GeneralPass the PSA with QUPI

Medical students have tons and tons of examinations and assessments to pass during their university years – if you’re living in the UK, the PSA is one of such assessments. The test needs to be taken by final-year medical students and can be a bit difficult, but with proper preparation – and the help of QUPI – you will be able to easily pass it.

First things first – what is the PSA?

The PSA – or the Prescribing Safety Assessment – is a computer-based assessment, written through online channels. The assessment is obligatory for all students who wish to join Foundation Year 1 in the UK, as well as for graduates coming from overseas. The PSA will test your knowledge of writing prescriptions over 8 sections:

• Prescribing
• Prescription Review
• Planning Management
• Providing Information
• Calculation Skills
• Adverse Drug Reactions
• Drug Monitoring
• Data Interpretation

The exam will take you two hours to complete – which is very little when compared to other medical exams that can take multiple days to finish. However, don’t take the PSA lightly just because it is short! The questions will be very in-depth, requiring you to know the details of various medications, their doses, reactions with other drugs, and more. Study diligently and you will be sure to pass the PSA!

During the exam, you will have to read a number of descriptions of real-world cases. These descriptions will have follow-up questions, asking you to select a correct course of action. For example, you may encounter a case of a patient who complains about a rash after taking a specific medication. Your task will be to choose the correct replacement for his current treatment that will counteract the rash but also be a viable replacement for what he was taking.

What can help me study for the PSA?

During the PSA, your best friend will be! the BNF – the British National Formulary. The BNF contains a wide range of information on prescribing and pharmacology, including details on almost every drug and medication available in the United Kingdom. While you will have access to the BNF during the exam, it is still a good idea to familiarize yourself with it. The BNF will be your trusty companion throughout your whole medical career and can provide useful advice on a range of topics.

Make sure you’re reading the latest version of the British National Formulary. A new edition of the BNF is released twice every year – in March and in September. However, the BNF alone might not be enough to pass the exam. You can find useful information on the PSA website, including a variety of practice exams that you can take advantage of. While some of the practice materials need to be bought to access, there are still a lot of helpful resources that can aid you in studying for the PSA.

Master the PSA questions with QUPI

When preparing for the PSA, writing practice exams can be the perfect way to consolidate your knowledge. However, the official practise exams provided by the PSA website are very expensive. Instead of spending your hard-earned money on them, why not give QUPI a try with a Free 7 Day Trial and experience improved studying quality?

QUPI is an extensive medical question bank, with 10,000+ questions currently available for medical students from all over the world. With QUPI, you can create your own quizzes, according to a set difficulty level and subject matter. This gives you access to a variety of questions created specifically because of their relevance to various medical exams – including the PSA. Try out QUPI and take your PSA with confidence!

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