How to Practise for the CASC: Role-Play Partners, Mock Circuits and AI Simulators

If you ask anyone who has passed the CASC how they prepared, the answer is almost always the same: they practised stations, a lot, with other people. The exam rewards how you perform in seven minutes, and that is a skill you can only build by doing it. This guide covers the three main ways to practise — peer groups, solo practice and AI simulators — and how to get the most from each.

Why Practice Beats Reading for the CASC

Knowing the causes of psychosis or the structure of a risk assessment will not by itself earn marks. The examiner marks what you say and do: how you open, how you build rapport, how you structure your questions and whether you complete the task in time. Published work on simulated CASC events has found that peer observation is a valuable part of preparation and that trainees feel they gain knowledge and skills from it.

There is also a warning in the research. In one study, differences between a candidate's self-rating and the examiner's rating appeared more often in those who later failed. In other words, you cannot judge your own performance accurately, which is why other people's feedback matters.

Option 1: A Peer Role-Play Group

A regular practice group is the single most useful resource you can build. Here is how to set one up:

• •Group size: three to six people works well. You need one candidate, one actor and ideally one observer who watches and scores.
• •Frequency: a fixed weekly slot beats irregular marathons. Consistency builds habits.
• •Scenarios: use published station books, past experience and your own clinical cases (anonymised). Rotate who plays the patient so everyone sees the scenario from the other side.
• •Commitment: agree that everyone shows up, prepares and gives honest feedback.

Playing the patient is itself a valuable form of practice. You see what a good opening feels like, what makes a patient open up and what makes them shut down.

How to Run a Mock CASC Circuit

Once you are a few weeks in, move from single stations to a circuit:

1. Prepare 8 stations, with a candidate instruction sheet and an actor brief for each.
2. Set up rooms, or chairs, so stations are physically separate.
3. Give a short reading time. Use 90 seconds to mimic the afternoon circuit, which is the harder version.
4. Run each station for exactly 7 minutes with a visible timer and a bell.
5. Give a 1 to 2 minute pause for the examiner to write feedback, then rotate.
6. Debrief at the end of the circuit rather than after each station, as you will in the real exam.

The aim is to practise your stamina and your ability to reset after a bad station. Running several circuits before the real exam makes the day feel familiar.

How to Give Feedback That Actually Helps

Poor feedback — "that was fine" — wastes practice. Use the same structure the examiners use:

• •Score each domain from 1 to 5. Typical domains cover rapport, range and depth of questioning and how well the station task was met.
• •Give a global grade. Excellent Pass, Pass, Borderline Pass, Borderline Fail, Fail or Severe Fail. Be honest rather than kind.
• •Say one thing that worked and one thing to change. Keep it specific: "You asked about suicidal thoughts directly and gently" is better than "good risk".
• •Write it down. Keep a log of recurring issues, such as forgetting the closing summary or running out of time on collateral history, and check it before the next session.

Option 2: Practising Alone

Some practice is possible without anyone else, and it is a good way to use spare minutes:

• •Say it out loud. Walk through your history template, mental state or risk assessment aloud as if the patient were in front of you.
• •Record yourself. Use a phone to record a seven-minute station. Playing it back shows you filler words, rushed endings and missing risk questions.
• •Time your sections. Know how long you spend on opening, history, risk and closing, and adjust.
• •Rehearse transitions. Practise the phrases you use to move from one topic to the next, especially into risk.

Solo practice builds fluency but it cannot replace feedback from another person, so use it to supplement a group, not to replace it.

Option 3: AI Patient Simulators

AI simulators are a newer option. Research has begun to look at AI-powered CASC simulators in which AI plays the patient and an AI examiner gives feedback, and early work suggests they can be a useful tool for preparation. Their main advantages are:

• •Availability. You can practise at 11pm after a night shift without coordinating diaries.
• •Volume. You can do many more stations than a group can run.
• •Consistency. The scenario and the feedback format are the same every time, so you can track progress.

The CASC Master app lets you practise realistic stations against an AI patient and get structured examiner-style feedback. Treat it as a way to increase your volume of practice and to rehearse weak station types, alongside human practice rather than instead of it.

Combining All Three

A sensible weekly plan for the last three months might look like this:

• •One peer group session of 2 to 3 stations, with full feedback
• •Two or three AI or solo stations during the week, focused on your weakest types
• •One full mock circuit every week or two in the final month

This gives you human feedback, high volume and stamina training.

Common Practice Mistakes

• •Only practising favourite stations. The 12-station rule punishes weak areas.
• •Stopping the clock. Always run to 7 minutes, including a proper close.
• •Soft feedback. Friends who say everything was fine do you no favours.
• •Practising too late. Waiting until the last month leaves no time to fix problems.
• •Ignoring the reading time. Practise forming a plan quickly in 90 seconds.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many practice stations should I do before the CASC?

Candidates who feel ready usually describe doing well over 100 timed stations. Aim for several a week early on, building to a full circuit weekly in the last month.

How do I find a CASC practice partner?

Ask colleagues on your training scheme, join regional or online trainee groups and use course or mock exam days to meet people preparing for the same sitting.

Can I prepare for the CASC alone?

You can build fluency alone, but feedback from others is important. Combine solo practice and AI simulation with a peer group if you can.

Are AI CASC simulators any good?

They are useful for volume and convenience and for rehearsing weak stations. Use them as a supplement to human practice and not as a replacement.

How do I run a mock CASC?

Prepare 8 stations, use a 90-second reading time and 7 minutes per station, rotate through rooms and debrief at the end. Score each domain from 1 to 5 and give a global grade.