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    Renée,

    Lives in Halifax, NS.

    Tutors everywhere.

     

    How I can help:

    “Communication – the human connection – is the key to personal and career success.” - Paul Meyer

     

    With a learner-centered approach, I help International Medical Graduates (IMGs) refine their patient-centered, clinical communications skills in preparation for the Medical Council of Canada's MCCQE1 NAC-OSCE examination.

     

    I offer friendly, professional one-on-one private case-based tutoring sessions on Zoom where you will comfortably practice conducting timed cases and obtain helpful feedback, advice, and strategies to support your exam readiness and success.

     

    Upcoming NAC-OSCE Exam:  

    Saturday, May 3rd, 2025

     

    Practice cases with a NAC-OSCE expert today! Booking times are limited, please reserve your tutoring session now.

  • About Me

    I offer over 14 years of experience in immersive learning teaching in medical education as a Clinical Teaching Associate, Simulated/Standardized Patient/Health Care Professional, and Support Staff for various research studies, interprofessional and PGME communication workshops, labs, OSCEs, assessments and national licensing exams with world re-known organizations such as: Dalhousie University's School of Medicine and Nursing, Nova Scotia Health's Learning Institute for Health Care Providers, CaRMS, the College of Physicians & Surgeons of Nova Scotia, and as part of the Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia's IMG NAC-OSCE Clinical Skills Review Program where I continue to portray complex medical roles and provide learner-centered feedback and strategies to help learners and healthcare practitioners in all stages of their education and professional careers.

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    "Listen to your patient; they are telling you the diagnosis."

    - Sir William Osler, Canadian Physician (1849-1919) 

     

     

  • What I do

    Case by case, based on your own individual needs, I will introduce you to the Medical Council of Canada's NAC-OSCE exam's intricate format and objectives and help you refine your clinical communication skills to support your exam readiness and maximize your score.

     

    The quality of your performance in the NAC-OSCE is not only measured by your diagnostic competencies. Your clinical communication skills using an effective collaborative patient-centered approach is intergral to securing a high score. These are just a few of the skills that we'll review and refine together during our case practice tutoring sessions:

    • Exemplary exam etiquette (e.g. how to proceed when you are stuck or what to say if you are unsure how to pronounce your patient's name).
    • How to conduct a comprehensive, patient-focused interview.
    • How to conduct a timely history and physical in a logical sequence in hybrid history & physical stations.
    • How to efficiently initiate the station so that it flows with ease and optimizes your time.
    • How to actively listen to your patient's responses, recognize their cues, and get to the heart of the case faster.
    • How to quickly build rapport with your patient by fully exploring and incorporating their perspective.
    • How to ask questions that will elicit specific, focused, and timely responses from your patient.
    • How to avoid using medical jargon and what to do if you accidentally use it.
    • How to gently break bad news to a patient in a concise, compassionate, and supportive manner.
    • How to convey genuine empathy.
    • How to manage an angry, difficult patient.
    • How to normalize a stigmatizing diagnosis.
    • How to take a balanced collateral history.
    • How to reassure an anxious patient (e.g. like a worried parent).
    • How to conduct a difficult conversation (i.e. like discussing new lifestyle changes, non-adherence to recommended treatment or abuse etc.).
    • How to use appropriate non-verbal behaviour (e.g. maintaining good eye contact, posture, use of silence, and considerate note-taking practices).
    • How to be sensitive to the patient's comfort during physical exams (e.g. obtaining consent, using appropriate draping methods, "talk before touch method" and more)
    • How to ask up to 25 questions in one minute. (Yes, it's possible. I'll show you how.)

    * All cases are developed by an expert with the most up-to-date academic references (including Toronto Notes) and props (investigative data results). Over 60 case scenarios are available to practice and customized cases may also be drafted at no extra cost.

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    CASE PRACTICE WITH FEEDBACK

    In a 1-hour private Zoom session we will run through two cases (random or of your choosing) with sample questions and props, followed by constructive feedback, practical advice and tips for exam readiness and success.

