Pre PACES Podcast
Sam Williams
The Pre PACES Podcast aims to help you pass the devilishly difficult MRCP PACEs exam. We’ll provide the best expertise from both seasoned consultants who have examined on PACEs for years, as well as tips and tricks from junior doctors who are fresh out of sitting the exam. Most of all, we want you to enjoy listening and ultimately succeed in passing the exam. Best of luck! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books
7 snips
Oct 11, 2026 • 12min
#150 PP: CLD
A focused PACES presentation on chronic liver disease, from spotting ascites, splenomegaly, spider naevi and palmar erythema to recognizing portal hypertension and decompensation. Explore different causes, key investigations, SAAG interpretation, severity scores, and practical strategies for structuring a polished clinical presentation.
10 snips
Sep 27, 2026 • 56min
#149 AI in PACES
Dr Tom Hebden, QuesMed digital education fellow and medical AI enthusiast, explores AI-powered PACES preparation. They discuss how dedicated simulation compares with ChatGPT, AI’s limits in clinical reasoning, and the risks of de-skilling, never-skilling and miss-skilling. Tom also explains how virtual patients, speech recognition and AI marking could support practice without replacing real patients.
11 snips
Sep 13, 2026 • 41min
#148 Vertigo
Dr Nidhi Gupta, consultant acute physician and clinical examination educator, explores vertigo with practical PACES pearls. Learn how to distinguish vertigo from dizziness, spot posterior circulation stroke and vertebral artery dissection, and recognise central red flags. The discussion also compares BPPV, vestibular neuritis, labyrinthitis, vestibular migraine and Ménière’s disease using timing, triggers and hearing symptoms.
10 snips
Aug 30, 2026 • 49min
#147 Speech assessment
Toni Saad, neurology registrar with expertise in speech assessment, outlines how speech moves from thought to motor act. He breaks down dysarthria types and bedside tests. He explains simple checks for dysphonia and key features of dysphasia. Practical stepwise assessment tips and repetition tests for prognosis are highlighted.
Aug 16, 2026 • 13min
#146 PP: Peripheral neuropathy
Sam brings you another perfect presentation episode, this time tackling peripheral neuropathy. Scroll back and listen to EPISODE 106 for our full review on peripheral neuropathy!^_^ SUPPORT THE SHOW ^_^> > Access Quesmed HERE! 15% off with discount code: PREPACES15 < <* * *Sign up for PACES Ahead HERE! * * * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Aug 2, 2026 • 1h 11min
#145 REPOST: Bronchiectasis
Sam brings you another repost of one of his favourite ever episodes featuring Dr Diana Kavanagh, consultant in respiratory medicine, where they discussed bronchiectasis^_^ SUPPORT THE SHOW ^_^> > Access Quesmed HERE! 15% off with discount code: PREPACES15 < <* * *Sign up for PACES Ahead HERE! * * * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 19, 2026 • 1h 4min
#144 REPOST: Parkinsonism
Sam rewinds the clock back to this brilliant episode with Dr Iain Wilkinson, consultant geriatrician and expert in all things movement disorders! ^_^ SUPPORT THE SHOW ^_^> > Access Quesmed HERE! 15% off with discount code: PREPACES15 < <* * *Sign up for PACES Ahead HERE! * * * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
11 snips
Jul 5, 2026 • 39min
#143 Covering Communication
Dr Nidhi Gupta, consultant in acute and general medicine and creator of Clinical Skills Pro, shares practical communication strategies for clinical exams. Short tips on using the patient agenda, timing consultations with an eight-minute internal clock, managing nerves authentically, rapid rapport techniques, handling sensitive outcomes, and practising with video are explored in clear, actionable steps.
Jun 21, 2026 • 26min
#142 Funky SOB (cardiac edition)
In this episode, Sam builds on our previous episode of funky causes of breathlessness, except this time we encounter it from a cardiology perspective.^_^ SUPPORT THE SHOW ^_^> > Access Quesmed HERE! 15% off with discount code: PREPACES15 < <* * *Sign up for PACES Ahead HERE! * * * Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
10 snips
Jun 7, 2026 • 46min
#141 Funky SOB
Dr Giles Dixon, a respiratory registrar specialising in interstitial and occupational lung disease. He walks through taking a focused breathlessness history. He highlights medication causes, workplace and hobby exposures, and clues for conditions like hypersensitivity pneumonitis, sarcoidosis, pulmonary hypertension and chronic thromboembolic disease. Practical pointers on timing, triggers and reproducibility.
