A programme of assessment is defined as the integrated framework of exams, assessments in the workplace and judgment made during an approved programme of training. A comprehensive programme of assessment:
- Ensures that training doctors acquire the full range of specialty knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours, as well as the generic professional capabilities that meet the requirements of Good Medical Practice (GMP).
- Provides robust evidence for decisions that are made about readiness to advance to the next stage of training.
- Supports doctors in their learning by providing feedback at all stages of their progression, and encourages reflection.
- Identifies training doctors who are struggling to achieve competence or are in difficulty, enabling appropriate, structured and targeted support.
- Reassures stakeholders that safe decisions are made about competence to perform in practice.
Assessments take place throughout the training programme, providing continuous formative feedback and evidence of learning.
An effective programme of assessment should:
- Include formative and summative tools that support both practical and theoretical models of assessment methodologies.
- Have assessment criteria that are clear and explicit, and a process in which stakeholders have confidence.
- Ensure that all assessments are carried out by assessors with the relevant skills, knowledge, training and support to make fair and consistent judgments.
- Actively encourage trainee-led training, with full engagement in reflective practice.
- Promote equality, diversity and inclusion to ensure that assessments are fair and equitable.
The type of assessment must be appropriate to the purpose. Some assessments are formative, ensuring training doctors receive immediate feedback, and these can be employed to help to identify areas for development, guide learning, reassure about knowledge and skills, prompt reflection and nurture appropriate attitudinal responses. These assessments may also be collated and used to give a rounded view of a doctor’s performance, contributing to summative judgements.
Other assessments are summative and utilised to make an overall judgment regarding competence, fitness to practice or qualification for progression to higher levels of responsibility.
Central to the programme of assessment is the professional, accountable judgement by trainers to ensure training doctors have met the Learning Outcomes and expected levels of performance set out in the curriculum.