A new framework for designing programmes of assessment

Research on assessment in medical education has strongly focused on individual measurement instruments and their psychometric quality. Without detracting from the value of this research, such an approach is not sufficient to high quality assessment of competence as a whole. A programmatic approach is advocated which presupposes criteria for designing comprehensive assessment programmes and for assuring their quality. The paucity of research with relevance to programmatic assessment, and especially its development, prompted us to embark on a research project to develop design principles for programmes of assessment. We conducted focus group interviews to explore the experiences and views of nine assessment experts concerning good practices and new ideas about theoretical and practical issues in programmes of assessment. The discussion was analysed, mapping all aspects relevant for design onto a framework, which was iteratively adjusted to fit the data until saturation was reached. The overarching framework for designing programmes of assessment consists of six assessment programme dimensions: Goals, Programme in Action, Support, Documenting, Improving and Accounting. The model described in this paper can help to frame programmes of assessment; it not only provides a common language, but also a comprehensive picture of the dimensions to be covered when formulating design principles. It helps identifying areas concerning assessment in which ample research and development has been done. But, more importantly, it also helps to detect underserved areas. A guiding principle in design of assessment programmes is fitness for purpose. High quality assessment can only be defined in terms of its goals

Workplace-Based Assessment Instruments in the Health Sciences

A historical overview of the development of assessment instruments in the health sciences is presented here, with specific attention paid to workplace-based assessment instruments. Three instruments are reviewed in detail: the mini clinical evaluation exercise (mCEX), direct observation of procedural skills (DOPS), and multi-source feedback (MSF). Features common to these instruments include their authenticity, their use in assessing professional skills, and the opportunities they afford for the provision of feedback. Although almost exclusively used in graduate medical training, they are likely to play an increasingly important role in the assessment of veterinary undergraduate students in preparation for professional practice. However, the time and cost associated with implementing these instruments raises questions about their feasibility. The continued search for the holy grail of assessment instruments and the challenges relating to the need for trained assessors leads us to conclude that ultimately, the competence of health professionals should continue to be measured using several complementary instruments