Viva experience
Had viva today (first sitting) and it was not what I was expecting. Found it really challenging and sometimes not able to say management because examiners kept interrupting asking so many random questions. Feel so deflated. On reflection, cases were mostly fair but the time pressure and questioning made it so difficult. Feel like I messed up so many cases and all the practice I did with consultants was NOTHING like this experience. It felt like they werent interested in description but just wanted you to get to the diagnosis and then question you but not necessarily on management.
I wanted to say management in one of the cases but they moved me on before I could yet I still finished early for those 6 cases - not sure how I can score well on management if they wouldn't let me say anything but had time left. Is this usual?
I know I didnt get the exact diagnosis in maybe 3 cases out of the 12 but had fair differentials. I dont know if this will be enough to scrape a pass. Longs and shorts seemed ok but this experience made me feel like the months and months of hard work was all for nothing.
Any advice for practice going forward when I inevitably fail so that I can simulate the real viva? The consultants I work with encourage good description and differentials during viva but it feels like that is less important in new system so maybe I'm not getting the kind of practice I need from them.