The behaviours that quietly decide the mark

A structure that fits inside twelve minutes

Consultation models — Calgary–Cambridge, Neighbour, Pendleton and the rest — are not there to be recited. They exist because an unstructured consultation reliably runs out of time before it reaches the part that carries most of the marks: the shared plan and the safety-net. Choose one model, internalise it until it is invisible, and let it protect the ending of your consultation. The model is scaffolding; the marks come from what it lets you finish.

• A consultation structure practised until it no longer requires conscious thought
• Eliciting ideas, concerns and expectations as conversation, not as an interrogation
• Explaining in plain language, then checking what the patient actually took away
• Safety-netting that names the symptom, the action, and the timeframe

What separates a good consultation from a safe-looking one

These are the behaviours candidates most often believe they performed, and most often did not. Record yourself once and check honestly.

• You asked about concerns — but did you respond to the answer, or note it and move on?
• You explained the diagnosis — but would the patient repeat it in their own words?
• You agreed a plan — or did you present one and pause briefly for objection?
• You safety-netted — but did you say which symptom, to whom, and within what timeframe?
• You finished on time — or did you finish because the time finished you?

• Rehearse these behaviours under time
• How "relating to others" is assessed

Consultation behaviours by clinical context

Some contexts expose particular behaviours: paediatrics tests safety-netting, mental health tests risk within rapport.

• Communication skills
• Time management
• Consultation models
• Ethics and professionalism