How to Use Practice Feedback to Pass Your Prescribing Exams with Confidence

Passing your prescribing exams requires more than just memorising drug names and guidelines – it’s about understanding why certain prescribing decisions are correct and learning from your mistakes. That’s where detailed feedback plays a crucial role in building confidence and improving performance.

BPS Assessment’s practice papers provide comprehensive feedback, breaking down your answers to highlight what you did well and where you can improve. By making the most of this feedback, you can refine your prescribing skills, avoid common mistakes, and approach your next prescribing exam with confidence.

Let’s explore how to use this feedback effectively in your revision strategy.

1. Understand Where You Went Wrong

One of the most valuable aspects of BPS Assessment’s feedback is its ability to pinpoint mistakes. Instead of simply marking an answer as right or wrong, the feedback provides:

  • A detailed explanation of why the correct answer is the best choice.
  • Insights into common errors and misconceptions.
  • An analysis of optimal vs. sub-optimal answers, helping you see where small mistakes can impact patient safety.

Tip: After each practice paper, go through the feedback carefully and categorise your mistakes – was it a calculation error, a misunderstanding of contraindications, or a misinterpretation of the question? Identifying patterns will help you focus your revision.

2. Learn from Sub-Optimal Answers

Not all incorrect answers are completely wrong – some responses may be partially correct but not ideal. The feedback highlights:

  • Why an alternative response is better, so you can refine your decision-making?
  • What makes an answer sub-optimal such as missing key safety considerations. 
  • How to improve for next time, ensuring you select the safest, most appropriate option in future exams.

Tip: Keep a revision journal where you write down sub-optimal answers that you’ve given and note the reasoning behind the best answer. This will reinforce learning and help you avoid similar mistakes.

3. Improve Your Exam Technique

Feedback doesn’t just teach prescribing principles – it also helps refine how you approach questions in prescribing exams.

  • Question interpretation – Understand what examiners are looking for.
  • Time management – Recognise which questions you spend too long on.
  • BNF navigation skills – Learn how to find information quickly and efficiently.

Tip: If you struggled with time management in your practice papers, try setting a timer for each question to get used to working under exam conditions.

4. Strengthen Your Clinical Judgement

Safe prescribing isn’t just about getting the right dose – it’s about making well-rounded clinical decisions. The detailed explanations provided in BPS Assessment’s practice papers allow you to:

  • See the rationale behind correct answers, helping you develop a prescribing mindset.
  • Understand safety considerations, such as interactions, contraindications, monitoring and data interpretation.
  • Apply this knowledge to real-world scenarios, ensuring you’re not just passing an exam but also becoming a safer prescriber.

Tip: Read through the feedback even for questions you got right – there may be extra insights that strengthen your understanding.

5. Track Your Progress Over Time

One of the best ways to boost confidence before a prescribing exam is to see tangible improvement. By regularly completing practice papers and reviewing your feedback, you can:

  • Identify topics where your performance is consistently improving.
  • Spot recurring weak areas and adjust your revision focus.
  • Feel more confident as you see your scores and prescribing accuracy improve.

Tip: Keep a progress log where you track your scores and common mistakes. This will help you stay motivated and ensure you’re making steady improvements.

Turning Feedback into Success

Detailed feedback is one of the most powerful tools in your exam preparation. By actively engaging with practice paper feedback, you can:

  • Learn from mistakes and sub-optimal answers.
  • Strengthen your clinical reasoning and prescribing confidence.
  • Improve time management and exam technique.
  • Track your progress and refine your approach before exam day.
  • The more you understand and apply this feedback, the more prepared you’ll be to pass your prescribing exam—and to prescribe safely and effectively in clinical practice.

If you’re looking for high-quality practice papers with detailed feedback, visit the BPS Assessment Learner Portal. Here, you’ll find a range of resources designed to help you refine your prescribing skills, improve your confidence, and perform at your best on exam day.

Get started today by exploring our set of Prescribing Practice Papers and take your revision to the next level.

