Perspective Chapter: Paradigm Shift on Student Assessment Due to COVID-19 Pandemic at Malaysian Medical Schools

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused disruption to normal face-to-face teaching and learning activities and assessments in medical schools globally. One of the challenges that many medical schools faced was conducting a valid, reliable, secure, and fair online assessment. This chapter introduces the principles of assessment in medical education and the transition to online examinations at several medical schools in Malaysia during the pandemic. Post-pandemic, the new normal for medical education implies using technologies for online learning and conducting assessments remotely, to enhance flexibility, efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Several strategies to ensure the proper organisation of online assessment in medical programmes without compromising its validity and security are described in detail.