PACES revision timetable: an 8-week plan
A week-by-week 8-week PACES revision plan that balances bedside sessions, solo practice, communication and consultation stations, and full timed circuits.
The short answer
- Eight weeks is a realistic window for most candidates working full time. Spend weeks 1–3 building examination routines and case scripts, weeks 4–5 on consultations and communication, weeks 6–7 on mixed, timed practice, and week 8 polishing and resting.
- Every week should include bedside sessions on real patients and short daily spoken practice; one without the other leaves gaps.
- Book bedside sessions and any course early: they are the hardest part to arrange.
Before you start: set up the essentials
- Read the rules. Spend an hour on the official format and marking scheme (see format and marking) so every practice session targets what is actually marked.
- Book people, not just time. Ask registrars and consultants for bedside sessions now, find one or two practice partners, and book any course for weeks 6–7.
- Take a baseline. Do one case from each of the six areas under exam timings and note which skills come back weakest.
The 8-week plan
| Week | Focus | Bedside (2–3 sessions) | Daily solo practice (30–45 min) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Routines and the exam rules | Polish the examination routine for each system until it fits 6 minutes | Learn the marking scheme; write case scripts for common cardiovascular cases |
| 2 | Cardiovascular and respiratory | Valve disease, prosthetic valves, fibrosis, bronchiectasis, effusions | Present one case a day out loud; heart and breath sound recognition |
| 3 | Abdominal and neurology | Liver disease, organomegaly, transplants; neuro lower and upper limbs, cranial nerves | Neurology localisation drills; abdominal case scripts |
| 4 | Communication encounters | Keep one examination session a week going | One communication scenario a day: plan for 5 minutes, then run for 10 |
| 5 | Consultation encounters | Practise focused examinations inside a consultation | One consultation a day: 15 minutes with the patient, then 5 of questions |
| 6 | Mixed practice, weak skills | Target the systems and signs you are least sure of | Alternate examination and talking stations; focus on your two weakest skills |
| 7 | Full timed circuits | A course, or a group mock with real patients | Back-to-back encounters to real timings; rehearse transitions |
| 8 | Polish and rest | One or two light sessions | Short daily presentations; review your case scripts; sleep |
What a good week looks like
- Weekdays: 30–45 minutes of active practice: one case presented aloud and recorded, ten minutes of sign recognition, and one conversation-based scenario on alternate days.
- Two or three times a week: bedside sessions focused on technique and real signs, with someone giving honest feedback.
- Weekend: a longer group session or a run of several encounters back to back under exam timings.
If you have less (or more) time
- Four weeks: compress weeks 1–3 into the first fortnight, run communication and consultation practice together in week 3, and use week 4 for timed mixed practice. Prioritise neurology and consultations, which carry the most risk and the most marks respectively.
- Twelve weeks or more: add a slow first month of bedside exposure and reading, then follow the eight-week plan. Long runs without spoken practice are the main risk.
The final week
- Don't start anything new. Rehearse what you already know.
- Practise your opening lines and closing summaries until they're automatic.
- Plan the journey and arrive at least an hour before the exam starts, as the Federation recommends.
- Sleep. Fluency under pressure depends on it more than one more evening of reading.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
How long should I study for PACES?
Many candidates working full time prepare for around eight weeks, combining two or three bedside sessions a week with short daily spoken practice. Start earlier if you have little recent exposure to patients with clinical signs.
Can I prepare for PACES in 4 weeks?
It is possible if you already have solid examination routines. Compress the examination stations into two weeks, then practise communication and consultations together, and use the final week for timed mixed practice.
What should I do the week before PACES?
Avoid new material. Rehearse your case scripts, opening lines and closing summaries, do short timed practice, plan your journey to arrive at least an hour early, and prioritise sleep.
How many cases should I practise for PACES?
There is no official number. What matters is covering the common cases for each station and presenting each one out loud several times. Around 30 well-rehearsed case scripts cover most of the examination encounters.
Written by The Ace PACES team. Exam facts are taken from the Federation of the Royal Colleges of Physicians’ published PACES guidance, linked in the sources above. This guide supports exam preparation and is not a clinical guideline.
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