Sexual history and STI testing
Revise confidential history-taking, anatomical sites of exposure, asymptomatic infection, full STI screening, pregnancy status and when specialist sexual-health referral is safer.
MRCGP AKT sexual health revision
Sexual-health questions test more than STI facts. They test whether you can take a confidential history, offer the right tests, involve specialist services, manage partner risk and recognise safeguarding thresholds.
Quick answer
For AKT sexual health revision, prioritise sexual history-taking, STI screening, chlamydia, gonorrhoea, genital herpes, HIV testing, PEP timing, PrEP awareness, partner notification, contraception overlap, consent, confidentiality and safeguarding.
What to revise first
Chlamydia and partner notification
Know typical presentations, asymptomatic testing, first-line treatment principles, pregnancy caveats, abstinence advice, partner notification and retesting themes.
Gonorrhoea and resistance
Focus on referral to specialist sexual-health services, antimicrobial resistance, extra-genital testing, partner management and avoiding under-treatment in primary care.
Genital herpes and ulcers
Cover first episode versus recurrence, timing of antivirals, pain control, pregnancy considerations, alternative ulcer diagnoses and HIV or syphilis testing prompts.
HIV testing, PEP and PrEP
Revise indicator conditions, local prevalence logic, consent, confidentiality, post-exposure prophylaxis timing, PrEP awareness and when same-day specialist input is needed.
Consent and safeguarding
Link Fraser guidance, coercion, exploitation, sexual assault, capacity, domestic abuse, confidentiality limits and the threshold for sharing information without consent.
Red flags to recognise quickly
- Pelvic inflammatory disease symptoms, fever, pelvic pain, cervical motion tenderness, pregnancy or suspected ectopic pregnancy
- Sexual assault, coercion, exploitation, domestic abuse, trafficking or immediate safeguarding concern
- Under-13 sexual activity, concerning age or power imbalance, inability to consent, or pressure from another person
- Possible HIV exposure within 72 hours where PEP may be needed, or acute seroconversion symptoms after high-risk exposure
- Genital ulceration with systemic illness, severe pain, urinary retention, pregnancy or diagnostic uncertainty
- Suspected disseminated gonorrhoea, septic arthritis, severe epididymo-orchitis or systemic infection
Why sexual-health questions catch candidates out
The common trap is answering the infection but missing the system around it: partner notification, pregnancy status, anatomical site of exposure, HIV testing, consent, confidentiality or safeguarding. In AKT stems, those details often determine the safest next step.
AKT sexual health FAQ
Is sexual health high yield for the MRCGP AKT?
Yes. Sexual health is a named RCGP curriculum topic. AKT questions can test STI testing, chlamydia, gonorrhoea, genital herpes, HIV testing, partner notification, contraception overlap, consent, confidentiality and safeguarding.
What sexual health topics should I revise for the AKT?
Prioritise sexual history-taking, STI screening, chlamydia, gonorrhoea, genital herpes, HIV testing, PEP timing, PrEP awareness, partner notification, contraception safety, Fraser guidance, consent and safeguarding thresholds.
How does chlamydia come up in AKT questions?
Chlamydia questions often test asymptomatic infection, appropriate testing, treatment principles, pregnancy caveats, partner notification, abstinence until treatment is complete and when a GUM or sexual-health clinic is more appropriate.
What safeguarding issues are high yield in AKT sexual health?
Know under-13 sexual activity, coercion, exploitation, sexual assault, trafficking, domestic abuse, impaired capacity, pressure from a partner or family member, and when confidentiality can be overridden to protect someone.
Official sources
This is revision guidance, not official RCGP advice. Check current RCGP, NICE CKS, BASHH, local sexual-health pathways and BNF guidance for clinical decisions. Last reviewed June 2026.
October sitting
Oct 26
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days
Keep moving, even on tired days.
Questions, mocks and explanations are free. Your first 2 hours of AKT audio are free. Full 4-month audio access is £79.