With up-to-date coverage of more than 60 of the most commonly encountered OSCE stations in medicine and surgery, Macleod's Clinical OSCEs, 2nd Edition, is an accessible revision tool for students who are preparing for a clinical OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination). Fully aligned and mapped to the updated 2026 MLA curriculum, this resource logically arranges OSCEs by type of skill, such as history-taking, ethics and communication, and physical examination. Both in print and online, it provides easy-to-understand content, tips on exam preparation, sample OSCE station questions, supporting videos, and simulated patient scripts (with answers) for self-study or with fellow students.
1. 1: INTRODUCTION TO THE OSCE - p. P1 2. 1.0. Introduction to the book - p. 3 3. 1.1. What is an OSCE? - p. 5 4. 1.2. How to get the most from this book - p. 7 5. 1.3. General tips for OSCE candidates - p. 10 6. 1.4. Specimen OSCEs - p. 13 7. 1.5. Sample mark sheet and summary of learning sheet - p. 14 8. 2: HISTORY TAKING - p. P17 9. 2.0. Introduction to history taking in OSCEs - p. 19 10. 2.1. Chest pain - p. 22 11. 2.2. A breathless patient - p. 27 12. 2.3. Persistent diarrhoea - p. 32 13. 2.4. Abdominal pain - p. 36 14. 2.5. Fall in an older person - p. 40 15. 2.6. Back pain - p. 45 16. 2.7. Vaginal bleeding - p. 49 17. 2.8. An unwell child - p. 54 18. 2.9. A child with breathing problems - p. 58 19. 2.10. Anxiety disorder - p. 62 20. 2.11. An injury whilst drunk - p. 67 21. 2.12. Headache - p. 72 22. 2.13. Sexual health history - p. 76 23. 2.14. Transient ischaemic attack (TIA) - p. 80 24. 2.15. Infant feeding - p. 83 25. 3: PHYSICAL EXAMINATION - p. P87 26. 3.0. Introduction to examination skills - p. 89 27. 3.1. Examining the patient with a murmur - p. 90 28. 3.2. Peripheral vascular examination - p. 96 29. 3.3. Examining the breathless patient - p. 100 30. 3.4. Examining a lump in the scrotum - p. 105 31. 3.5. Examining the abdomen and digital rectal examination - p. 110 32. 3.6. Assessing a stoma - p. 118 33. 3.7. Examining vision - p. 121 34. 3.8. Lower limb sensory examination - p. 126 35. 3.9. Limb weakness - p. 132 36. 3.10. The patient with a tremor - p. 137 37. 3.11. Thyroid status and neck examination - p. 142 38. 3.12. Examination of the hands - p. 148 39. 3.13. Knee examination - p. 152 40. 3.14. Shoulder examination - p. 157 41. 3.15. Obstetric examination - p. 161 42. 3.16. Newborn examination - p. 167 43. 3.17. Examination of a child with lymphadenopathy - p. 172 44. 3.18. Acute confusion - p. 177 45. 3.19. Breast lump examination - p. 181 46. 3.20. Skin examination - p. 185 47. 3.21. Ear, nose and throat examination - p. 191 48. 3.22. Mental state examination - p. 196 49. 4: PRACTICAL SKILLS - p. P203 50. 4.0. Introduction to practical skills - p. 205 51. 4.1. Recording an ECG - p. 206 52. 4.2. Inserting an intravenous cannula - p. 211 53. 4.3. Arterial blood gas sampling - p. 216 54. 4.4. Capillary blood glucose measurement - p. 220 55. 4.5. Urinary catheter insertion - p. 224 56. 4.6. Speculum examination - p. 228 57. 4.7. Suturing a wound - p. 232 58. 4.8. Adult basic life support - p. 237 59. 4.9. Death verification - p. 241 60. 5: ETHICS, COMMUNICATION AND EXPLANATION - p. P245 61. 5.0. Introduction to ethics, communication and explanation - p. 247 62. 5.1. Obtaining consent for NG tube insertion - p. 248 63. 5.2. Driving advice - p. 252 64. 5.3. Explaining a new diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes - p. 255 65. 