About Formulary

The PSA resource built to beauthentic and challenging

The PSA is demanding. Formulary is preparation built around an authentic question interface and genuinely challenging questions, at a price students can afford.

Why Formulary exists

The founder wasn't happy with the quality of the PSA resources on offer, or with how few there were. So Formulary was built to be what was missing: high quality, challenging and authentic, at an affordable price.

In our experience, most other PSA resources don't match this level of authentic question interface, or this level of genuine challenge.

Two principles upon which Formulary is built

Authenticity

Screens, forms, tools, marking and feedback follow the real assessment, so nothing on the day is new to you.

Time pressure is the biggest challenge for candidates,1 and only 24% agreed the time was enough.2 Every minute spent working out a screen is a minute not spent on the clinical question. Memory also works best when practice matches the test.34

Challenge

Questions are written to be demanding, so you find your weak spots in practice, where a mistake costs nothing. This is a design aim, not a promise of any result.

Fewer than half of candidates (42%) agreed that their course had prepared them adequately for the questions.2 Practice that feels smooth can leave you feeling ready when you aren't. Learning that takes effort lasts longer. Researchers call these desirable difficulties.5

What you get

  • The same interface. Question screens, prescription forms, calculator, dashboard and BNF links follow the real layout.
  • Marking that reflects real answers. Accepted alternatives and partial credit are built in.
  • Hard questions, reviewed by a clinician. Every question has been reviewed by a clinician before students see it.
  • Useful feedback. Your answer, the accepted answers and the reasons, with BNF pages.
  • One payment. No subscription: you pay once for the time you need.

Independence

Formulary is an independent educational resource. It isn't affiliated with or endorsed by the PSA, the BPS, the Medical Schools Council (MSC) or the UK Foundation Programme Office (UKFPO). The BNF is published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), and Formulary links to it without any affiliation.

What's the PSA?Browse plans
Sources

References

  1. 1. BPS Assessment. How to pass the PSA (guidance for candidates). portal.bpsassessment.com/how-to-pass-the-psa/
  2. 2. Magavern EF, et al. UK Prescribing Safety Assessment (PSA): the development, implementation and outcomes of a national online prescribing assessment. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2024;90(2). doi:10.1111/bcp.15919. doi.org/10.1111/bcp.15919
  3. 3. Morris CD, Bransford JD, Franks JJ. Levels of processing versus transfer appropriate processing. J Verbal Learning Verbal Behav. 1977;16:519-533.
  4. 4. Godden DR, Baddeley AD. Context-dependent memory in two natural environments: on land and underwater. Br J Psychol. 1975;66(3):325-331.
  5. 5. Bjork EL, Bjork RA. Making things hard on yourself, but in a good way: creating desirable difficulties to enhance learning. In: Gernsbacher MA, Pew RW, Hough LM, Pomerantz JR, eds. Psychology and the Real World. Worth Publishers; 2011:56-64.