Evaluation of a comprehensive programme for the assessment of medical students

Abstract

A two-stage process for the assessment of students' clinical competence at the end of each academic term has been introduced for medical undergraduates in their first year at The University of Newcastle, N.S.W. The first assessment, held in the week following the end of the learning phase for a term, enables students: to demonstrate their competence on pre-stated learning objectives; to review their peers' performance and the nature of acceptable (model) answers for each item in their written assessment; to examine their own scripts with their group tutor; and to receive early diagnostic advice and academic guidance to plan their remedial studies. The latter activity is vital for students judged “not-competent” overall at that stage, since they are given an opportunity to demonstrate their skills in a second assessment held nearer the end of term. Student evaluation of the assessment programmes after the first year of introduction has been invaluable in helping to make the system a viable process as an integral aspect of the Faculty's educational philosophy.