5.4. Explaining results of a cervical smear test - p. 259 66. 5.5. Assessing a patient’s mental capacity - p. 264 67. 5.6. Discussing starting an SSRI - p. 268 68. 5.7. Breaking bad news - p. 273 69. 5.8. Discussing a ‘do not resuscitate’ decision - p. 278 70. 5.9. Speaking to a dissatisfied relative - p. 282 71. 5.10. A colleague who drinks too much - p. 286 72. 5.11. Explanation of secondary amenorrhoea (menopause) - p. 289 73. 5.12. Learning disability - p. 293 74. 5.13. Elder abuse - p. 296 75. 6: PRESCRIBING AND HANDOVER - p. P301 76. 6.0. Introduction to prescribing and handover - p. 303 77. 6.1. Prescribing antibiotics - p. 304 78. 6.2. Medication review - p. 307 79. 6.3. Prescribing postoperative fluids - p. 311 80. 6.4. Prescribing insulin - p. 316 81. 6.5. Prescribing analgesia - p. 321 82. 6.6. Handover of two patients - p. 325 83. 6.7. Referring a patient - p. 328 84. 7: RECOGNISING AND MANAGING ACUTELY UNWELL PATIENTS - p. P333 85. 7.0. Introduction to assessing acutely unwell patients - p. 335 86. 7.1. Acute management of chest pain - p. 336 87. 7.2. Acute management of breathlessness (1) - p. 341 88. 7.3. Acute management of breathlessness (2) - p. 346 89. 7.4. Acute management of abdominal pain - p. 351 90. 7.5. Acute management of a diabetic emergency - p. 356 91. 7.6. Acute management of sepsis - p. 362 92. 7.7. Acute management of postpartum bleeding - p. 367 93. 7.8. Acute management of an unwell child - p. 371 94. 7.9. Acute management of a young person with decreased conscious level - p. 376 95. 7.10. Acute management of acute kidney injury - p. 382 96. 7.11. Acute management of gastrointestinal bleeding - p. 386 97. Index - p. 391 98. Inside front cover - p. 401
With up-to-date coverage of more than 60 of the most commonly encountered OSCE stations in medicine and surgery, Macleod's Clinical OSCEs, 2nd Edition, is an accessible revision tool for students who are preparing for a clinical OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination). Fully aligned and mapped to the updated 2026 MLA curriculum, this resource logically arranges OSCEs by type of skill, such as history-taking, ethics and communication, and physical examination. Both in print and online, it provides easy-to-understand content, tips on exam preparation, sample OSCE station questions, supporting videos, and simulated patient scripts (with answers) for self-study or with fellow students.
1. 1: INTRODUCTION TO THE OSCE - p. P1 2. 1.0. Introduction to the book - p. 3 3. 1.1. What is an OSCE? - p. 5 4. 1.2. How to get the most from this book - p. 7 5. 1.3. General tips for OSCE candidates - p. 10 6. 1.4. Specimen OSCEs - p. 13 7. 1.5. Sample mark sheet and summary of learning sheet - p. 14 8. 2: HISTORY TAKING - p. P17 9. 2.0. Introduction to history taking in OSCEs - p. 19 10. 2.1. Chest pain - p. 22 11. 2.2. A breathless patient - p. 27 12. 2.3. Persistent diarrhoea - p. 32 13. 2.4. Abdominal pain - p. 36 14. 2.5. Fall in an older person - p. 40 15. 2.6. Back pain - p. 45 16. 2.7. Vaginal bleeding - p. 49 17. 2.8. An unwell child - p. 54 18. 2.9. A child with breathing problems - p. 58 19. 2.10. Anxiety disorder - p. 62 20. 2.11. An injury whilst drunk - p. 67 21. 2.12. Headache - p. 72 22. 2.13. Sexual health history - p. 76 23. 2.14. Transient ischaemic attack (TIA) - p. 80 24. 2.15. Infant feeding - p. 83 25. 3: PHYSICAL EXAMINATION - p. P87 26. 3.0. Introduction to examination skills - p. 89 27. 