# PSA study plan for 2, 4 and 8 weeks Source: PassthePSA, PSA revision notes URL: https://passthepsa.com/psa-revision/study-plan/ Updated: 2026-10-01 Topic: UK Prescribing Safety Assessment (PSA) revision Short answer: Plan PSA revision around daily BNF-open practice, a weekly error-log review and timed sets that build towards a full 120-minute paper. With 8 weeks, build foundations first; with 4, combine topics and timing; with 2, prioritise prescribing, high-risk medicines and your own error log. The final 48 hours are for consolidation, not new material. ## What principles apply to every PSA study plan? Every plan has the same four ingredients: daily practice with the BNF open, a running error log, timed work that builds towards a full paper, and rest before the exam. Only the amount of time at each stage changes. - Practise a little every day rather than a lot occasionally. - Weight your time towards prescribing, which carries the most marks in the paper. - Review your error log weekly and retest what you got wrong. - Do at least one full-length timed paper before the exam if time allows. Start by finding your baseline. Do a short mixed set with the BNF open in the first session, log what you got wrong, and let that result decide where the early weeks go. Someone who prescribes daily on the ward needs more work on exam technique and timing; someone who rarely prescribes needs more work on drug choice and the BNF layout. The paper has eight sections, 60 items and 200 marks over 120 minutes, and the prescribing section alone is worth 80 of the 200 marks. The plans below reflect that. ## What does an 8-week plan look like? Eight weeks allows foundations first, then volume, then timing. Spend the early weeks on method and the BNF layout, and keep timed work for the second half. Week | Focus | Activity --- | --- | --- 1 | BNF layout and prescription writing | Untimed items; learn the prescription format 2 | Prescribing and common drugs | Daily prescribing items; start the error log 3 | Prescription review and adverse reactions | Practise timing clues and interactions 4 | Monitoring and data interpretation | Link drugs to tests and results 5 | Calculations and planning management | Unit conversions; treatment summaries 6 | Mixed sets, first timed work | Timed sets of 10 items; review the log 7 | Weak areas, full paper | One timed 120-minute paper; fix the errors 8 | Consolidate | Light mixed practice; error-log retesting Treat weeks 6 to 8 as fixed. If earlier weeks overrun, shorten the topic work rather than the timed practice, because the exam rewards speed with the BNF as much as knowledge. ## What does a 4-week plan look like? Four weeks means combining topic work with timing from the start. Cover each section style once, then spend the second half on mixed timed sets. Week | Focus | Activity --- | --- | --- 1 | Prescribing and prescription writing | Daily items with the BNF; start the error log 2 | Review, reactions, monitoring and interactions | Short sets across styles; learn high-risk medicines 3 | Calculations, data and planning | Mixed timed sets; error-log review 4 | Full paper and consolidation | One timed paper, then targeted fixes and rest ## What can I achieve in a 2-week plan? Two weeks is enough to learn the method and fix your biggest weaknesses, not to cover everything. Prioritise ruthlessly and keep practising with the BNF open every day. Week | Focus | Activity --- | --- | --- 1 | Prescribing, high-risk medicines, writing format | Daily mixed items with the BNF; log every error 2 | Timed mixed sets and weak areas | Timed sets; one full paper if possible; retest the log - Give prescribing the largest share of your time; it is 80 of the 200 marks. - Learn the safe prescription format until it is automatic. - Skip rare topics; return to your most frequent errors instead. If you can add a third week, use it for a second full paper. The aim of the final week is a calm, practised routine, not a larger volume of material. ## How should I structure each week? Use a repeating weekly rhythm so that revision stays manageable alongside clinical work. A simple pattern is enough. - Most days: 30 to 60 minutes of practice, BNF open. - One day: a longer timed set and an error-log review. - One day: rest or very light revision. Adjust the amount to your own timetable. Regular, shorter sessions are more effective than rare marathons. Protect the rest day. Spaced, regular practice consolidates better when it is not squeezed into every available hour, and tired practice produces careless writing errors that you then log for the wrong reason. ## What should I do in the last 48 hours? In the last 48 hours consolidate and rest; do not start new topics. Cramming new material late adds anxiety and little benefit in an open-book exam. - Read your error log and the prescription format one more time. - Do a short, untimed set to keep the BNF search habit warm. - Check your booking details and the exam arrangements, using the official PSA information. - Plan your arrival time and travel arrangements so nothing is left to the morning. - Sleep properly and eat normally the night before. Note: Doses: if you revise any doses in the final days, confirm them in the BNF rather than relying on memory. ## Check yourself - How much of the 200 marks sits in the prescribing section? - At what point in your plan will you first do a timed set? - When will you do a full 120-minute paper? - How often will you review your error log? - Which topics will you deprioritise if time is short? - What will you do, and not do, in the last 48 hours? ## Questions people ask Q: Is 2 weeks enough to revise for the PSA? A: It can be, for a candidate who already prescribes regularly. Focus on prescribing, the safe writing format, high-risk medicines and your own error log, and practise with the BNF open every day. Q: When should I do a full practice paper? A: Once you can use the BNF quickly, ideally at least several days before the exam, so that you have time to fix what it shows. Q: Should I revise on the day before the exam? A: Lightly, if at all. Reread your error log, keep calm and sleep well; new material at this stage rarely helps. Q: How long should each study session be? A: Thirty to sixty minutes is a sensible block for most people. Regular short sessions work better than occasional long ones. ## Related notes - How to revise for the PSA: https://passthepsa.com/psa-revision/how-to-revise/ - PSA format and marking: https://passthepsa.com/psa-revision/format-and-marking/ - Common PSA mistakes that cost marks: https://passthepsa.com/psa-revision/common-mistakes/ Sources: BNF; British Pharmacological Society and MSC Assessment PSA information. Exam-revision notes, not patient-specific advice; the BNF is the authority. More: https://passthepsa.com/psa-revision/ (all notes), https://passthepsa.com/psa/ (exam guide), https://passthepsa.com/ (practice questions).