Presentation Description
Alyssa Anderson1
Imogene Rothnie2, Libby Newton1 and Susi McCarthy1
1 Royal Australasian College of Physicians
2 ANZAHPE, AES
Imogene Rothnie2, Libby Newton1 and Susi McCarthy1
1 Royal Australasian College of Physicians
2 ANZAHPE, AES
Background
Work-based assessments (WBAs) play a crucial role in clinical competence assessment as they provide authentic opportunities for tailored feedback for learning. However, a common problem in WBA implementation is trainees’ tendency to approach them with a compliance mindset (Bindal et al. 2011). Drawing from WBA workflows in the Royal Australasian College of Physician’s new Basic Training Program, this study explores factors contributing to trainees’ compliance mindset regarding WBAs and offers strategies to foster a growth mindset.
Summary of work
Analysis of WBA feedback records (n=73) was triangulated with results from a trainee survey (n=16, 21%) and interviews (n=4) to construct a representation of a typical WBA workflow. Divergences between expected and intended WBA workflows were examined to elucidate factors contributing to compliance mindsets.
Results
While most trainees completed WBAs at the expected standard, workflows showed evidence of trainees employing a compliance mindset rather than deliberately using WBAs to support their learning. Many factors contributed to this mindset, including difficulty identifying constructive WBA tasks, trainee-assessor power dynamics, and generic feedback from assessors focused on gaining experience or confidence, rather than on specific areas of improvement. Other factors such as rotation type, workloads, education technology and the influence of other assessments fostered the compliance mindset.
Discussion/Conclusion
An array of factors contributed to trainees’ compliance mindset around WBAs. Strategies to combat this mindset and support a growth mindset include: 1) supporting trainees to identify educationally valuable tasks for WBAs, 2) developing assessors' skills in delivering feedback, 3) ensuring educational technology permits recording of real-time feedback, and 4) supporting trainees to access protected time so they can meaningfully engage with WBAs.
Take-home messages / Further research
Future work could focus on developing learners’ assessment literacy in the context of WBAs and support for learners to self-regulate their learning across training contexts and competencies.
References (maximum three)
Bindal T, Wall D, Goodyear HM. Trainee doctors' views on workplace-based assessments: Are they just a tick box exercise? Med Teach. 2011;33(11):919-27. doi: 10.3109/0142159X.2011.558140. PMID: 22022902.