Best SCA preparation resources 2027, compared honestly
There is no shortage of SCA preparation on offer. This page compares the main types, from the RCGP’s own free material to courses and case banks, with fair pros and cons. We run gpreasoning.uk, so we say plainly where we fit and where we do not.
Last checked: October 2026The short answer
The best preparation for most candidates is a mix: the RCGP's own material to understand the standard, a study group or supervisor to practise with real people and get honest feedback, and enough cases to build range. Courses and online banks can add structure and volume, but none replaces practising consultations aloud, regularly, with someone watching.
The main options compared
RCGP official materials
The SCA pages, the marking and results page, the consultation toolkit, the feedback statements with their educator notes, and the examination day guide.
- For: Free, and written by the people who run the exam.
- For: The only authoritative description of the domains and the standard.
- For: The toolkit is designed to be used with a trainer to analyse your consultations.
- Against: Not a case bank: you need cases from elsewhere to practise.
- Against: Best used with a supervisor, which needs time to arrange.
SCA pages · consultation toolkit · feedback statements · preparing for the SCA
Your trainer, deanery and VTS teaching
Joint surgeries, recorded consultations, tutorials and any SCA sessions your programme runs.
- For: Feedback from experienced GPs who know you.
- For: Real patients, not role play.
- For: Usually free to you as part of training.
- Against: Varies a lot between practices and schemes.
- Against: Real surgeries do not run to a 12-minute exam rhythm.
Study groups with colleagues
Two to four trainees taking turns as doctor, patient and examiner.
- For: Free, flexible, and the closest thing to live role play.
- For: Marking someone else teaches you what examiners notice.
- For: Keeps you accountable.
- Against: Feedback depends on the group; peers can be too kind or too harsh.
- Against: Needs reliable cases and a shared marking frame.
Group practice tools can supply cases and timing.
Commercial courses
One- or two-day courses, live or online, often with role players and examiner-style feedback.
- For: Intensive practice with trained role players.
- For: Structured feedback in a short time.
- For: May be claimable from a study budget in some regions.
- Against: Expensive compared with other options.
- Against: A single course is a snapshot; skills need repetition afterwards.
- Against: Quality varies; ask colleagues who have been.
See paying for SCA preparation for what study budgets may cover.
Online case banks and question banks (including ours)
Libraries of SCA-style cases, sometimes with AI patients, timers and self-marking.
- For: Volume and range: many presentations and consultation types.
- For: Practice at any hour, alone or with others.
- For: Usually cheaper than a course.
- Against: Self-marking and AI feedback are practice opinions, not the RCGP standard.
- Against: Easy to read cases instead of practising them aloud.
- Against: Cases are teaching material, not exam recalls.
Where gpreasoning.uk fits, honestly
We are an online case bank and practice platform. Here is what we think we do well, and where we fall short.
- What you get. 359 original SCA-style cases on video and telephone, The Hot Seat timer and scorecards, an AI patient simulator, a mock exam circuit, group tools, and free guides like this one. Five sample cases, the SCA Guide and one AI simulator run are free.
- What it costs. The Gold plan holds the SCA suite. See the pricing page for current prices.
- What we cannot do. We cannot give you the RCGP’s judgement. Our scorecards and AI feedback are practice tools, not the marking scheme. We do not replace a supervisor watching your consultations, or a colleague role-playing a patient.
- Who we suit. Candidates who want lots of cases to practise with a partner or alone, and a structure to track progress across the three domains.
- Who we may not suit. If you only want live role play with feedback from trained actors, a course may suit you better.
How to choose
- Start with the RCGP. Read the marking page, toolkit and feedback statements before spending money.
- Find people. Book time with your supervisor and set up a study group. This is free and often the most useful thing you can do.
- Then add cases. Use free cases first to find your baseline, from us or elsewhere. Pay for a bank only if you need more range or volume.
- Consider a course for feedback. If you want intensive feedback from people outside your practice, a course may help, especially four to eight weeks before the exam.
- Check the budget rules. Study budget rules vary by region; check before you pay.
Start free
Five sample Hot Seat cases, the full SCA Guide and one free run of the AI Patient Simulator are open to everyone, with no card needed. The whole SCA suite (all 359 cases, the AI mock circuit, group mocks and the Resit Clinic) is in the Gold plan.
Free means free: no card and no countdown. Paid plans can be cancelled or paused at any time.Frequently asked questions
What is the best resource for the SCA?
Are the RCGP SCA materials free?
Do I need to pay for an SCA course?
Is gpreasoning.uk independent of the RCGP?
Is AI feedback reliable for the SCA?
More SCA guides
gpreasoning.uk is not affiliated with or endorsed by the RCGP. The SCA is run by the Royal College of General Practitioners; for anything official (dates, fees, rules, results) always check the RCGP SCA pages. Our cases are original teaching material written for practice: they are not exam recalls and do not predict what you will meet on the day.