3.1. Examining the patient with a murmur - p. 90 28. 3.2. Peripheral vascular examination - p. 96 29. 3.3. Examining the breathless patient - p. 100 30. 3.4. Examining a lump in the scrotum - p. 105 31. 3.5. Examining the abdomen and digital rectal examination - p. 110 32. 3.6. Assessing a stoma - p. 118 33. 3.7. Examining vision - p. 121 34. 3.8. Lower limb sensory examination - p. 126 35. 3.9. Limb weakness - p. 132 36. 3.10. The patient with a tremor - p. 137 37. 3.11. Thyroid status and neck examination - p. 142 38. 3.12. Examination of the hands - p. 148 39. 3.13. Knee examination - p. 152 40. 3.14. Shoulder examination - p. 157 41. 3.15. Obstetric examination - p. 161 42. 3.16. Newborn examination - p. 167 43. 3.17. Examination of a child with lymphadenopathy - p. 172 44. 3.18. Acute confusion - p. 177 45. 3.19. Breast lump examination - p. 181 46. 3.20. Skin examination - p. 185 47. 3.21. Ear, nose and throat examination - p. 191 48. 3.22. Mental state examination - p. 196 49. 4: PRACTICAL SKILLS - p. P203 50. 4.0. Introduction to practical skills - p. 205 51. 4.1. Recording an ECG - p. 206 52. 4.2. Inserting an intravenous cannula - p. 211 53. 4.3. Arterial blood gas sampling - p. 216 54. 4.4. Capillary blood glucose measurement - p. 220 55. 4.5. Urinary catheter insertion - p. 224 56. 4.6. Speculum examination - p. 228 57. 4.7. Suturing a wound - p. 232 58. 4.8. Adult basic life support - p. 237 59. 4.9. Death verification - p. 241 60. 5: ETHICS, COMMUNICATION AND EXPLANATION - p. P245 61. 5.0. Introduction to ethics, communication and explanation - p. 247 62. 5.1. Obtaining consent for NG tube insertion - p. 248 63. 5.2. Driving advice - p. 252 64. 5.3. Explaining a new diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes - p. 255 65. 5.4. Explaining results of a cervical smear test - p. 259 66. 5.5. Assessing a patient’s mental capacity - p. 264 67. 5.6. Discussing starting an SSRI - p. 268 68. 5.7. Breaking bad news - p. 273 69. 5.8. Discussing a ‘do not resuscitate’ decision - p. 278 70. 5.9. Speaking to a dissatisfied relative - p. 282 71. 5.10. A colleague who drinks too much - p. 286 72. 5.11. Explanation of secondary amenorrhoea (menopause) - p. 289 73. 5.12. Learning disability - p. 293 74. 5.13. Elder abuse - p. 296 75. 6: PRESCRIBING AND HANDOVER - p. P301 76. 6.0. Introduction to prescribing and handover - p. 303 77. 6.1. Prescribing antibiotics - p. 304 78. 6.2. Medication review - p. 307 79. 6.3. Prescribing postoperative fluids - p. 311 80. 6.4. Prescribing insulin - p. 316 81. 6.5. Prescribing analgesia - p. 321 82. 6.6. Handover of two patients - p. 325 83. 6.7. Referring a patient - p. 328 84. 7: RECOGNISING AND MANAGING ACUTELY UNWELL PATIENTS - p. P333 85. 7.0. Introduction to assessing acutely unwell patients - p. 335 86. 7.1. Acute management of chest pain - p. 336 87. 7.2. Acute management of breathlessness (1) - p. 341 88. 7.3. Acute management of breathlessness (2) - p. 346 89. 7.4. Acute management of abdominal pain - p. 351 90. 7.5. Acute management of a diabetic emergency - p. 356 91. 7.6. Acute management of sepsis - p. 362 92. 7.7. Acute management of postpartum bleeding - p. 367 93. 7.8. Acute management of an unwell child - p. 371 94. 7.9. Acute management of a young person with decreased conscious level - p. 376 95. 7.10. Acute management of acute kidney injury - p. 382 96. 7.11. Acute management of gastrointestinal bleeding - p. 386 97. Index - p. 391 98. Inside front cover - p. 401
