7 Common SAMPs Mistakes That Cost Residents Marks

After reviewing thousands of practice SAMPs answers, clear patterns emerge. These seven mistakes are responsible for more lost marks than any knowledge gap — and they're all fixable.

1. Being Too Vague

This is the #1 mark killer. Vague answers don't score.

Examiners mark against a specific checklist. Each item on that checklist is a concrete answer — a specific drug name, a specific investigation, a specific counselling point. “Investigate appropriately” matches nothing on any marking scheme ever written.

Fix: Always name the specific test, drug, dose, or action. If you're thinking it, write it.

2. Not Reading the Question Carefully

The question says “List 3 investigations.” You write 6 investigations and a management plan. You scored 3 marks out of 3 — but wasted 2 minutes writing things that weren't being marked.

Worse: the question asks for “initial management” and you write your 6-month follow-up plan. Zero marks — you answered a different question.

Fix: Underline or mentally highlight the verb (list, describe, name, counsel) and the number. Answer exactly what's asked. Extra information costs time but rarely earns extra marks.

3. Ignoring the Patient's Context

A 35-year-old pregnant woman with a UTI gets different antibiotics than a 70-year-old man with a UTI. The exam gives you patient details for a reason — age, sex, comorbidities, medications, pregnancy status, and social history all affect the answer.

Fix: Before writing your answer, scan the stem for: age, sex, pregnancy, allergies, medications, comorbidities. Adjust your answer accordingly.

4. Using American Guidelines

This catches IMGs most often. The CCFP exam is a Canadian exam. It uses Canadian guidelines, Canadian drug names, and Canadian screening recommendations.

Examples that differ from US practice:

• Hypertension: Hypertension Canada guidelines (not JNC-8)
• Diabetes: Diabetes Canada (not ADA) — different targets, different medication algorithms
• Cervical screening: Provincial programs vary, but generally starts at 25, not 21
• Colon cancer screening: FIT test, not colonoscopy, as first-line screening
• Statin prescribing: Framingham Risk Score, not ASCVD calculator

Fix: Study from Canadian sources: Diabetes Canada, Hypertension Canada, CTFPHC, CCS, SOGC, CPS. When in doubt, check the Canadian guideline.

5. Forgetting Counselling and Follow-Up

Family medicine isn't just “diagnose and prescribe.” The CCFP exam heavily weights patient education, lifestyle counselling, and follow-up planning. These are easy marks that most candidates leave on the table.

When the question asks you to “manage” a patient, always consider:

• What would you counsel the patient about?
• What lifestyle modifications apply?
• When would you follow up?
• What would you monitor?
• Are there safety-net instructions? (“Return if...”)

Fix: After writing your diagnosis and treatment, always add a line about counselling and follow-up. Even “Follow up in 2 weeks to reassess. Return sooner if worsening symptoms.” scores marks.

6. Poor Time Management

Getting stuck on one case and running out of time is the most heartbreaking way to fail. You might know the answers to the last 3 cases perfectly — but you never got to them.

The math: 12 cases × 10 minutes each = 120 minutes. If you spend 15 minutes on one case, you've stolen 5 minutes from another case where those marks were easier to earn.

Fix: Set a mental alarm at 10 minutes per case. If you're stuck, write your best answer, flag it, and move on. Come back if time allows. Partial marks on every case beats full marks on 8 cases and zero on 4.

7. Not Practicing the Actual Format

Reading a textbook is not the same as writing answers under time pressure. Many candidates study by reading — they understand the material — but freeze when they have to produce an answer from a blank text field.

The SAMPs exam is a performance test. You wouldn't prepare for a piano recital by reading about music theory. You'd practice playing.

Fix: Practice writing answers to SAMPs questions. Time yourself. Compare against marking schemes. Identify where you lose marks. Repeat.

The Bottom Line

None of these mistakes are knowledge problems. They're technique problems. A resident who knows 80% of the material but executes well on exam technique will outscore a resident who knows 95% but writes vague, unfocused answers.

Fix these seven mistakes and you'll find marks you didn't know you were leaving behind.