and topic summaries
– High challenge questions
– Similar layout to the real exam
– Includes a full 200 question AKT mock exam
– £49 (1 month) -£119 (12 months)
• www.emedica.co.uk/aktonline.html

MRCGP AKT Preparation

© Emedica Ltd www.emedica.co.uk MRCGP AKT Essentials 13

 Pr
epar
ingf
ort
heMRCGPAKT?
PassyourAKTwi
tht
heEmedi
caAKTonl
i
ner
evi
sionpackage

MRCGPAKTOnl
ineRevi
sion
2150+
quest
ions

Comprehensiverevisionpackage-2150+quest i
ons
Coveral
l3domai ns-cli
nical ,organi
sati
onal,st
ati
stics
RCGPcur r
iculum -questionsmappedt onew cur r
iculum ar
eas
Mobil
eandt abletfr
iendly-r evi
seont hego
Uptodate-includestopicsf eaturedinrecentexams
Ti
medmockexams-mi nimocks+f ul
l200quest i
onmockexam
Bonusmaterials-vi
deos,t opicsummar ies,ani
mat edcrammers

“Greatrevi
siontoolanddef
ini
tel
yhighl
ight
edt
he
importanceofgoodt i
mekeepi
ngi nt
heAKTexam!”

“Idi
dyourmockexam,andscor ed2% dif
fer
encet
o
themar
kIgotintherealAKT.SoIam notsurehow
youdoitbuti
tseemsspookil
yreali
sti
c!”
1month:£49
2months:£69
4months:£99
6months:£109
12months:£119

www.
emedi
ca.
co.
uk/
akt
prep
 MRCGP AKT Preparation

RCGP GP Self Test

MRCGP AKT Preparation

Other AKT question banks

• Passmedicine.com
• Onexamination

© Emedica Ltd www.emedica.co.uk MRCGP AKT Essentials 14

 MRCGP AKT Preparation

Emedica AKT - Free Support

• Join the GP Training Support FB Group
– 27,100+ doctors – largest GP training group
• AKT 30 day challenge videos
• National VTS webinars
– Free monthly GP trainee teaching
• AKT high yield revision webinar
– 15 high yield AKT questions + topic review
• Lockdown learning webinar recordings
– Emedica YouTube channel

MRCGP AKT Preparation

GP Training Support FB Group

27,100+ doctors!

© Emedica Ltd www.emedica.co.uk MRCGP AKT Essentials 15

 MRCGP AKT Preparation

Emedica Youtube Channel

MRCGP AKT Preparation

Emedica AKT Courses / Webinars
• AKT Pass Guarantee Programme – 225+ hrs
• AKT Pass+ bundle – 130 hrs
• AKT preparation course – 7 hours
– + access a full 200 question mock afterwards
• AKT 200 Question Crammer course – 8hrs
• AKT Masterclass webinars – 3.5 hours each
– Statistics made simple
– Organisational domain organised
– High yield clinical crammer 1 + 2

© Emedica Ltd www.emedica.co.uk MRCGP AKT Essentials 16

 PCLMS

£250-i
ncludesac
cesstoful
lonlinemockexam af
terwards
£295-Bundleoption-incl
udesacces
sto2350+onl i
nequesti
onsfor6mont
hs
CPD:7hours-cert
ic at
eofattendanc
eprovidedforstudyl
eavecl
aims

www.
emedi
ca.
co.
uk/
akt
cour
se.
html
x2
 MRCGP AKT Preparation

MRCGP AKT Preparation

© Emedica Ltd www.emedica.co.uk MRCGP AKT Essentials 17

 MRCGP AKT Preparation

Habits of High Scorers:

7 Keys to AKT Success
1. Plan ahead
2. Cover the curriculum
3. Understand the exam
4. Master stats and admin
5. Learn the subject, not the question
6. Revise all the high yield topics
7. Work on exam technique

MRCGP AKT Preparation

Summary - AKT
• Applied knowledge – relevant to GP
• Organisational area weakest for GPRs
• Evidence / Stats can offer easy marks
• Clinical most important domain
• Examiners’ feedback valuable for revision
• Cover the curriculum systematically
• Allow enough time: prepare and you WILL
succeed!

© Emedica Ltd www.emedica.co.uk MRCGP AKT Essentials 18

 MRCGP AKT Preparation

Finally…
千里之行，始於足下
“A journey of a thousand miles
begins with a single step”
Laozi

© Emedica Ltd www.emedica.co.uk MRCGP AKT Essentials 19

Hel
pingYouSucceedI
nYourGPCar
eer
MRCGPAKT,MRCGPCSA/RCA,GPCar
eer
s
Theexper
tsi
nGPt
rai
ningandGPcar
eer
ssi
nce2005
PassyourMRCGPAKTandRCA/
CSA-1stsi
tt
ingorl
ast
,wecanhel
p!
Lear
ningt
ail
oredf
oryou-at
tendi
nper
son,vi
ali
vest
ream,j
oinwebi
nar
s,r
evi
seonl
i
ne
Exper
ience:wehavet
rai
nedover61,
000del
egat
esovert
hel
ast17year
s
CPDcer
tif
icat
espr
ovi
ded-t
ohel
pwi
thst
udyl
eavecl
aims
Maxi
miseyourGPcar
eer-sal
ari
ed,par
tner
,locum,GPwSI
,por
tf
oli
o-wecangui
deyou!

MRCGPAKT
AKTPassGuar
ant
eePr
ogr
amme
AKTPass+Pr
ogr
amme
AKTPrepar
ati
onCourse
AKT200QuestionCr
ammer
AKTWebi nar
s-Stat
s,Admin,Cl
ini
cal
AKTOnlineRevi
sion-2150+quest
ions
Cl
ini
calCaseCards

MRCGPRCA/CSA
RCAMast
ercl
ass:How t
oPasst
heRCA
RCAPrepar
ati
onCour
se
GP100CaseCrammerVideos
GPCasesOnli
ne-65cases

GPCareer
s
CCT+:KeySki
ll
sForQuali
fi
edGPs
GPJobs:GPCareer
sGuide

sponsor
edby:

www.
emedi
ca.
co.
uk