Presentation Description
Richard Filby-Aziz1
Suzanne Chamberlain1
1 General Medical Council
Suzanne Chamberlain1
1 General Medical Council
Background
The Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA) is being launched in the UK in 2024 for all students at UK medical schools, and international medical graduates seeking a licence to practise medicine in the UK via the examination route. The MLA comprises two components: an applied knowledge test and a clinical and professional skills assessment (CPSA). The MLA model, and its delivery, is different for both components, and for UK students and international medical graduates. This presentation will outline the delivery model and outline some of the learning from the MLA development work.
The Medical Licensing Assessment (MLA) is being launched in the UK in 2024 for all students at UK medical schools, and international medical graduates seeking a licence to practise medicine in the UK via the examination route. The MLA comprises two components: an applied knowledge test and a clinical and professional skills assessment (CPSA). The MLA model, and its delivery, is different for both components, and for UK students and international medical graduates. This presentation will outline the delivery model and outline some of the learning from the MLA development work.
Summary of work
As part of the development of the CPSA component of the MLA, the General Medical Council (GMC) has engaged with all UK medical schools to understand the design features of the clinical and professional skills assessments delivered in the final, or penultimate, year of each medical degree. During this engagement we captured information about technical design elements, including the number of stations, station testing time, standard setting methods, and use of conjunctive standards, and some delivery features such as the number of testing sites.
As part of the development of the CPSA component of the MLA, the General Medical Council (GMC) has engaged with all UK medical schools to understand the design features of the clinical and professional skills assessments delivered in the final, or penultimate, year of each medical degree. During this engagement we captured information about technical design elements, including the number of stations, station testing time, standard setting methods, and use of conjunctive standards, and some delivery features such as the number of testing sites.
Discussion
Our engagement with medical schools provides evidence of the diversity of approaches used to assess clinical and professional skills in UK undergraduate medical education. Our understanding of this diversity has been critical to informing the GMC's development of the MLA model, and a set of 20 requirements for the CPSA component, against which medical schools must provide evidence of compliance. The GMC plans to share, with the UK medical schools in the first instance, the learning and examples of good practice that have emerged from this work.
Conclusions
There is significant diversity across UK medical schools in how clinical and professional skills assessments are designed and delivered at the end of the medical degree. This diversity appears to be shaped by, for example, philosophical approaches to learning, teaching, curricula, and assessment, and practical concerns relating to feasibility, size of cohort, and resources available. As part of the quality assurance process, it is important that these contextual factors are considered.
There is significant diversity across UK medical schools in how clinical and professional skills assessments are designed and delivered at the end of the medical degree. This diversity appears to be shaped by, for example, philosophical approaches to learning, teaching, curricula, and assessment, and practical concerns relating to feasibility, size of cohort, and resources available. As part of the quality assurance process, it is important that these contextual factors are considered.
Take home messages
The MLA is being launched in the UK in 2024. The MLA model incorporates flexibility and diversity in the design of the clinical and professionals skills component.