1. Guide to Intern Assessment Processes for Interns

2. This PPT has been developed with the support of CPMEC and primarily authored by Debbie Paltridge, Alison Jones and Carmen Crawford.
We would like to acknowledge the reviewers of the material for their valued contribution’s

3. Outline What are the requirements for Intern assessment in 2014?
Why do we assess interns?
What is your role in intern assessment?
How does general registration relate to internship?
What is the AMC’s role in internship?
What happens at the end of intern year Certification Process?
What do you need to know about the nationally available Assessment Form?
How do the assessment processes link to the Australian Curriculum Framework for Junior Doctors (ACF)?
What are the next steps to support
implementation?

4. Requirements for intern assessment in 2014

5. What are the requirements for intern assessment in 2014?
Refer to new national registration standard: 
New requirements:
Standard requiring assessment against intern outcome statements (2014 transition)
National form for certifying interns’ completion (mandatory from 2014)
Term assessment form (resource available from 2014)

6. Why do we assess interns?

7. Why do we assess interns?
Patient safety
To assist in decisions made about delegation and level of supervision
To fulfil legal requirements
Doctors with provisional registered are required to practise under supervision before being granted general registration
Clinical oversight
To improve workload management and ensure patient safety
To assist in directing intern learning and clinical experience
To make decisions about intern progression

8. What is your role in the assessment process?

9. What is your role in the assessment process?
As an intern you are:
an active participant in your learning throughout internship
actively involved in arranging mid and end of term assessment meetings with your supervisor
encouraged to actively seek feedback on specific aspects of your performance.
both willing and able to receive feedback on your performance
asked to regularly make honest judgements about your performance
actively involved in the assessment discussion
and any plans for remediation

10. How does registration relate to internship?

11. How does registration relate to internship?
Interns are granted provisional registration by the Medical Board of Australia (MBA) to complete the intern year
The intern year is a period of supervised clinical practice.
At least 47 weeks of supervised practice in accredited terms (core terms of medicine (10 weeks)/surgery (10 weeks)/emergency medical care (8 weeks) and other non core accredited terms)

12. How does registration relate to internship?
After satisfactory completion of the intern year, interns can apply to the MBA for general registration
The Medical Board will consider the totality of advice in deciding whether to grant general registration.
An intern who has performed marginally or unsatisfactorily in a specified term but who has demonstrated ‘significant’ progress with evidence of
remediation may be deemed to have met
the standard expected for general registration
by the end of the year.

13. What is the AMC’s role in internship?

14. AMC role in internship
Accredits medical training programs for the Medical Board of Australia
Developed standards, guidelines and forms for a national internship framework
Developed a nationally consistent assessment process based on:
Intern Outcome Statements (aligned with the graduate outcome statements for medical schools)
Medical Board of Australia Requirements for Certification and Sign off, and
 A nationally available Term Assessment Form linked to the Intern Outcome Statements
AMC Prevocational Standards Accreditation Committee oversees national intern standards

15. What happens at the end of intern year certification process?

16. What happens at the end of intern year certification process?
DMS/DCT/DPET considers all term reports
Can be assisted by an Assessment Review Group (if needed)
Written confirmation whether the intern has:
Satisfactory term supervisor reports
An overall satisfactory rating
Determination of any additional remediation
required e.g. additional time in core
terms

17. What do you need to know about the Nationally Available Assessment form?

18. Before you are assessed
Be aware that the form is one part of the overall assessment process
Ensure that you are prepared for the assessment discussions
Be familiar with the assessment requirements
Reflect on your performance (both personally and through gathering information from others) and complete the form from your perspective

19. The Assessment Form Based on the Intern Outcome Statements
Uses a 5-point scale with descriptors
Research shows improved reliability of this approach particularly in large groups of assessors
Descriptors will guide your assessors to provide an authentic rating of your performance
Three descriptors have been developed for each Intern Outcome Statement (ratings 1, 3 and 5)
Not observed option

20. The Assessment Form
Example: 2.2 .Communicate clearly, sensitively and effectively with patients, their family/carers, doctors and other health professionals.
Rating
Descriptor 5
Communicates effectively in routine and difficult situations: actively listens, demonstrates appropriate language for the audience (patients, families or other health professionals) and checks for understanding 4
Performance level between 5 and 3 3
Communicates effectively in routine situations, but some difficulty in adapting communication to deal with challenging situations 2
Performance level between 3 and 1 1
Rarely communicates effectively: does not actively listen, cannot adapt language to the audience and rarely checks for understanding

21. The Assessment Form
There is also a Global rating of your performance on the term
In making this rating the supervisor will consider your ability to:
practise safely;
work with increased levels of responsibility;
apply existing knowledge and skills and learn new knowledge and skills as required

22. The Assessment Discussion
You should receive regular feedback throughout the term and consolidate this at your mid and end of term discussions
Ensure you are clear about what is being assessed and why
Be willing to tell the supervisor what you need feedback on
Consider your self assessment ratings
Discuss your supervisor’s assessment decisions, drawing on the descriptors in the form
Refer to ACF to determine areas you would like feedback on

23. What if your supervisor identifies some areas that you need to work on?
Welcome the opportunity to get guidance on how to perform at a higher level
Familiarise yourself with the IPAP process:
Where you are rated at a 2 or below and a 3 in some instances an Improving Performance Action Plan (IPAP) is required.
Work with your supervisor and DCT/DPET to develop this plan
Ensure you are clear on the next steps and actions required of you

24. The IPAP Located at the end of the Assessment form
AMC Intern Outcome Statement
(e.g. Domain 1 Statement 1.2)
Issues related to specific outcomes statement
Actions/
Tasks
Responsibility
Timeframe
Review Date
Supervisor comments on the outcome of remediation:

25. How do the assessment processes link to the ACF?

26. How do the assessment processes link to the ACF?
The ACF is currently used to:
Guide formal education programs provided to both PGY 1s and PGY 2s
Outline the term experiences
Assist interns self reflection on their experiences – “what have I learnt on this term?”

27. How does the assessment processes link to the ACF?
The Intern Outcome statements have been mapped to the ACF domains
The ACF provides more detailed information to describe the breadth of learning experiences the intern may have
The ACF is a good tool to use in your assessment discussions

28. Next steps to support implementation

29. What are the next steps to support Implementation?
Familiarise yourself with the form and process
Understand that your supervisors are familiarising themselves with the new process too
If unsure, ask your DCT/DPET or MEO any questions you may have about the process early
Provide feedback on the process to your MEOs/DCTs/DPETs to inform any future developments
Actively prepare for your assessment meetings with your supervisor

30. Any Questions?

31. Summary
Implementation of any new process takes some time for everyone to become familiar with the changes
Intern assessment is everyone’s responsibility
The assessment form is one part of the process
Active involvement by you will ensure that you get the most out of this process