Annual review of competence: trainees’ perspective

Abstract

Although three-quarters of paediatric trainees found having an ARCP helpful, they did not feel prepared for the ARCP. Educating both trainees and trainers about ARCPs and the required portfolio evidence is continuing; however, we believe trainees will only truly feel prepared for their ARCPs after successfully addressing the more challenging issues of good IT infrastructure in each trust, with consultants readily undertaking workplace-based assessments (WBAs) and with educational supervision being of a consistently high standard.

What Factors Influence General Practice Specialist Trainees’ Engagement with their E-portfolio?

“…Similarly, this study suggests that supervisors whose knowledge and understanding of e-portfolio enables them to identify opportunities for WPBA and appropriately assign relevant professional competencies to learning logs positively influences engagement. Linking quantitative measures of engagement to supervisor ratings was apparent in this study, however, contrasting with earlier observations in which this was not directly linked to portfolio engagement (Goodyear, Bindal and Wall, 2013) the findings indicate a negative impact when supervisors focus on quantity rather than quality. Supervisors who appear to value trainee learning and offer formative rather than "evaluative" feedback (Dickinson, 1995), positively influence engagement.…”

“…Previous studies have assessed factors affecting e-portfolio use in medical undergraduates (Ross, Maclachlan and Cleland, 2009;Belcher et al, 2014) and across different specialties (Kjaer, Maagaard and Wied, 2006;Tochel et al, 2009;Goodyear, Bindal and Wall, 2013) however good quality studies examining e-portfolio in GP training are lacking. There is also scant evidence available related to how peers, the formative and summative purposes of the portfolio, the structure of the portfolio and socio-political factors influence engagement.…”

What do trainee doctors and their trainers say about workplace based assessments? A survey of UK based junior doctors and their supervisors in a rural hospital

“…Poor IT infrastructure such as slow internet connection, incompatible software, missing login details for access to online system (eportfolio) and other training material are significant problems reported by the trainers (table 1) that could affect the validity of the assessment mechanism. Some of these challenges including consultants computer literacy are issues that have previously been reported by other studies 9 .…”

“…Although there is general guidance on how these assessment meetings should be conducted and used for professional development, [3][4] Previous studies on this area have focused on the role and impact of WBAs on trainee doctors' education and performance [5][6] and some have reported trainees' views on the use and usefulness of portfolio-based learning [7][8] and assessments such as the Annual Review of Competence Progression (ARCP) in specialty training 9 . There is no study, to our knowledge, that has consulted either trainees or trainers for their views on how end of placement assessments are conducted and used in doctors' professional development in the first two years post graduation.…”

The validity of the Annual Review of Competence Progression: a qualitative interview study of the perceptions of junior doctors and their trainers

“…24 Our research suggests that 'tick-boxes' are often perceived as reductionist and that assessments which provide more quality formative feedback during training as well as at the annual review would be beneficial. Much previous research has focused on limited geographical areas or specific specialties; 12,13,26 as this study involved participants from across England and Wales, and across specialties, its findings may have a greater reach.…”