CCE vs StAMPS: What’s the Difference?
If you’re a GP registrar or International Medical Graduate (IMG) in Australia, one of the biggest decisions you’ll face is which college pathway to follow: RACGP or ACRRM.
While the curriculum and scope of general practice are similar, the clinical exams - the CCE (RACGP) and StAMPS (ACRRM) - are fundamentally different.
In this guide, written with insight from A/Prof George Eskander, Chief Examiner at PassGP, we’ll break down everything you need to know about the format, structure, difficulty, and best preparation strategies for each exam.
What Are the CCE and StAMPS Exams?
Both exams are the final summative assessments for GP Fellowship:
|
Exam |
College |
Full Name |
Purpose |
|
CCE |
RACGP |
Clinical Competency Exam |
Simulates GP consultations |
|
StAMPS |
ACRRM |
Structured Assessment using Multiple Patient Scenarios |
Tests clinical decision-making under time pressure |
Exam Format: Head-to-Head
|
Feature |
CCE (RACGP) |
StAMPS (ACRRM) |
|
Format |
9 x 15-min clinical stations over 2 sittings |
8 x 17-min timed scenarios |
|
Mode |
Video-based or face-to-face role-plays |
Live video interview with an examiner |
|
Content |
Consultations, counselling, communication |
Scenario-based: acute, remote, inpatient, procedural |
|
Focus |
GP-style communication & safe management |
Rural-specific decision-making & autonomy |
|
Interaction |
Actor plays patient; you consult them |
Examiner plays patient/colleague & scores you live |
What Skills Do They Test?
CCE (RACGP):
- Communication and rapport
- History-taking and focused examination reasoning
- Patient education and shared decision-making
- Management of undifferentiated illness
- Safety-netting and referrals
- Consultation style
A/Prof Eskander explains:
“The CCE is about whether you can practise safely as an unsupervised GP. It's a simulation of real consults, not a viva.”
StAMPS (ACRRM):
- Clinical reasoning under pressure
- Rural medicine autonomy
- Emergency triage and management
- Ethics, systems thinking, and cultural safety
- Procedural decision-making (e.g., retrieval, anaesthetics, remote triage)
Expect questions like:
“You’re the only doctor in Stampsville. A 12-year-old presents with fever and a stiff neck. Outline your approach to initial assessment and management.”
You’re tested not just on what you do - but why, how, and whether it works in your isolated setting.
Which Exam Is Harder?
That depends on your background and training style.
|
Candidate Type |
May Find This Easier |
|
AGPT registrar in metro |
CCE (many report more familiar scenarios) |
|
IMG used to role-play |
CCE (patient-style stations) |
|
Rural hospital doctor |
StAMPS (greater autonomy expected) |
|
Candidates strong in clinical logic but less expressive |
StAMPS (less emphasis on empathy tone) |
Both exams require different mindsets and practice styles.
Learn More About PassGP CCEHow to Prepare Effectively
-
For CCE:
- Practise 15-minute consults under time pressure
- Use role-play with actors or tutors
- Focus on rapport, explanation, safety-netting
- Use real RACGP cases and language
PassGP offers:
- 14 full-length mock stations
- Model answers and examiner mark schemes
- 1:1 coaching from past examiners
For StAMPS:
- Train with structured frameworks (ABCDE, ISBAR, RISK)
- Rehearse thinking aloud under pressure
- Practise responding to remote medicine scenarios
- Learn how to justify decisions without support
PassGP offers:
- Live coaching with rural doctors
- Timed scenario scripts
- Custom feedback on StAMPS-style reasoning
Which Pathway Is Right for You?
|
Question |
Choose… |
|
Do you want to work in urban/suburban areas? |
RACGP (CCE) |
|
Do you love emergency, procedural, rural or remote work? |
ACRRM (StAMPS) |
|
Do you prefer simulation-style consults with actors? |
CCE |
|
Do you prefer logical, rapid case analysis with less role-play? |
StAMPS |
|
Do you need visa support for rural positions? |
ACRRM often more flexible |
Final Thoughts
Both the CCE and StAMPS are gateways to Fellowship - and to a career as an independent, confident GP in Australia.
At PassGP, we support both exams. Whether you’re training with RACGP or ACRRM, our goal is the same:
- Teach clinical reasoning
- Train exam technique
- Help you pass, the first time
- Invigorate your self-confidence as a brilliant doctor who deserves to pass.
With hundreds of scenario-based oral cases, full-length mock exams, and personalised coaching by real examiners like A/Prof George Eskander, PassGP is your smartest path to Fellowship.
Learn More About PassGP StAMPSStart your journey.
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