Failed the PSA Exam? What to Do and How to Pass Next Time

Failing the Prescribing Safety Assessment (PSA) can feel discouraging, but it’s important to remember it’s not the end of the world. A proportion of students and foundation doctors don’t pass on their first attempt, but with the right preparation and mindset, you can turn this setback into success. The good news? You’ll have another opportunity to take the exam later in the year, giving you time to improve and pass with confidence.

In this guide, we’ll break down what went wrong, how to improve, and what steps to take to ensure you pass the PSA next time.

1. Reflect on Your Performance: What Went Wrong?

Before diving into revision, take time to analyse your performance. Ask yourself:

  • Which question types were most challenging? (e.g. prescribing, dose calculations, adverse drug reactions)
  • Did I run out of time?
  • Was I confident using the BNF?
  • Did I misread questions or make avoidable errors?

Tip: Go through the feedback provided on the PSA platform. Understanding why you struggled is the first step in improving.

2. Make a Structured Study Plan

Rushing into revision without a strategy can lead to repeating the same mistakes. create a realistic, structured study plan that allows enough time to revise each topic properly.

  • Set goals – Focus on weaker areas while maintaining strengths.
  • Prioritise question practise – Use practice papers to develop confidence.
  • Simulate exam conditions – Time yourself to build speed and accuracy.

Tip: Give yourself plenty of time before the next sitting – last-minute cramming is rarely effective!

3. Master Time Management

One of the biggest challenges of the PSA is completing all the questions in two hours. If time was an issue in your first attempt, work on:

  • Practising under timed conditions – Answer practice questions with a strict time limit.
  • Using the ‘flag and return’ method – If a question is taking too long, move on and come back later.
  • Managing calculations efficiently – Practice quick mental maths and using a calculator effectively.

Tip: Not all questions in the PSA are scored equally; spending longer on the higher-scoring questions could benefit you in the long run. Read our blog about mastering the time pressures to get a sense of how long to spend on each section. 

4. Get Confident with the BNF

Knowing how to navigate the BNF (British National Formulary) quickly is key to passing the PSA. Many students fail because they waste time searching for drug information or misunderstand key details.

  • Practise searching for drugs efficiently – Utilise both the Medicines Complete and NICE BNF. Learn where to find indications, contraindications, dosages, and interactions.
  • Familiarise yourself with prescribing for special populations – Elderly patients, renal impairment, and pregnancy.
  • Use it in your practice questions – So you’re comfortable looking things up quickly during the exam.

Tip: Speed matters! The faster you find information in the BNF, the more time you have to answer questions.

5. Learn from High-Quality Resources

Make sure you’re using the right materials to prepare.

  • Official PSA resources – Review the official exam guidance and sample questions.
  • BPS Assessment Learner’s Portal – Free eLearning sessions, revision tips, and more 
  • BPS Assessment’s Learner Portal Blog Section (Portal Post) – Expert advice on passing the PSA, including strategies for success.

Access free revision resources here: https://portal.bpsassessment.com/ 

Tip: Using structured resources will help you focus on exam-style questions rather than just reading textbooks.

6. Don’t Let Failure Knock Your Confidence

Failing an exam is tough, but it does not define your ability as a doctor. Plenty of skilled, competent healthcare professionals have had setbacks in their careers – what matters is how you learn and improve.

  • Stay positive – One exam won’t shape your entire career.
  • Seek support – Talk to professors, mentors, or peers about how to improve.
  • Look after yourself – Eat well, sleep properly, and take breaks to avoid burnout.

Tip: Surround yourself with supportive people and remind yourself why you’re doing this – to become a safe and effective prescriber.

Your Next Steps

If you didn’t pass the PSA this time, don’t panic – you’ll have another chance later in the year. By identifying your weak points, improving your exam technique, and using the right resources, you’ll be in a much stronger position for your next attempt.

  • Learn from your mistakes
  • Revise with a structured plan
  • Practise under exam conditions
  • Stay positive and persistent

You’ve got this! Good luck with your next PSA attempt!