Non-urgent advice: About the AKT
The AKT exam is best taken in the ST2 year, and typically requires about 3 months of preparation time. The TPD lead for the AKT runs a local focus group for candidates who have applied for each sitting and can direct trainees towards available resources suited to exam preparation.
Preparation
The AKT requires a significant amount of self-directed study and analysis of successful and unsuccessful candidates shows those who focus solely on question banks to prepare are more likely to fail. The recommendation is to use a combination of techniques, not just practice questions, to adequately prepare to pass.
Once you have applied for your AKT, a programme director will usually invite you to a candidates’ focus group, to support you throughout your revision.
Learning can be undertaken according to your individual style (the four core learning styles include visual, auditory, reading and writing, and kinesthetic) but should be mapped to the RCGP Curriculum.
Linguistic Support
If you have found past examinations time-pressured, find difficulty with linguistic aspects of reading or interpreting questions, or trained as an international medical graduate, you are strongly encouraged to undertake a dyslexia assessment and request linguistic and AKT support from the Professional Support Unit.
Exam Dates and Applications
For future examination dates, application windows and to apply for your exam, see the RCGP Examinations webpage.
Resources
Suggested resources on which to base your learning include:
NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries
NICE CKS provides general practitioners with a readily accessible summary of the current evidence base and practical guidance on the common conditions and presenting problems encountered in primary care.
British National Formulary
The BNF is a pharmaceutical reference book that contains essential information on prescribing for drugs available in the NHS.
GP SelfTest
GP SelfTest is an RCGP accredited learning needs assessment tool which can be used to identify areas of knowledge needing improvement. It provides a breakdown of your performance across the RCGP curriculum.
e-Learning for Healthcare
e-Learning for Healthcare delivers free and searchable online education modules for doctors on a wide variety of topics.
Textbooks
Textbooks such as the Oxford Handbook of General Practice, which offers advice on day-to-day problems that arise in general practice, and covers the entire breadth and depth of general practice in concise, quick-reference topics.
External Resources
A wealth of other directions and resources are suggested on the Bradford GP Training Scheme website.