     

    Cost: $65.00 per 1-hour private session

     

    Please contact me if you'd like to arrange a group session.

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    MOCK OSCE SESSION WITH FEEDBACK

    In a 2-hour private Zoom session, we will run through five random cases to assess your exam readiness followed by very detailed, in-depth feedback: identifying strengths, addressing any concerns, and offering practical advice and encouragement.

     

    Cost: $125 for 2-hour private session

     

    Please contact me if you'd like to arrange a group session.

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    CUSTOMIZED CASE SELECTION AND DEVELOPMENT

    Are there cases that you feel you haven't had a chance to fully practice? Maybe you would you like to revisit a type of case that was particularly challenging, like a difficult patient or medical error case for instance? Not to worry, 60 cases are avaialble to chose from and a specialized case can always be drafted at no extra cost.

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    SUPPORT

    I am here for you.

     

    My promise to you is that I will fully share my expertise with you and always impart kind, specific, and constructive feedback on your performance because I sincerely wish you to succeed.

     

    If there is anything that I can do to help you through the exam process, please let me know.

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    CONFIDENTIALITY

    What happens in case-based practice, stays in case-based practice.

     

  • What IMGs Are Saying

     

    Anesthesiologist

    Cairo, Egypt

    "Studying for the NAC OSCE exam was quite stressful and challenging especially with no support until I met Renée. Over 3 months, I attended one-on-one and group sessions both virtually and in-person; every session boosted my knowledge and self-confidence. Renée is a positively-minded, talented, and knowledgeable person who guided me every step of the way on my route to success. Her tips on time management and gathering patient information effectively and concisely as well as her critical analysis methods were very helpful. She trained me according to CanMEDS regulations and clearly explained sensitive subjects in patient assessments enabling me to get a competitive NAC score. Renée, thank you for your words of encouragement and your constructive feedback. I could not have done it without you!"

    General Practitioner

    Lagos, Nigeria

    "I’d like to thank Renée for her input and contribution to my superior performance in the NAC OSCE exam. I had been studying and had heard some conflicting opinions, however when I discovered Renée and spoke about it to her during our practice sessions, she was able to direct me in the right way. Renée is very knowledgeable and well informed about the NAC exam, if you listen to her carefully you are bound to succeed. Again, thank you very much Renée for your time, guidance and most importantly for your reassurance all throughout the way. I look forward to referring many of my colleagues to you!"

    Pediatrician

    Mumbai, India

    "Renée was a great help during my preparation for the NAC OSCE examination which I passed in my first attempt, with good scores. She mentored me and gave me the exact approach towards patient-centered interview. Thanks for all your help and support."

    ER Doctor

    Gaborone, Bostwana

    "I'm very glad that I came across Renée's website as she was the motivation I was looking for. Learning the small tips to get a better score was how Renée teaches, as well as, identifiying the small flaws you may have. Renée gave me confidence and it showed as I did pretty well in my exam. I would recommend her one-on-one sessions to give you that extra push. Thank you again!"

    Dermatologist

    Cairo, Egypt

    "I met Renée at NAC-OSCE training in 2021. Other than being nice and friendly, Renée is very professional and experienced. She gives invaluable feedback on how to improve your communication skills, how to arrange your line of thoughts and questions, and how to approach cases of the NAC. She gave me the perspective of the patient and redirected me where I needed to improve. I find her genuine and constructive feedback to have helped me not only pass the exam the first time but also for a lifetime of practice. I have no doubt she will be helping many people. Thank you, Renée!"

    Family Practice

    Abuja, Nigeria

    "Renée is amazing, she built me up, stating areas of improvement and restoring my confidence by reminding me I am already a physician. Lol. I remember going into the exam remembering her words on mentioning the confidentiality statement in all the stations and I had a relatively high score on the NAC exam. So, I recommend taking her advice seriously. Her portrayal of psychiatry cases are spot on and unforgettable."

