Abstract
Aims and MethodTo explore attitudes and perceptions regarding workplace-based assessment (WPBA) among psychiatric trainees in Wales, identify current problems and recommend measures to successfully implement WPBA. An anonymous questionnaire-based, cross-sectional online national survey was conducted involving all psychiatric specialty registrars in Wales.ResultsOut of 88 specialty registrars in Wales, 81 participated in the survey, a response rate of 92%. the survey highlighted widespread problems and negative attitudes among trainees towards WPBA. Numerous concerns, involving assessment tools, online system, quality of assessors and practicalities of assessments were identified.Clinical ImplicationsThe negative attitudes harboured by many trainees would certainly contribute towards undermining the efficacy of WPBA to improve training. In this context, specific measures with the potential to address the shortcomings identified during the survey are discussed, with a view to improving WPBA and rendering it more acceptable to trainees, and in doing so, facilitate the improvement of training.
Highlights
Medical training in the UK has recently been subjected to radical changes, among which workplace-based assessment (WPBA), introduced in August 2007, is perhaps one of the most controversial
The educational principle underpinning WPBA appears to be sound, with immense potential if used appropriately, and it is striking that a large proportion (43%) of psychiatric trainees in Wales do believe that WPBA was intended to improve training
It is of relevance that this completely novel assessment system was introduced simultaneously with radical changes to medical training (MMC), medical recruitment (Medical Training Application Service, MTAS) and the core curriculum
Summary
To explore attitudes and perceptions regarding workplace-based assessment (WPBA) among psychiatric trainees in Wales, identify current problems and recommend measures to successfully implement WPBA. Cross-sectional online national survey was conducted involving all psychiatric specialty registrars in Wales
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