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 × 15-minute clinical stations across two sittings | 8 × 17-minute timed scenarios |
| Mode | Video-based or face-to-face role plays | Live video interview with an examiner |
| Content | Consultations, counselling and communication | Scenario-based: acute, remote, inpatient and procedural |
| Focus | GP-style communication and safe management | Rural decision-making and clinical autonomy |
| Interaction | Actor plays the patient; you conduct the consultation | Examiner plays patient/colleague and 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 consultations, 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 such as:
“You are the only doctor in a remote town. A 12-year-old presents with fever and a stiff neck. Outline your approach to initial assessment and management.”
You are tested not only 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 metropolitan training | CCE (scenarios often feel more familiar) |
| IMG comfortable with role-play consultations | CCE (patient-style stations) |
| Rural hospital doctor | StAMPS (greater autonomy expected) |
| Candidates strong in clinical logic but less expressive | StAMPS (less emphasis on communication style) |
Both exams require different mindsets and preparation styles.
Learn More About PassGP CCEHow to Prepare Effectively
-
For CCE
- Practise 15-minute consultations under time pressure
- Use role-play with actors or tutors
- Focus on rapport, explanation and 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
- Community, Emergency Medicine and Paediatrics StAMPS packages - bundled together.
Which Pathway Is Right for You?
| Question | Choose… |
|---|---|
| Do you want to work in urban or suburban areas? | RACGP (CCE) |
| Do you enjoy emergency, procedural, rural or remote work? | ACRRM (StAMPS) |
| Do you prefer simulation-style consultations with actors? | CCE |
| Do you prefer logical, rapid case analysis with less role-play? | StAMPS |
| Do you require 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 examinations. Whether you are training with RACGP or ACRRM, our goal is the same:
- Teach clinical reasoning
- Train exam technique
- Help you pass the first time
- Strengthen your confidence as a capable and safe doctor
With hundreds of scenario-based oral cases, full-length mock exams and personalised coaching from real examiners including A/Prof George Eskander, PassGP provides one of the most structured paths to Fellowship.
Learn More About PassGP StAMPSStart your journey.
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