Hi! Greetings from the Eastern Shores of Nova Scotia,

Welcome to my Take Home Points Blog where I share practical tips and advice to help International Medical Graduates (IMGs) refine their communication skills for medical interviews and support their exam readiness for the Medical Council of Canada's MCCQE1 NAC OSCE examination.

Take Home Point #1: Become a Volunteer Patient

If you have some extra time, like a few hours a week for a semester or a year, I highly recommend becoming a Volunteer Patient by joining a Volunteer Patient Program (VPP) at your local medical school. Many Canadian medical schools have VPP’s to give their first-year medical students the chance to practice conducting medical histories and relevant physical exams to prepare and develop their skills for real-life clinical settings.

These programs are a great way to connect with faculty and learners in your community, help new learners with their medical education and gain valuable experience from the patient’s perspective (your perspective). When you are the patient, you’ll further develop a profound appreciation for how it feels to be on the other side of the medical interview – you’ll also obtain insights on the communication standards that Canadian medical schools strive to impart upon their learners which will directly improve your readiness for the MCCQE1 NAC OSCE examination. Joining a VPP is a win-win for everyone involved.

Lastly, many of the IMGs I have had the pleasure to work with over the years have made lifelong friends and generated interesting employment opportunities just by engaging with their local VPP.

So what are you waiting for? Get out there, don't be shy! Build your knowledge and share your expertise in your community!

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Make sure that you're on the right track now! Get a sense of your current exam readiness for the NAC-OSCE by booking a 1-Hour Case Practice Session where I'll assess your performance and provide detailed feedback, practical advice, and tips as you prepare for the exam.