The first Prescribing Safety Assessment (PSA) of 2025 is just around the corner, taking place on Thursday, 30th January—earlier than in previous years. For final-year medical students and foundation doctors, this means starting the year with a critical milestone. Whether you’ve been preparing steadily or are just getting started, the next two weeks are crucial to ensuring you’re confident and ready for exam day.
In this blog, we’ll guide you through a step-by-step approach to make the most of your time. With expert tips, targeted strategies, and practical resources from BPS Assessment, you can tackle the PSA with confidence.
Two Weeks to Go: Get Familiar with the Exam
Two weeks before the PSA, focus on understanding the exam format and sharpening your skills:
- Revise the PSA structure: To understand what the exam evaluates, revisit the PSA framework and question types. The official PSA website has valuable resources, including example papers and FAQs.
- Use PSA Prep eLearning sessions: BPS Assessment offers PSA Prep, nine free eLearning modules tailored to the PSA. Each session focuses on the different question styles that are found within the exam. This is an excellent time to work through these sessions if you haven’t already!
- Complete a full-length paper: Available through BPS Assessment, a full 60-question practice paper. Use it to simulate the real exam, test your knowledge under timed conditions, and identify areas for improvement.
One week before the PSA exam
With one week left, focus on consolidating what you’ve learned:
- Focus on weak areas: Review feedback from your practice papers and revisit topics where you scored lower, such as calculations, contraindications, or drug interactions.
- Review the BNF and BNFc: Make sure you’re comfortable navigating these essential resources, as they’ll be your lifeline during the exam.
- Work through additional questions: If you want more practice material consider the practice papers available on our portal website which include detailed feedback on how best to answer each question. Revisit difficult questions to reinforce your understanding.
Three days before the PSA exam
As the exam nears, balance last-minute prep with self-care:
- Quick refreshers: Revisit key prescribing principles and ensure you’re confident with common calculations and drug dose adjustments.
- Light practice: Avoid overloading yourself; focus on short, targeted exercises to keep your skills sharp without adding stress.
- Plan your exam day: Ensure you know the exam schedule, your login details for the PSA platform, and any technical requirements.
On Exam Day: Stay Calm and Focused
Finally, approach the exam with confidence:
- Trust your preparation: You’ve put in the work; trust your knowledge and use available resources.
- Utilise the BNF effectively: During the exam, rely on the BNF and BNFc to verify answers and avoid errors.
Ready to tackle the PSA? Explore all our resources here or find out more about the Prescribing Skills Assessment here.