AMC Handbook AI RolePlay Clinical Stations: How to Attack Each Type

What is AMC Handbook AI RolePlay?

AMC Handbook AI RolePlay, formally the Multi-station Clinical Assessment Tool (MCAT), is the clinical examination component of the AMC pathway. Candidates rotate through approximately 16 stations of around 8 minutes each with simulated patients (trained actors) and an examiner. Rest stations are interspersed.

Stations test the four core competencies of an Australian intern: data gathering, clinical reasoning, communication, and professionalism. Almost every station combines two or more of these tasks — a pure "just take a history" station is rare.

The four station types

1. How to attack a history-taking station

1. Read the candidate instructions twice. Note the setting, patient demographics, presenting complaint, and the specific tasks (history only? differential? plan?).
2. Open with Calgary-Cambridge initiation. Greet, introduce, confirm identity, ask the opening open question.
3. Funnel from open to closed. For pain, drive SOCRATES. For symptoms (cough, dyspnoea, headache), use a system-specific framework.
4. Cover background. Past history, medications, allergies, family, social, systems review.
5. Elicit ICE. Ideas, Concerns, Expectations.
6. Summarise and signpost. "To summarise, you have crushing central chest pain radiating to the left arm with sweating. Let me now suggest a plan."

2. How to attack an examination station

1. Wash hands. Examiners watch for this from the moment you enter.
2. Introduce, consent, expose appropriately. Offer a chaperone if relevant.
3. Run the system drill. Inspection from the end of the bed, then peripheral signs, then the system itself (cardiovascular, respiratory, abdominal, neurological).
4. Verbalise positive and negative findings. "The JVP is not raised, there are no peripheral oedema, and the apex beat is undisplaced."
5. Offer to complete the examination. Mention what you would also like to do (BP, urinalysis, fundoscopy) before presenting findings.
6. Present a clear differential and next investigation.

3. How to attack a counselling station

1. Identify the task. Bad news? Explanation? Consent? Each has a different optimal framework.
2. Use SPIKES for bad news. Setup, Perception, Invitation, Knowledge, Emotions, Strategy/Summary.
3. Use chunk-and-check for explanations. Avoid monologues longer than two sentences without confirming understanding.
4. Address ICE explicitly. Reference the patient's concerns by name.
5. Safety-net. State concrete red flags that should prompt return, and confirm follow-up.
6. Offer written information and finish on a check. "What other questions do you have for me today?"

4. How to attack a procedural station

1. Identify yourself, the patient, the procedure, and indications.
2. Take focused consent. Benefits, risks (common, serious), alternatives, what to expect.
3. Prepare. Hand hygiene, sterile field, equipment check, positioning, analgesia.
4. Perform. Narrate each step. Maintain dignity and communicate with the patient throughout.
5. Post-procedure care. Dispose sharps safely, document, brief the patient on what to expect next.
6. Safety-net and arrange follow-up.

Common procedural stations include male and female catheterisation, IV cannulation, suturing, ABG/venepuncture, NG tube insertion, and paediatric basic life support.

Time management inside an 8-minute station

Top six mistakes IMGs make

1. Skipping initiation and jumping straight into questioning.
2. Using medical jargon without translating it.
3. Forgetting ICE — the single biggest communication marker.
4. Failing to safety-net at the end of every station.
5. Running out of time because the consultation lacked structure.
6. Letting one bad station bleed into the next — every station is independent and forgettable.

How Mostly Medicine prepares you

Mostly Medicine's AMC Handbook AI RolePlay module offers AI-powered clinical roleplays across all four station types, with examiner-grade feedback mapped to AMC marking domains. You can simulate full exam-day circuits with back-to-back stations and track your progress by domain over time.

Start practising free →

Frequently asked questions

How many stations are in AMC Handbook AI RolePlay?

Approximately 16 active stations of around 8 minutes each, plus interspersed rest stations.

What are the four main station types?

History-taking, focused physical examination, counselling, and procedural skills. Most stations combine elements.

How is each station marked?

Across four domains: data gathering and clinical reasoning, communication and rapport, professionalism and safety, and management and patient education.

Can I take notes inside the station?

Yes — a writing surface and pen are usually provided. Use sparingly; constant note-taking damages eye contact and rapport.

What happens if I run over time?

The station ends abruptly when the bell rings. Practising with a stopwatch from day one is the only reliable fix.