How to write answers that earn marks
Examiner guidelines on how written answers are scored, word-matching rules, picture test dos and don'ts, and a full model answer for shock management.
Answering Rules
Six non-negotiable rules for writing surgical management answers.
Write management answers as short outline lines, one point per line. Markers scan for key points, not prose.
Long, unfocused answers score zero. State exactly what you will do, what you will look for, and how you will interpret it.
Always use full terms. Avoid abbreviations even where common ones are widely accepted in the clinic.
Spell correctly. American, British, and German variations are all accepted (e.g., haemorrhage or hemorrhage).
If more than one answer applies, enter them clearly separated by commas.
For a calculated value, compute it from the numbers provided. For a range, always give the complete range.
How Marking Works
Understanding the automated matching engine and examiner review protocol.
- 1
Word-level matching: Your answer is split into individual words and matched against the marking key. Marks are prorated, so partial answers earn partial credit.
- 2
Compound answers require every part: For example, pleural effusion requires
fluid + pleural + space, or the exact term “pleural effusion”. - 3
Meaning-based matching is not used: Use standard medical terminology. Write blindness or loss of sight, never colloquial phrases like “blurry vision”.
- 4
Manual human verification: Every response is reviewed by hand after initial scoring, ensuring that a correct answer with awkward punctuation or a minor typo is never unjustly penalized.
Picture Test: Right and Wrong Answers from the Mock
Real feedback from previous mock sessions highlighting common student mistakes.
| Question | Scores Full Marks | Loses Marks / Scores Zero |
|---|---|---|
| Hernia type | Inguinoscrotal hernia; paraumbilical hernia | “Inguinal hernia” alone earns only partial credit |
| Hernia treatment | Mesh repair, mesh herniorrhaphy or Lichtenstein repair | “Herniorrhaphy” alone scores zero |
| Brain CT finding | Intraventricular haemorrhage | Misspelling; calling the CT an MRI |
| Mean arterial pressure (MAP) | Value calculated from the systolic and diastolic shown | Reading the monitor's displayed MAP |
| Equipment | Multi-parameter monitor, or monitor | “Anaesthetic monitor” |
| Chest X-ray | Right, lower zone; pleural effusion | Writing “fluid” without “pleural” and “space” |
| Eye | Corneal opacity; corneal transplant; blindness or loss of sight | “Blurry vision” |
Model Theory Answer: Emergency Management of Shock
Examiner benchmark demonstrating the exact structure and outline depth required.
“A patient arrives in the emergency room in shock. Every shock, whatever the cause, starts with the same standard steps before you look for the cause:”
- Step 1
Place the patient supine.
- Step 2
Secure IV access and start IV fluids.
- Step 3
Insert a urinary catheter and monitor urine output.
- Step 4
Recognise the type: septic or hypovolaemic.
- Step 5
Identify and treat the cause. For example, cardiac tamponade needs pericardiocentesis.
Key Takeaway: Write your own answers in this shape: short lines in a logical order, avoiding fillers and using standardized medical terms.