Work-based assessment: A critical element of specialist medical training

Abstract

EDITORIALIn the recent Transactions, the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa (CMSA) states that work-based assessment (WBA) should be an essential part of an assessment system, alongside the national professional examination.[1] One of the main reasons for highlighting this topic is the fact that assessment enables our profession to demonstrate our accountability, and our commitment to reflecting professional practice standards, sustaining competence, improving performance and engaging in continuous quality improvement.

Use Of Online Structured Oral Examinations For Postgraduate Specialist And Subspecialist Certification Examinations During The COVID-19 Pandemic In South Africa

“…This is one of the priority reasons for the push to embed workplace-based assessment (WBA) in postgraduate training programmes in South Africa, which would fully address this issue in the future and obviate the need to verify clinical competence during exit-level specialist certification examinations. (18) While this study focused on postgraduate specialist and subspecialist examinations in only one country, it does provide a broad overview of candidates' perceptions of the use of virtual SOEs by Zoom as an option for conducting examinations. These examinations were conducted in extraordinary circumstances which may have led to greater acceptability amongst candidates.…”

The introduction of competency-based medical education for postgraduate training in South Africa

“…[7] The national conversation regarding mandatory WBA was initiated in 2017 and, while progress has been slow, there is a renewed commitment to achieving this goal by both the Colleges of Medicine of SA (CMSA) and the SA Committee of Medical Deans (SACOMD). [8] The joint national WBA Steering Committee, with representatives of all specialist training platforms, has been launched in the last year in a collaborative effort between the CMSA and the SACOMD. The aim of the committee is the implementation of WBA for postgraduate medical training in SA.…”

Workplace-based assessment - a new era of surgical training competency assessment in South Africa

“…1 In this model, certification is dependent on completing training under the guidance of a specialist surgeon and passing final written and oral examinations that primarily assess theoretical knowledge. In order to train specialists who are fit for purpose, 2 it is crucial that we move beyond the assessment of biomedical knowledge only and build capacity to test the full spectrum of competencies required for daily clinical practice, including surgical capability. 3 In addition, changes to modern healthcare environments and greater numbers of trainees have resulted in the apprenticeship model no longer being a sustainable strategy for training surgeons.…”