    Internal Medicine and ICU

    Cairo, Egypt

    "I came across Renée's website by coincidence when I was looking up preparation resources for the NAC-OSCE and I am glad I did. Renée offers exam-like case scenarios that were very similar to the real NAC-OSCE stations on exam day. One of the standout features of Renée's review is that it was tailored to my needs. She also prepared me to be able to accomplish my case scenarios within the allocated time of every station, which is one of the most challenging aspects of NAC-OSCE. Renée’s feedback is constructive and personalized. She highlighted my strengths and areas for improvement to maximize my exam readiness. On the exam day, I felt very confident as I had reviewed both basic and challenging difficult patient case scenarios with her. Lastly, Renée’s schedule is very flexible and she was able to accommodate the time differences to my preferences. I got my results back today and I scored 652. Thanks!"

  • BOOK NOW

    Once you've selected a date and time you'll receive an email confirming your booking. I'll will reach out to you 24 hours before your booking to discuss your objectives for our session together. Here's a helpful time conversion tool to confirm the equivalent time in Nova Scotia.

     

    * Additional booking times may be arranged by contacting me to schedule a mutually convenient time in the daytime or evening. Group sessions may also be arranged.

    Case-based Practice with Feedback: 1-Hour Private Session

    Case-based Practice with Feedback: 1-Hour Private Session

    Zoom
    In a 1-hour private session on Zoom. Tailored to your own individual needs, we will practice 2-3 cases followed by sample questions, constructive feedback, practical advice and tips for exam readiness. COST: $65.00 (Payable via e-transfer or PayPal following your session.) Cancellation Policy: 24 hours notice is required via email for cancelling sessions. Cancelled sessions with less than 24-hours notice will be invoiced for half of the cost of the session. This cancellation policy also applies to same-day bookings. Failure to show-up for a scheduled session will directly result in being billed for the full cost of the missed session.
    Select date and time
    Event time zone:America/Halifax GMT-04:00
    Book Now  
    Mock OSCE: 2-Hour Case-based Practice Private Session

    Mock OSCE: 2-Hour Case-based Practice Private Session

    Zoom
    2-hour Case-based Practice Private Session on Zoom will resume in January 2025. Tailored to your own individual needs to assess your exam readiness, we will practice 5-6 cases followed by sample questions, practical advice and encouragement as well as very detailed in-depth constructive feedback to identify strengths and address any concerns. COST: $125.00 (Payable via e-transfer or PayPal following your session.) Cancellation Policy: 24 hours notice is required via email for cancelling sessions. Cancelled sessions with less than 24-hours notice will be invoiced for half of the cost of the session. This cancellation policy also applies to same-day bookings. Failure to show-up for a scheduled session will directly result in being billed for the full cost of the missed session.
    Select date and time
    Event time zone:America/Halifax GMT-04:00
    Book Now  
  • Take Home Point Blog

    Welcome to my Take Home Point Blog where I share practical tips and strategies to support your exam readiness and success for the NAC-OSCE.
    2024年7月7日 · NAC OSCE Exam,Canada,IMG,Advice,Station Etiquette
    2024年4月14日 · NAC Orientation,Candidate Info,Free Course,Medical Council,Exam Tips and Advice
    2023年7月11日 · NAC OSCE Exam,Confidence,Tentative Language,Positive Self-Talk,Imposter Syndrome
    2023年4月19日 · NAC OSCE Exam,Paired Questions,Stacked Questions,Halifax,Save Exam Time
    2023年4月12日 · Rushing Questions,Rapid Pacing,NAC OSCE Exam,Exam Tips and Advice,Metronome
    2023年4月4日 · NAC OSCE Exam,Reduce Stress,Reframing,Kindness,Help
    More Posts
  • When you shine, we shine together!

    If you'd like to book a case-based practice session or learn more, please get in touch. I look forward to hearing from you.