Assessment in Years 1 & 2 Dr Adrian Freeman Director of Assessment

Principles of assessment Assessment policies, procedures and methods will be informed by best evidence and relevant educational theory Assessment policies, procedures and methods will address patients’ best interests Assessment, although necessarily an intermittent process, will be continuous with frequent opportunities for feedback Assessment will be cumulative and reflect students’ performance across the programme

Assessment Modules and Curriculum Themes Clinical Skills Personal Development Professionalism Medical Knowledge Life Sciences Human Sciences Public Health Clinical Skills Personal & Professional Development Special Studies Modules Themes

Summative Assessments in years 1 and 2 1) Medical Knowledge 1 and 2 –Progress Test administered 4 times per year to all students, plus end of year 1 test 2)Clinical Skills 1 and 2 –Clinical Competencies –(Year 2 ISCE) 3)Personal Development & Professionalism 1 and 2 –Portfolio analysis –PPD judgements 4)Student Selected Component 1 and 2 –Publication style reports

Progression on Programme To progress from Year 1 to Year 2….. aggregate Satisfactory in the Progress Tests, or pass an end of year Medical Knowledge test have passed your clinical skills competencies have no outstanding remediation in personal development and professionalism (PDP) or student selected component (SSC)

Progression on Programme To progress from Year 2 to Year 3 You must obtain at least a ‘Satisfactory’ grade in all the modules

Special Studies 1 Module Special Study Units aim to promote the development of critical thinking and communications skills. You will complete 4 summative (and 1 formative) Special Study Units reports (2000 words) in years 1 and 2 Pass mark set after assessment results are in using the ‘borderline group’ method. Allowed one ‘less than satisfactory’ each year but must remediate.

Personal Development and Professionalism Portfolio analysis word essay which demonstrates critical reflection and identification of learning goals, assessed independently by Academic Tutor and self- assessed PPD judgements – judgements on behaviour in various learning environments, made by PBL tutors, clinical skills tutors, LSRC tutors, SSU supervisors and jigsaw teachers graded Excellent, Satisfactory, Borderline or Unsatisfactory

Personal Development and Professionalism You must pass both components to pass the PPD module Remediation will follow all ’Unsatisfactory’ and ‘Borderline’ results

Clinical Skills Assessment Communication skills –formative Clinical competencies –Summative and formative, leading to a cumulative summative portfolio, take up to 3 times ISCE (year 2) –summative

Passing the module Pass all the prescribed clinical competencies for that year Pass the year 2 ISCE (Integrated Structured Clinical Examination) –A two-stage exam

Progress Test Main means of assessment for Applied Medical Knowledge (AMK) module 4 tests per year, 3 hours each 125 MCQs, single best answer All students do the same test Items set at the level of newly qualified doctor

Progress Test Why progress test? What is the aim?

Progress Test Breaks the link between the taught course and assessment Encourages continuous and deep learning Allows early remediation via academic tutors

Progress Test How does it do this?

Progress Test How does it do this?

Progress Test How does it do this?

Student Performance So how do you think you’ll do? What was last years average mark??

How is the Progress Test marked? Correct Answer = 1 Incorrect Answer = Don’t Know =0 Each MCQ has 6 options 1 correct, 4 incorrect, and DK

A 66-year-old man complains of breathlessness for three weeks. On examination he has an area of dullness to percussion at the left base with markedly decreased tactile fremitus. Breath sounds on the left are distant at the base, but there is an area of bronchial breathing in the mid- posterior chest above the zone of dullness. These physical signs are MOST compatible with? A: Pericardial effusion. B: Consolidation of the left lower lobe. C: Consolidation of the left lingula. D: Left-sided pleural effusion. E: Atelectasis of the left lower lobe. Learning Point: Clinical anatomy of the lung

How is the Progress Test assessed? Y1-4 is Relative/Norm Referenced Bottom 5% = Unsatisfactory Next 10% = Borderline Next 80% = Satisfactory Top 5% = Excellent Y5 is Absolute/Criterion Referenced

How is the Progress Test assessed? This does NOT mean that overall we expect 5% to be ‘Unsatisfactory’ at the end of each year This is a longitudinal assessment and individual test scores aggregate Decisions are made on aggregate scores NOT individual tests The grade aggregation rules mean that we may have NO-ONE unsatisfactory overall

How are grades used? In year 1 your first test is formative Your second and third test create your first aggregate Satisfactory + Satisfactory = Satisfactory Borderline + Borderline = Doubtful Borderline + Satisfactory = Satisfactory Unsatisfactory + Satisfactory = Doubtful Satisfactory + Unsatisfactory = Doubtful Excellent = Satisfactory for grading

Aggregation Your first aggregate combines with your third grade to provide a new aggregate, It follows the same pattern for every subsequent test Most recent performance carries most weight Test 3 AggregateTest 4 GradeNew Aggregate ExcellentSatisfactory DoubtfulSatisfactory BorderlineDoubtful Unsatisfactory

How to pass AMK? At end of Year 1, you will sit a separate test in Progress Test style but designed to assess what you have learned in year 1. In Year 2, continue aggregating summative grades At end of Year 2, you need a Satisfactory grade or higher to pass AMK, at risk if Doubtful, fail if Unsatisfactory

AMK assessments End of Year 1 Final test Same structure as Progress Test Targeted questions Pass mark set by teaching staff

AMK assessments What does formative mean? Only your first progress test is formative, but after that there are other formative tests available

Formative tests of AMK Computer-based Approximately one per 2 case units Set at level appropriate to that stage of course (cumulative) Questions written by other students Extensive feedback – use it to learn! Do it as many times as you want

A 40 year old female attends the emergency department with a cough and a high temperature. An admission CXR is performed which is shown. The CXR shows increased shadowing in one of the pulmonary lobes. Which pulmonary lobe is affected with pneumonia? A - Left upper lobe B - Left lower lobe C - Right upper lobe D - Right middle lobe E - Right lower lobe

What do you need to know? You will receive a more detailed briefing prior to the first exam To find out more:- –Look on Emily under Assessment for the general stuff –Look on Emily under Quality assurance for the formal stuff.

Extenuating circumstances EC’s do NOT absolve you from undertaking an assessment. EC’s simply allow you the opportunity to undertake an assessment when the circumstances are resolved.

Remediation The dictionary definition is “The act or process of correcting a fault or deficiency” It’s not like fixing a car - It is not something which can be done to you or for you. Remediation is something you have to do for yourself to improve your performance

Identifying any deficiencies This will normally be as a result of reflection on your assessment scores and feedback Usually following a ‘Learning Progress Review’ with your Academic Tutor Should happen after any less than Satisfactory grade

Questions to ask (yourself) What is your approach to learning? Do you have all the necessary study skills? Are you managing your time sensibly? Are there personal or social issues which are affecting your ability to learn? But talk through these with your Academic Tutor

Possible courses of action More time in LSRC More time in CSRC Search Emily for all relevant materials See more patients Revisit core texts Again, discuss and agree these with your Academic Tutor

Questions??